Build Your Own Smoothie Printable + Recipes
Build your own smoothies quickly and easily with this handy guide. Mix and match your favorite fruits, veggies and more to create a smoothie that the whole family will love.
Smoothies are a go-to in our house. Not only are they ready in just a few minutes, but I can get creative by combining different flavors to keep my boys on their toes. Plus, items like nuts and Greek yogurt add protein, turning simple smoothies into a filling breakfast or snack.
I like to stock up on fruit, like berries, mango and pineapple, when its in peak season and cheapest at the grocery store. Then we chop up and freeze to quickly add to smoothies. Since the fruit is frozen, theres no ice required!
Another tip: freeze leftover greens to add a punch of nutrition to smoothies. We blend up leftover spinach and pour into ice cube molds. Once frozen, transfer to a ziplock bag and add them with your favorite fruits, then start blending. You can also add greens directly to your smoothie packs.
Use the handy Build Your Own Smoothie guide below to make your own smoothie and get blending! We suggest choosing 2-3 fruits, one veggie, one base and 1-2 add ins, but its up to you to be creative.
What Is A Smoothie Pack
A smoothie pack is a fancy name for a combo of smoothie ingredients that are mixed together ahead of time and then stored in a bag in the freezer.
A smoothie pack, just like a smoothie, can be made with various frozen fruits and/or veggies, fresh greens, and additional nutrient-rich ingredients . When youre ready to make a smoothie, simply pour the contents of the smoothie pack, taken directly from the freezer, into a blender and add 1-2 cups of liquid.
Also Check: Healthy Yummy Smoothies For Breakfast
How To Make It
Unlike baking recipes, for instance, smoothie recipes do not have to use exact measurements. You can adjust according to taste. The only difference in choosing between fresh or frozen fruit is how thick you want it to be. Frozen will make for a more milkshake-thick smoothie, whereas fresh will get thickened up slightly by the ice, but have a more liquidy texture. Or you can combine frozen and fresh fruit.
You can use any kind of soft fruit you want, such as berries, bananas, peeled peaches or nectarines, melons, even grapes, and puree, and know you can always add a bit more fruit or ice to thicken it or a bit more milk to thin it out.
Read Also: Green Smoothie With Protein Powder
Peanut Banana Cinnamon Smoothie
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Kids will love this sweet, but filling smoothie, featuring peanut butter for lasting protein and banana for fiber. The recipe is easily adjusted to fit any diet: Swap the peanut butter for another nut butter or even tahini and use your choice of dairy or non-dairy milk. The cinnamon adds a nice hint of spice.
Ingredients Needed To Make Frozen Smoothie Packs
These 6 healthy smoothie recipes are packed with fruits and veggies to help your kids easily get your servings and start your day right with a boost of nutrients first thing.
Tropical Green Smoothie
This smoothie has so many yummy fruits that its like a flavor explosion in your mouth! Its light and refreshing and packed with nutrition.
- spinach I like to buy the big bag from Costco for my smoothie packs
- banana you can slice multiple bananas and freeze flat on a tray ahead of time
- greek yogurt fill a silicone ice cube tray with greek yogurt and freeze. Pop out individual cubest to put in your smoothie packs for way less mess. The ice cube tray I recommend holds about 1 1/2 tablespoons per cube.
- mango use fresh or frozen
- pineapple use fresh, frozen or even canned
- strawberries use fresh or frozen
- Liquid for making: water
Yield: ~2 cups
Green Peach Smoothie
This smoothie is one of our very favorite green smoothies. Sweet bananas and tangy peaches make this a hit with kids!
- spinach I like to buy the big bag from Costco for my smoothie packs
- banana you can slice multiple bananas and freeze flat on a tray ahead of time
- peaches use fresh, frozen or even canned
- greek yogurt fill a silicone ice cube tray with greek yogurt and freeze. Pop out individual cubes to put in your smoothie packs for way less mess. The ice cube tray I recommend holds about 1 1/2 tablespoons per cube.
- Liquid for making: milk
Yield: ~2 cups
Cherry Pineapple Smoothie
Yield: ~2 cups
Yield: ~ 1 1/2 cups
Don’t Miss: Make Daily Harvest Smoothies At Home
What Do I Need For A Green Smoothie
Youll need these four ingredients for a fantastic green smoothie:
- Frozen banana. This will give the smoothie a thicker, smoother texture, and sweeten the smoothie. Plus, it will help chill the smoothie so you dont have to dilute it with ice!
- Leafy greens. Im a lightweight and use fresh baby spinach in my green smoothies because you cant taste it at all. If youre a little more hardcore on the health food front, you can try kale, collards, or even chard!
- Unsweetened milk. Use whatever milk you have in your housecows milk, soy milk, coconut milk, nut milk. Any of them will work!
- Honey or maple syrup. Because the sweetness of bananas can vary so widely, well add this at the very end so that you can sweeten to taste.
Whats The Best Blender For Making Smoothies
Blenders have gotten so advanced in the past few years, that its hard to pick one that wont blend up a great smoothie! If youre blender shopping, here are the three blenders we recommend for daily smoothie-making:
- MOST AFFORDABLE: Cuisinart Immersion/Stick BlenderDont let its small size fool you, this tiny handheld blender is packed full of power, and will easily make a smoothie for you every day! Its perfect if youre limited on counter space.
