Sunshine Smoothie Bowl
This tropical smoothie bowl with mango, banana, strawberries, and Florida Orange Juice is packed full of citrusy flavor and nutritious ingredients!
It’s back to school time and I’m guessing my moms out there are looking for quick, nutritious recipes to nourish their little ones before sending them off to soak up knowledge.
Despite the popularity of intermittent fasting these days, I’m still a firm believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is most true for children as a bulk of research shows that eating breakfast is associated with a healthy body weight and improved academic performance.
Today’s recipe is the perfect breakfast to ease your kids from sunny, summer days into school mode – my Sunshine Smoothie Bowl.
This healthy breakfast bowl is made with mangoes, bananas, strawberries, and Florida Orange Juice.
As most people know, 100% orange juice is loaded with vitamin C. Some studies have shown that higher plasma levels of vitamin C are associated with less insulin resistance and lower fasting glucose in children – both markers of healthy metabolic function.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for juice are:
- No juice before 1 year of age.
- 4 ounces or less for 1-3 years
- No more than 4-6 ounces for 4-6 years
- No more than one cup for 7-18 years
These recommendations were made to counter rising obesity rates and concerns about dental health; however, juice can absolutely be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation and when balanced with other nutritious foods.
In this recipe, Florida Orange Juice is combined with other nutrient dense ingredients like hemp and chia seeds, providing healthy fat, fiber, and protein to this flavorful bowl.
The juice and fruit provide vitamin-rich carbohydrates to keep your little ones energized throughout the long school day.
One fun aspect about smoothie bowls is the ability to switch up toppings. Your kids will enjoy making their breakfast bowl their own by decorating them with their favorite toppings.
I used fresh fruit, coconut flakes, hemp and chia seeds, and macadamia nuts but you can use whatever toppings your kids prefer. Other options include granola, dried fruit, nut butter – the sky is the limit!
- ½ cup Florida Orange Juice
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla soy milk
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- ½ cup frozen mango
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- Combined all ingredients in a high-powered blender.
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Weigh in: What are your favorite smoothie bowl toppings?
*This post is sponsored by the Florida Department of Citrus but all opinions are my own. I thank you for your support of Whitney E. RD-approved partnerships that make this website possible.
Sofia says:
“nutritious recipes to nourish little ones before sending them off to soak up knowledge”…too cute! I’m glad you mentioned the importance of breakfast in kids. On that note, regarding eating times and the timing of food affecting circadian rhythms, do you think for the typical young child being on a 7am-7pm wake-sleep routine that there should be a cutoff time that they should stop eating before bed? Mine will have dinner and then like to have a snack (fruits/veg/yogurt) after dinner which then ends up being within an hour before bed. I don’t want to restrict their calorie intake when they’re asking for more food but I wondered how important their eating times are. The information I’ve read on eating times was with respect to adult schedules.
Ana Alarcon says:
Whitney, it looks so god and refreshing! love the hemp seeds in it.
Jessica Levinson says:
Love this quick and nutritious way for the kids to start their day! And this mom will love joining in on this deliciousness too!
Jody Robinson says:
Love a good smoothie bowl. This one looks so satisfying!
Alisa Fleming says:
This is such an everyone friendly bowl and I love the use of orange juice here! I’m really looking forward to citrus season.
Lorie says:
It’s been a while since I’ve added OJ to my smoothies and bowls. That will be changing this week. And the macadamia nuts are a great idea!
Catherine Brown says:
I’ve yet to succumb to the smoothie bowl craze. but this one looks DELICIOUS! and the perfect consistency too. This one I think I must try!
Katie Morford says:
That sounds like such a refreshing smoothie bowl! I love it!
Amy Gorin says:
Your photography is on point! Yum!
Mandy says:
Love this bowl! It’s an ongoing reminder of summer as fall is looming around the corner!