6 Super Healthy Green Ice Cream Recipes for Kids (2024)

Wow your kids with these vibrant and fun frozen treats made with frozen fruit and leafy greens! Green produce like spinach, kiwi, avocado and kale bring super nutrition and gorgeous color to these healthy desserts. Grab a spoon and dig in!

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Leafy greens are the ultimate super food, and most kids don’t get enough. In your quest to get more leafy greens into your kids’ diet, frosty green desserts can be a valuable trick up your sleeve!

Beyond your typical green smoothie, green ice creams boast more creaminess, more sweetness, and a more scoopable consistency than what you might be used to blending up.

Try these bright and fun frozen concoctions with your picky eaters, and get those greens in!

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Tips for Freezing Leafy Greens

Frozen leafy greens are perfect for smoothies and ice cream, because their brittle texture gets ground up easily by the blender blades.

You can freeze fresh bunches of kale (or your own garden kale!) easily. First rinse it and dry it well. Then par-freeze it for a couple of hours on a baking sheet. Lastly, transfer the leaves to a freezer-safe bag.

You can also simply throw an entire bag of chopped kale or spinach from the store right into the freezer! Keeping a couple of bags of frozen greens on hand lets you buzz up green smoothies and ice creams with little advance planning.

Got some in your freezer right now? Use it up in these tasty and gorgeously green frozen treats!

Tropical Coconut Green Ice Cream

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For the tropical coconut we combined these ingredients in our blender:

  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup frozen spinach or kale
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 frozen banana
  • Flaked coconut for garnish

Blend it all up, then pour into a container and freeze at least 4 hours. After frozen, remove from freezer and then wait about 10 minutes to make scooping easier.

Creamy Avocado Green Ice Cream

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We started with our original recipe foravocado ice cream here, and modified it based on your feedback. Here’s the latest and greatest version:

  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 cup frozen kale or spinach
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt.

This one was super creamy! It almost didn’t need to be frozen. Kind of like soft serve. But we froze it for about 2 hours anyway, and it was even better!

Vegan Almond Pistachio Ice Cream

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This one isn’t mine, but I couldn’t have a round up of green ice creams without pistachios! So, I found one from SomeratVeged Out that looked amazing! Check out her super healthy, vegan Almond Pistachio Ice Cream here.

Healthy Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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MMmmmm! Do your kids like mint chocolate chip? Some kids love it, some don’t. Either way, this one was easy. We used:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup frozen spinach or kale
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Blend milk, greens, vanilla, honey, mint, and also banana in a high powered blender. Then Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop into bowl and freeze for 2-4 hours.

Fresh Creamy Lime Ice Cream

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This one does taste fresh and amazing. We used:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 lime, juiced (we just squeezed the lime juice into the blender)
  • 2 dates, pitted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup frozen spinach or kale

Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender. This one will be super runny. But just pour into a bowl and put in the freezer. It will take at least 5-6 hours to freeze to our desired consistency.

Kiwi Sorbet

We’ve been making this one for years! Fruit and honey is really all you need, and maybe your kids don’t even need the honey!? Check out the steps over on our Kiwi Sorbet post here.

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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

The lime juice doesn’t separate the milk? When I was very little I was determined to make ‘ice cream’. I went about this by adding orange juice and sugar to milk and boy did I end up with a big surprise when I opened the freezer. How does this not happen to your lime ice cream?

It didn’t.. Maybe we blended too fast and it froze too quickly?!? I’ll make more today to test it, but it turned out just like the photo above.

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I have steamed and frozen kale in my freezer. Can I use this?

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When the recipes call for 1 cup coconut milk… is this from a can of coconut milk or a carton for drinking?

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Will coconut milk work in the mint chocolate chip recipe? I am lactose intolerant and would love to try it with my son! Thanks!

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Why does the Spinach_kale have to be frozen

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Excited to try the Mint Chocolate Chip!I just have a question – you mentioned 1 tsp vanilla ..is this vanilla ice cream?vanilla essence?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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@Marci The cooked and frozen kale might be too concentrated.
@Beth, I used the milk in the can, but you should be able to do it from the carton as well.
@Stacie Definitely! It should taste pretty close to the same I imagine.
@Donna- It doesn’t. It’s just what I used.
@Reina- Sorry, vanilla extract!

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Mint Chocolate Chip, I like it

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Could almond milk be used instead of regular milk?

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Do you know if I can use rice milk?

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It probably won’t be as creamy Kim.. but you can certainly test it out! Might be a little icy. Almond milk (Paola) and coconut milk might be a little creamier.

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I’ve frozen fresh mint and it’s bitter. How did you avoid this?
I’ve frozen it in ice cubes for drinks, and other use same day servings. So I know it wasn’t just old.