- MEDIUM: Ninja Professional BlenderFor under $100, you get an incredibly powerful blender that makes a dreamy, creamy smoothie. This was the blender we used in the Wholefully test kitchen for years, and its a great starter-level, but still high-powered, blender.
- SPLURGE: Vitamix Professional BlenderA Vitamix is the top of the line when it comes to blenders, and its what we use every day in the Wholefully test kitchen. It comes with a hefty price tag , so if youre just blending a smoothie every now and again, there is no need to make the splurge. But if you do a lot of cooking or make a lot of smoothies or blended drinks, you might want to start saving your pennies for a Vitamix. Its a lifetime appliance that is a dream to use!
Read Also: What Is A Good Healthy Smoothie
How To Store Smoothie Packs
Before creating a smoothie pack, youll need a way to combine and store the ingredients to create a pack. There are two options:
- Plastic bags . I also just ordered a set of silicone, reusable bags to try.
- Glass or plastic jars or containers
I like to use bags. The bags make releasing frozen fruit much easier than stiff containers. Also, since the bags never get dirty, and I remake the same smoothie combos over and over again, I reuse the bags. Storage jars are much bulkier which creates an issue with smaller freezers, like mine. And if the frozen fruit and veggie melt and begin to stick together before freezing a smoothie pack, there may be issues with releasing the smoothie contents at the time of blending.
The Creamiest Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Green smoothies sound like they wouldnt taste the greatest, but if you do them right, they are sweet, balanced, and have no flavor of greens. They are a wonderful way to get a nourishing boost of nutrition in a grab-and-go tasty snack!
There are two main keys to green smoothie success: first up, you have to nail the ratio. You want the smoothie to taste sweet and deliciousnot like spinach. The second key is to make sure you blend it until its completely smooth! No one wants to chew their smoothie. Read on to learn how I make my favorite green smoothie recipe.
Recommended Reading: How Much Does It Cost To Own A Smoothie King
Should You Rest Your Smoothies
Letting a smoothie sit tends to make it less frothy, but some smoothies willseparate quickly. For example, almost every green smoothie separates into a layer of green juice atop a chunky greenmixture after a few minutes.
Others fare better from resting. Anything with a lot of light or frothyingredients, or a lot of air whipped up into them, applies.
If youre in a rush, prepare the ingredients beforehand by chopping andmeasuring them. Start only when youre ready to eat! You can store ingredientsor even storesmoothies overnight in the fridge, if youre preparing for an earlymorning!
A thick smoothie can last in the fridge up to 24 hours while retaining itsflavor and texture. Thinner smoothies may separate before then. We prefer todrink immediately, though grabbing a drink prepared the night before is almostas good. To store a smoothie in the fridge, pour it into a tightly sealedcontainer such as a Mason jar. Unless you have a tight, screw-on lid for yourblender bottle, dont botheryoull get better flavor and have an easiertime cleaning up if you store it in something else.
In a pinch, you can put plastic wrap over the top of a glass.
Peaches And Cream Oatmeal Smoothie
No time for a leisurely meal? Try this grab-and-go, probiotic-rich take on morning oatmeal. Whole-grain oats contain prebiotic fiber that promotes gut health.
This recipe from Preventions Smoothies & Juicesmakes two smoothies: Blend 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup frozen peaches, 1/2 frozen banana, and 1/2 cup ice until smooth.
Nutrition: 283 cal, 13 g pro, 53.5 g carb, 2 g fiber, 48 g sugars, 3.5 g fat
Don’t Miss: Best Fruit And Veggie Smoothies For Weight Loss
Two: Add The Liquid And Dairy
For the liquid in your smoothie recipe, use 1 cup of:
- Fruit juice
Then add 1 cup of:
- Milk or dairy-free milk substitute
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Buttermilk
How to Make a Smoothie Without Yogurt or Dairy: Omit the dairy element and increase the fruit and juice by ½ cup each.
Related: Easy Smoothie Recipes with Veggies, Too!
Are Homemade Smoothies Good For You
Whether or not a smoothie is good for you depends on your overall diet, what you add to your smoothie, and how often you are drinking them. Smoothies that are filled with fruits and vegetables, within your recommended calorie limit, and without a lot of added sugar, can very much be a healthy part of your diet.
Also Check: Cost To Open A Smoothie King
What Do I Need For Your Mixed Berry Smoothie Recipe
In all likelihood, you already have everything you need in your kitchen! Youll need:
- Frozen bananas. The banana will up the fruity flavor, while also adding sweetness and creaminess.
- Frozen berries. You can use whatever frozen berries that make you happystrawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a mix! If you head to the frozen fruit section at your local grocery store, youll probably spy a few bags of mixed berries. These are my favorite for this smoothie!
- Milk. Any kind of milk will workcows milk, soy milk, coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk. Whatever you have!
- Plain Greek yogurt. Not only does yogurt make the smoothie even creamier, but it also gives it a boost of protein, so you arent hungry again 30 minutes after finishing your drink.
