A Creative Drink Idea for Fussy Eaters

My 20-month-old daughter Anna is a fussy eater. She has been that way since she started to feed herself, which was at about nine or 10 months old. From birth to six months (and perhaps a bit beyond), she nursed exclusively. When she started to eat solids, she ate baby foods quite well, especially fruits and vegetables.

Once she figured out that she could feed herself, however, everything changed. She refused to eat jarred baby foods, and wouldn't try any table foods. In fact, she wouldn't even allow table foods to get close to her. The only things she would eat were things like the Gerber Graduates Puffs, pieces of Gerber Wagon Wheels, and veggie and cheese crackers for babies. It seemed as though, if it wasn't crunchy, it ended up on the floor. I was at my wit's end trying to find ways to make sure she received sufficient nutrition every day!

The one thing that she did do well was drink. She drank healthy amounts of water, juice, and even milk. Finally, I decided to try an experiment. I made a "smoothie" for her by mixing a jar of baby food fruit, some fruit juice, milk, and yogurt. I mixed it all together in a straw cup (works better than a sippy cup) and gave it to my daughter. She loved it! She drained the cup more quickly than I had seen her eat anything in a long time! Perhaps I had stumbled upon something here.

Traditional smoothies for adults usually require a fair amount of ice and mixing in a blender. My version of the baby smoothie does not require any ice or small kitchen appliances. I make different smoothies every day by mixing different combinations of pureed fruit (from baby food jars), juices, milks, and yogurt. In fact, to make sure she gets more protein, I have even been able to sneak in a jar of "apples & chicken," "pears & chicken," or "turkey & sweet potato" into Anna's smoothies! With so many different fruit mixtures and juice flavors available, the smoothie combinations are virtually endless! My basic recipe for a baby smoothie is the following:

Ingredients:

1 4-ounce jar of baby food fruit or fruit combination

3 ounces of 100% fruit juice

3 ounces of milk (or rice or soy milk - I've used them all - and vanilla flavor is especially yummy)!

1 or 2 tablespoons of vanilla yogurt

Directions:

Pour the entire contents of the jar of baby food into a sippy cup. (Straw cups work the best; I use a 10-ounce straw cup).

Fill the baby food jar about ¾ full with fruit juice.

Swish the juice around to remove the remaining fruit from the sides of the jar.

Pour the juice and fruit mixture into the cup.

Fill the baby food jar a second time with milk, rice milk, or soy milk and pour into cup.

Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of yogurt (if desired for additional protein).

Replace the lid on the cup, make sure the lid is secure and straw is closed, and then shake the cup vigorously.

Voila! You now have a yummy baby (food) smoothie ready to serve!

Variations: You can use #1, 2, or 3 fruit or fruit combination - I typically use about 4-6 ounces.

For convenience, you can add drinkable yogurts to these super smoothies!

When I watch my child enjoy this healthy drink, I feel comfortable knowing that she's getting lots more nutrition than a simple cup of juice or milk. We continue to introduce new foods to Anna in hopes she will expand her palate!

First published on ClubMom.com February 17, 2006. ClubMom.com is ceasing operations on December 31, 2008, so I am republishing this article here.