Want healthy meals your kids will love?

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

24 Comments

The most thick, creamy and absolutely dreamy smoothie you will ever make, this Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie is also packed with nutrition! Perfect way to start the morning, or end your day with a satisfying bedtime snack.

peanut butter banana smoothie with chocolate glaze and sprinkles in a glass on a gray concrete background.peanut butter banana smoothie with chocolate glaze and sprinkles in a glass on a gray concrete background.

When I was a kid, I remember loving milkshakes. Not like the milkshakes of today, where it’s really a huge cup of ice cream, but the type of milkshake you could drink from a straw.  It’s only been since the 90’s that a healthy version of a milkshake- smoothies- have gained popularity, especially among the 2-8 year old crowd!   Kids get the same sweet, delicious, and easy to consume beverage, but with ingredients that parents can get behind.

A healthy smoothie recipe has a balance of nutrients from whole foods, to get the most from your drink.  There are two nutrients that are essential to making a smoothie healthy for kids, and this Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie has them both!

peanut butter banana smoothie with chocolate glaze and sprinkles in a glass on a gray concrete background with bananas and peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Ingredients

Bananas: provide fiber in a smoothie which is the first nutrient that is important to include in a healthy smoothie.   Unlike juicing, including fruits and veggies in their whole form keeps the fiber in tact. Kids need fiber to stay regular, and smoothies are such an easy way to get it in each day.

How much fiber do kids need? 

  • Toddlers (1-3 years old) should get 19 grams of fiber each day. 
  • Kids 4-8 years old should get 25 grams a day.
  • Older girls (9-13) and teen girls (14-18) should get 26 grams of fiber a day.
  • Older boys (9-13) should get 31 grams and
  • Teen boys (14-18)should get 38 grams per day (source)

Peanut Butter, Milk, Protein Powder: These ingredients all provide protein in a smoothie. You can definitely leave the protein powder out, but we like it for the chocolate flavor.  There are some clean sources of protein powder for kids on the market.  We like Kidz shake (see the ingredients on amazon here), but any plant based protein powder works as well. Kids don’t need the boost of protein from powders, it’s just a simple way to increase the protein if you are concerned.  Here’s an alternative smoothie recipe that is high in protein, without the powder (Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake for Kids) You can also just add cocoa powder instead of protein powder for a chocolate flavor. Just add a bit of honey for sweetness.

ingredients for peanut butter banana smoothie -  bananas, peanut butter, milk, chocolate protein powder, honey, ice.

How to Make a Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Smoothies are SO easy to make! Just put all the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pro Tip: Add the liquid in the bottom first to help everything blend easier.

ingredients for peanut butter banana smoothie in a blender - milk, peanut butter, bananas, chocolate protein powder, honey.

Pro Tips for Make Thick and Creamy Smoothies

  • Frozen Fruit. If you want thick, ice cream like smoothies, frozen fruit is key. Fresh bananas don’t make smoothies as creamy as frozen bananas. It’s worth taking the time to freeze them ahead of time.
  • Milk Ice Cubes. Freeze milk in an ice cube tray and use them instead of water ice cubes to boost the creaminess of your smoothie.
  • Nut Butters. The peanut butter in this smoothie not only adds protein, but it thickens smoothies also.
  • The Right Blender. If you want to make a thick, creamy smoothie, a high powered blender is a must. Otherwise, you will have to add a lot more liquid to get that smooth texture and it will be a more runny smoothie.
peanut butter banana smoothie with chocolate glaze and sprinkles in a glass on a gray concrete background.

More Favorite Healthy Smoothie Recipes

peanut butter banana smoothie with chocolate glaze and sprinkles in a glass on a gray concrete background.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4 from 82 votes

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

The most thick, creamy and absolutely dreamy smoothie you will ever make, this Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie is also packed with nutrition!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 281kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 medium bananas frozen and cut into chunks
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup chocolate protein powder optional
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1 tablespoon honey optional

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour into glasses and serve thick and frosty!

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword : Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

Leave a Comment:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




24 Comments

27 grams of sugar in one smoothie is excessive. I certainly wouldn’t want my kids or anyone else consuming this thinking it is a healthy choice.

It sounds good except for all the sugar. You can replace the peanut butter for peanut butter powder and cut the sugar way down and still get your protein.

4 stars
I skipped the honey, as we used very ripe bananas and had to add some cocoa because we had no chocolate protein powder. It was great!

This would be a treat….not all sugar is bad and to be honest, my son who has to take medication that supresses his appetite needs high calorie stuff as it’s difficult to him to eat so no it might not be ‘healthy’ but you need sugar and fat in your diet and you need to enjoy food. Kids need to be kids !!

Thank you Claire!
Our blog is about what healthy ingredients you should add to your family’s diet, not take away. Millet is a new grain that many kids aren’t familiar with, and like adding butter to broccoli or spreading jam on toast, we also had sugar to our cookies! There are lots of blogs who eliminate sugar, but we aren’t one of them.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

5 stars
I love this smoothie for my one year old and for myself! It’s a delicious way to use the bananas that get too ripe to eat.