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From what I’ve read, mint becomes bitter when it’s heated. Are you freezing, and then using it in cooking? You could also just mix it in right before you eat the ice cream.

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These ideas are fabulous! Can’t wait to make them, but I was conserned about freezing veggies, using them in the recipies ( and by that time they might melt) and freezing them again….do you think it is safe?

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Hi Ori-
The veggies never get defrosted. We freeze, blend, then freeze. Rather than freeze, defrost, and re-freeze. You know what I mean?

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How about green tea ice cream? It is one of DH’s favorites, but I’ve never seen one in the grocery store that isn’t full of garbage.

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That does sound good KC!

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These all look amazing! I’m curious if any of them have ever been made in an ice cream maker?

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I don’t have an ice cream maker, so I’ve never tried!

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Hi Amy, thanks for your post.
My son and I have a common interest in ice cream, so I always want to add to my recipe collection new creamy, tasty ones and especially nutritious too. And btw I have a suggestion for you guys, try adding the lemon to mint chocolate chip, mint born to combine with lemon, trust me.

Susie

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Liked your recipes very much. If you can post few more will be great..

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Hi.. my kid is extremely suspicious of any food that is green.. if I add cocoa powder to the avocado ice cream recipe, how much would I need, and would I need to change anything else? Thanks

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We haven’t tried this- you could start with a couple tablespoons and go from there. Also, cocoa powder can be quite bitter- you may need to adjust the sweetener! Good luck!

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HI, i’m looking to try to make the avocado ice-cream but my kids don’t like the coconut milk taste. Would it be ok to substitute it with full cream milk? Thank you

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You could try that- you’ll likely end up with a more icy texture.

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6 Super Healthy Green Ice Cream Recipes for Kids (2024)

FAQs

How to make fake ice cream for kids? ›

DIY Faux Ice Cream
  1. Step 1: Gather Your Materials. You are going to need 2 cups of corn starch, 1 1/2 cups of conditioner (any brand), a spoon, food coloring if you want your ice cream dyed, a measuring cup, and an ice cream scoop.
  2. Step 2: Combine Ingredients. ...
  3. Step 3: Mix. ...
  4. Step 4: Scoop and Form. ...
  5. Step 5: Final Touches.

How to make ice cream at home in 10 minutes? ›

Step 1In a small resealable plastic bag, combine half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Push out excess air and seal. Step 2Into a large resealable plastic bag, combine ice and salt. Place small bag inside the bigger bag and shake vigorously, 7 to 10 minutes, until ice cream has hardened.

What is the secret ingredient to ice cream? ›

The cream cheese helps create an ice cream with a denser, smoother texture. As explained by TASTE, cream cheese acts as a stabilizer in ice cream, preventing water from seeping out of the milk and cream as well as preventing the formation of ice crystals that detract from ice cream's creaminess.

What thickens homemade ice cream? ›

Egg Yolks: The most traditional thickening agent, egg yolks contain natural proteins and fats that contribute to a rich and luxurious texture in custard-based ice creams. Cornstarch: Often used in non-custard ice creams, cornstarch mixed with milk helps thicken the base and create a smooth mouthfeel.

Can I use egg to make ice cream? ›

Homemade ice cream is a wonderful treat. Eggs add rich flavor and color, prevent ice crystallization and help create smooth and creamy ice cream.

What should I eat if I crave ice cream? ›

"When you're craving something cold, creamy, and sweet, think healthier options like frozen bananas, grapes, organic fruit purees, or homemade frozen yogurt pops," suggested Natalia Levey, certified health and nutrition coach and author of Cravings Boss.

What is a healthier choice than ice cream? ›

Frozen yogurt could be a good alternative to regular ice cream because undergoing fermentation lowers the lactose it contains. For problem-free digestion, your best bet may be to pick a lactose-free frozen yogurt or ice cream brand.

What is a good non dairy substitute for ice cream? ›

  • Option #1 Avocado Ice Cream.
  • Option #2 Coconut Ice Cream.
  • Option #3 Cashew Ice Cream.
  • Option #4 Soy Ice Cream.
  • Option #5 Almond Ice Cream with Ben & Jerry's.
  • Option #6 A Hybrid-Coconut and Cashew Ice Cream.
  • The Bright Future of the Non-Dairy Ice Cream Market.
Sep 30, 2017

Is sherbet better for you than ice cream? ›

The addition of dairy gives sherbet a creamier texture, but it also increases the overall calorie and fat content. However, compared to ice cream, sherbet still tends to have a lower fat content, making it a good choice for those watching their fat intake.

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