- Honey or maple syrup. You may or may not need this one, depending on how ripe your banana is.
Are Smoothies Healthy For You
Before we dive into the quest of how to make a fruit smoothie, lets dive into the why. Our philosophy here at Wholefully is that smoothies can be an incredibly nourishing part of your diet. Just like with our juicing recipes, we say its always better to eat whole fruits and veggies where possible. But its not always possible! Smoothies do make it easy to pack in all the nutrients of your favorite produce into one drinkable cupwhich is great when youre on the go or short on time.
And lets be honest, smoothies are just freaking delicious! We are big believers that you also need to nourish your soul with your food, and if drinking a perfectly tangy and sweet smoothie brings a smile to your face, then thats healthy as healthy can be.
Recommended Reading: Gluten And Dairy Free Smoothies
How To Make Homemade Smoothies
Home » Drink Recipes » Smoothies » How to Make Homemade Smoothies
Homemade smoothies are a tasty way to add extra servings of fruits and vegetables into your diet. Whether you are looking for a delicious way to start your day or just need a healthier afternoon snack, knowing how to make a smoothie is a great way to expand your culinary knowledge and build your kitchen confidence.
More Of Our Favorite Smoothie Recipes To Make Into Smoothie Packs
- Anti-Flu Super Smoothie boost your immune system with this smoothie full of powerful antioxidants.
- Power Gold Smoothie Our Power Gold Smoothie Recipe gets a gold medal for a breakfast smoothie because it will provide your kids not only with Vitamin A, but lots of antioxidant power with Vitamin C, B6, Magnesium, and fiber!
- Blueberry Coconut Smoothie Tangy blueberries with creamy coconut milk make this smoothie a dreamy breakfast!
You May Like: Strawberry Smoothie How To Make
More Info On Each Easy Smoothie Recipe:
Strawberry Banana Smoothie: This is a pretty, light pink, sweet, and creamy cold drink thats perfect all year long. Its forever one of my classic favorites, and I make sure to stock up on strawberries when theyre in season so I can freeze them for year-round enjoyment. My kids ask for this one all the time, so you can say its a household requirement around here!
Simple Tropical Smoothie: This has a sweet flavor and reminds you of summer, no matter what month it is. My sunshiny Henry loves this one — its summer in a glass. The color is a lovely cream-orange, and its always a hit at our house. Costco sells frozen mango and pineapple cubed and ready to go for a great price.
Very Berry Simply Smoothie: This is made with mixed frozen berries that you can get in the freezer section, including blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I mean, who doesnt love berries?! It almost tastes like ice cream, and it hits the spot any time of day. I make it on movie nights and call it a milkshake. Meanwhile, my kids have no idea it doesnt actually include ice cream!
Peanut Butter Simple Smoothie: This one is a whole big glass of peanut buttery goodness that tastes like dessert but is packed with protein. I cant get over it. Its probably one of my very favorites because I love, love, love peanut butter.
Whats In Hailey Biebers Smoothie
Some of the ingredients were simplesome were pretty esoteric.
In addition to some smoothie basics like almond milk, strawberries, and avocado, the skin-supporting smoothie, is filled with some heavy-hitting skin care ingredients. It includes collagen, hyaluronic acid , and sea-moss gelwhich is known to be hydrating, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial.
Then the glass is glazed with coconut cream and strawberry jam.
Also Check: What Are Some Good Smoothies
How To Make A Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie bowls are a big food trend on Instagramand for good reason. They’re as beautiful as they are delicious. Who could resist an edible artist’s canvas?
Here’s how to make a smoothie bowl that will earn oodles of “likes”:
- Blend the easy smoothie recipe as directed above, following the thicker smoothie instructions. Pour into a bowl instead of a glass.
Now that you’re well-versed on how to make a smoothie at home, you can BYOB for a new healthy snack or meal replacement any day of the week.
How Can I Make My Smoothie Healthier
The smoothie recipes below are plain, but if you want to expand your smoothie horizons, go for it! Toss in chia seeds or protein powder or hemp seeds or flax or whatever else makes your heart happy. If you have a standard set of mix-ins you like, you can even freeze them into booster packsgreat for really quick and easy smoothies!
Read Also: Cantaloupe Smoothie For Weight Loss
Whats The Best Liquid For Making Smoothies
We like to use milk of choice. If youre a fan of coconut milk, use it. Like cows milk? Go for it. A fan of almond milk? Cool. Use whatever milk you like in your smoothiesyou cant go wrong. I just recommend you stick to unsweetened and unflavored versions. That gives you the most control over the smoothie.
Banana Almond Protein Smoothie
Creamy almond butter offers healthy fats, while coconut water helps restore electrolytes after a tough workout. Greek yogurt and a scoop of whey keep the protein content high.
In a blender, add 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp. almond butter, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds, 1 frozen banana, and 1 cup ice. Process until smooth The recipe serves 2.
Nutrition: 329 cal, g pro, 26 g carb, 5 g fiber, 15 g sugars, 17 g fat
You May Like: Good Breakfast Smoothies For Diabetics