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Dairy Free Tropical Smoothie

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Frozen tropical fruits and a handful of other simple ingredients make this dairy-free tropical smoothie an excellent option for busy mornings or just a quick snack! Sipping on this smoothie just might make you feel like you are away on a tropical island! 

a top/side view of a green smoothie with banana slices and a mango square on the top. There is also a pink umbrella on the right side of the dirnk

When we are running around town, local smoothie shops are my go-to for a quick and healthy snack for the kids. But when we are at home, there is no need to run out to one of those smoothie places when we can easily make our own for just a fraction of the cost!

Making your own smoothies also ensures that the smoothies are made of natural ingredients and it gives you the ability to control the smoothie ingredients. 

Healthy smoothies are an easy breakfast idea!

Healthy smoothies are an excellent choice for breakfast because they are so quick to prepare, and it’s easy to pack them full of different fruits and veggies. This tropical smoothie is especially good for you because it has added spinach and you can adjust it based on any dietary restrictions or food allergies. 

If you have struggled to get your child to drink a spinach smoothie in the past (some kids do find a green smoothie offputting!), take a look at our guide on how to make a smoothie for picky eaters for some valuable tips. You can also check our other easy breakfast smoothie recipes if you’d like some more inspiration for breakfast time.

Our creamy tropical smoothie is made with a combination of ingredients that kids love, like frozen banana, mango, and pineapple. All of these fruits can be purchased chopped and frozen, so you won’t need to do any chopping. Simply pop it all in the Vitamix or other blender along with spinach and coconut water, and you’re done. 

Nice and easy!

Ingredients For A Dairy Free Tropical Smoothie

​Keep in mind that this recipe calls for frozen fruits. That is what gives this vegan smoothie a creamy texture. If you don’t mind more of a ‘juice’ texture, you could use fresh fruit instead. Either way, you’ll end up with a delicious smoothie!

  • Banana, Frozen – Once bananas start to brown on your counter, peel them, put them on a plate and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, store them in a freezer bag.
  • Mango chunks, Frozen – It’s easier to just buy frozen mango. I tried freezing my own but it was expensive because there isn’t much fruit on one mango
  • Pineapple Chunks, Frozen – I buy a fresh pineapple for $3.99 at Costco. Peel the pineapple and chop it into 1-inch chunks and freeze them. It also makes a great snack!
  • Spinach, Fresh – If you don’t have spinach, kale, or a mix of greens will work. I don’t recommend arugula
  • Coconut Water – Make sure there is no added sugar. If your kids want it sweeter, you could add a few tablespoons of pineapple juice, or for a creamier smoothie, use non-dairy milk
  • Plant-based proteins – I add pea protein or whey protein but this is optional. If your kids are picky, I’d recommend leaving it out

How To Make a Vegan Tropical Smoothie in 2 Steps

top view of a vitamix container with coconut water and a white bowl on the side with a banana, frozen mango and frozen pineapple. spinach leaves are sprinkled around the picture and there is a yellow napkin in the top left corner
Add coconut water to a blender
top view of a viatmix blender container with frozen mango and pineapples and fresh spinach leaves. The container is on a light blue background with a yellow towel in the top left corner
Add the mango, pineapple, banana and spinach. Blend well and serve!

How To Make A Tropical Smoothie

Tropical smoothie is a kid recipe, so we’ve made it as simple as possible! You can have this prepared in minutes, leaving you more time to focus on the inevitable chaos of a busy morning.

Pop your almond milk into the Vitamix or blender. Then add all of the fruits and spinach, and blend until smooth. Depending on what kind of blender you have, you may need to stop a couple of times to scrape the sides. 

If you think the mixture looks too thick, you can add a little more almond milk, but only add a small amount at a time. 

Serve and enjoy!

two green smoothies on a oval wooden cutting board with spinach leaves sprinkled.

Smoothie Tips and Tricks

  • Spinach. You can substitute the spinach for other leafy greens; kale works well. If you are going to use kale, then use half the amount because it has a strong flavor.
  • Coconut Water. I think this tropical smoothie tastes delicious with coconut water, but you can substitute this for regular water or any type of nut milk if you prefer.
  • Make it a smoothie bowl! You can make your tropical smoothie into a smoothie bowl by simply decreasing the amount of coconut water from 1 cup to ¼ of a cup. Try topping it with fresh fruits, chopped nuts or seeds.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Dairy Free Tropical Smoothie

Are smoothies better with milk or water?

Either one will work for a smoothie. Milk will result in a creamier, thicker smoothie. Water will be a little thinner but will still be delicious. I love using coconut water in this smoothie because it adds to the tropical flavor and since we are using frozen fruits, the water makes it thinner and easier to sip through a straw. 

Can I make smoothies ahead of time?

Smoothies like this one that use frozen fruit taste better when they are consumed immediately after blending. You can make it ahead of time but it will melt, even in the fridge. Instead, you can make frozen smoothie packs. Just measure the fruits and spinach and add them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. When you are ready to use it, add your coconut water to the blender and dump the fruits in to the blender.

Is blending fruit bad?

There are two primary concerns that people have when it comes to blending fruit – Fiber and Sugar. Fruits have lots of dietary fiber and blending them can break down the fiber. You will always consume more fiber if you eat the fruit whole, but I know when it comes to kids, sometimes it’s a fruit in smoothies, or no fruits at all! Fruits also have a lot of sugar, so if you are using smoothies for weight loss, you will want to be aware of how much fruit you are using. Weight loss smoothies should have more vegetables than fruit.

What should you not mix in a smoothie?

Smoothies are typically viewed as a healthy snack, so they should not contain any added sugars (processed or natural). Most smoothies can be sweetened with bananas, sweet berries or apples, but if you need more sugar, try using a date. It may take a little while for your taste buds to adjust to the natural sweetness of fruits, but it will happen!

Are frozen fruit smoothies healthy?

Yes, they can be! The ideal healthy smoothie has a balance of fruit, vegetables, and a healthy fat. This recipe has a lot of fruit and a handful of vegetables. If you want to make it even more nutritious, increase the amount of spinach and add vanilla protein powder or nuts and seeds. You could even substitute the coconut water for nut milk.

Are You Looking For More Kid-Friendly Smoothie Recipes? Try these:

45 degree view of a green smoothie with slices of bananas, a square of mango and a pink unbrella

Good Morning Tropical Smoothie With Spinach

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Start the day right with this tasty tropical smoothie! This sweet and healthy smoothie is made from tropical fruit and spinach, so it’s a great way to help the kids get their five a day.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Coconut Water
  • 1 Banana, Frozen
  • 1 Cup Mango, Frozen
  • 1 Cup Pineapple, Frozen
  • 1/2 Cup Spinach, Fresh

Instructions

  1. Add the coconut water to a high powered blender. I use a Vitamix
  2. Add the frozen banana, frozen mango, frozen pineapple and spinach to the coconut water
  3. Blend until smooth
  4. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 176Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 160mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g

Nutritional information was calculated automatically. Please verify accuracy

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© NaturalDeets
Cuisine: American
By on September 10th, 2021

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