How to Make a Smoothie in 5 Easy Steps
Smoothies are delicious, nutritious and easy to make at home. The steps for how to make a smoothie are simple and easy to follow. You can customize smoothies with your favorite fruits, vegetables, liquids and other ingredients.
Whether you want to know how to make a smoothie for breakfast, snack or dessert, here are some tips and tricks to make the perfect smoothie every time.
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What you need to make a smoothie
To make any basic smoothie, you need fruit or vegetables, liquid and a blender. Plus, you’ll also need cups or bowls to serve the smoothie in when it’s ready. If you don’t add ice cubes to your smoothie, you can serve it over ice to make a chilled treat.
If you don’t have a blender, you can also use an immersion blender or food processor to make smoothies.
Make a smoothie in 5 easy steps
Time needed: 10 minutes
- Choose your liquid base
Start with your liquid base since it’s foundation of your smoothie. It helps to have the liquid and softer foods nearest the blade to blend the ingredients more easily.
The liquid base also adds flavor and texture. Use about 1 cup of liquid for 2 cups of fruit.
You can use water, coconut water, milk (dairy or non-dairy), kefir, tart cherry juice, 100% fruit or vegetable juice, cottage cheese or yogurt. The amount of liquid you need depends on how thick or thin you like your smoothie.
A good rule of thumb is to add enough liquid to go one-third to halfway up the blender pitcher. You may want to experiment with this based on your blender and the instructions that come with it.
- Add powders or sweeteners
If you want to sweeten your smoothie or boost its nutritional value, you can add some sweeteners or powders to the liquid base. Add these to the liquid so that you can break up any clumps.
Some examples are honey, maple syrup, sugar, cocoa powder, pea protein powder, fiber powder, chia seeds, bee pollen or spices (such as cinnamon or turmeric).
- Add fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the main ingredients of your smoothie. They add color, flavor, vitamins and antioxidants. (1) You can use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, depending on what you have on hand and what you prefer.
Frozen fruits and vegetables will make your smoothie colder and thicker, while fresh ones will make it lighter and more refreshing. If you don’t use frozen fruit or veggies you may want to add a handful of ice cubes instead.
You can use any combination of fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, pineapples, oranges, apples, peaches, kiwi, spinach, kale, carrots or celery. These boost fiber and reduce inflammation.
Try to layer them from softest to hardest, with the softest ones closest to the blade. This will help the blender chop them more easily and prevent chunks or lumps in your smoothie.
- Blend Until Smooth
Once you have added all your ingredients to the blender pitcher, it’s time to blend them until smooth. Start with a low speed and gradually increase it until you reach the desired consistency.
You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the pitcher with a spatula or add more liquid if the mixture is too thick or chunky. Try using the pulse function to break large pieces of fruits or vegetables.
- Enjoy Your Smoothie
When your smoothie is ready, pour it into a glass or a if it is thick enough, you may want to put it in a bowl. Enjoy it right away or store it in the fridge for later.
Add some fun to your smoothie with toppings like granola, chia seeds, nuts, coconut flakes, chocolate chips or fresh berries.
Final thoughts
Making smoothies is fun and easy. You can customize your smoothies with your favorite ingredients and experiment with different combinations. Smoothies are also a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet and get more vitamins and antioxidants.
Plus, they are perfect for any time of the day, whether you need a quick breakfast, a refreshing snack or a satisfying dessert. And they’re a great addition to your soccer nutrition sports performance plan.
If you are looking for more smoothie recipes and tips, check out our post on high fiber smoothies.
Now that you know how to make a smoothie in 5 easy steps what recipe will you try first?
Happy blending!
Steph Magill, MS, RD, CD, FAND has over 22 years of experience in public health and nutrition. As a performance registered dietitian nutritionist, Stephanie specializes in sports nutrition and provides simple and actionable information so that athletes can be well fueled for high performance on and off the field. Stephanie has a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
