Healthy Fruit Smoothies

Fruit smoothies are a family favorite that have been around for as long as I can remember. This tasty treat can be really simple to make at home, and I love how I can change up the ingredients depending on what’s on hand. If you have a few minutes, you can make this easy fruit smoothie with just some frozen fruit, milk, and yogurt, or you can really ramp it up with any of the add-ins that you love! The best fruit smoothie recipe is really up to you! Keep reading to find out how to make one for yourself.

Jump to Recipe

As a kid, I remember drinking fruit smoothies all the time, especially in the summer months, but I don’t know if I ever asked my mom how she made them. Thus, as I got older, it took me a lot of trial and error, along with lots of practice, to really find what I think is the best fruit smoothie recipe ever. From my own life, I have found that the basics to a good smoothie are a liquid of your choice, a fruit or vegetable base, and other additional ingredients to add flavor, thickness, and nutrients.

Fruit Smoothie Essentials:

Liquid

In my opinion, I think milk makes the best base for most smoothies. Because it has more protein, vitamins, and minerals that I don’t often get elsewhere, it works well for my liquid base. Plus, I love the creaminess that it adds to my smoothie. Other options might be really any alternative milk that you prefer or juice. I’ve seen people use coffee, water, or even tea as well, but personally, the flavors did not work well with any fruit I tried. However, I wanted to mention them as options for you, just in case.

Fruit

For my base ingredient, I usually choose some type of fruit, like bananas or berries, since I enjoy their flavors. The options for the base fruit extend to whatever you have on hand and whatever fruits you enjoy. I usually use frozen fruit since it is available to me year round and is relatively affordable. However, you are more than welcome to use fresh fruit if that is what you have on hand. Recognize that you will have a colder, thicker smoothie if you use frozen fruit, but the flavors should not differ.

Vegetables

To my base, I will sometimes add veggies, like spinach or kale, to get the added benefits of an extra serving of vegetables in my diet. The wonderful benefit of spinach and kale are the mild flavors they possess. Often you won’t be able to taste them much, if at all, especially when you pair them with berries or other stronger flavors. You could also use a vegetable powder if that is available to you. However, I should warn you that the smoothie will potentially be green if you add the veggies to it, so just be prepared.

Add-Ins

The add-ins are what make a fruit smoothie at home so delicious! The number of ingredients that you can add are many. A couple of my favorites are oats, peanut butter or almond butter, greek yogurt, or cocoa powder. These have often been on repeat in my fruit smoothies. Some other great options though are cacao nibs, coconut, honey, kefir, protein powder, chia seeds, avocados, and many more! You can try other options or go with tried and true favorites.

The thing about fruit smoothies is that there are always options for how to change or mix up what you have been doing! That’s one of the things I really love about making fruit smoothies in the first place. Plus, by making them at home, I get to have a hand in creating something nutritious for my family and I. When you buy smoothies from most coffee shops or stores, they are usually just pumped full of sugar and flavoring instead of real food. While there is nothing wrong with a special treat, I want to make sure that I am eating something healthy and nutritious for my snacks and meals more often than not. My goal is to try to live with some balance of both tasty treats and healthy foods, so I get the benefits of both.

Pin this post for later!

Are fruit smoothies healthy for you?

Fruit smoothies can be a great healthy snack if you are careful about what you are putting into them. You should always be aware of what your own nutritional needs are, but I love smoothies as a healthy snack between meals or even as a quick breakfast. The key to making fruit smoothies healthy is including sources of protein and healthy carbohydrates into your recipe, and you will want to avoid artificial sweeteners or liquids that are extra sweet. Try to use the natural sugars in the fruit to sweeten your smoothie instead, and don’t be afraid to try out different combinations until you find one you love!

Do fruit smoothies have protein?

Fruit by itself can have small amounts of protein, but your main source of this in fruit smoothies will be with add-ins like yogurt, peanut or almond butter, or even oats. If you are looking for a higher level of protein though, you will probably want to use some protein powder. Any of these options will give your fruit smoothie that boost of protein to go along with the other vitamins and nutrients.

Should I freeze fruit for smoothies?

While you do not need to have frozen fruit for your smoothies, frozen fruit can be easier to come by in ready to blend packaging, and it can also really thicken your smoothie up and keep it cold without adding ice. Frozen fruit also tends to be available at all times of the year and will often be less expensive than its fresh counterparts. However, if you prefer to use fresh fruit, you absolutely can for your smoothies! Just remember to add some ice or place the smoothie in the freezer for a few minutes after blending to cool it down.

What add-ins should I put in my fruit smoothie?

There are so many options for what to add to your fruit smoothies, but here are some possibilities:

• Greek or Regular Yogurt
• Oats
• Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, or Other Nut Butters
• Cocoa Powder or Cacao Nibs
• Coconut
• Honey
• Kefir
• Protein Powder
• Chia Seeds
• Avocados
• Spinach or Kale

I love having so many options for how to make my smoothies! It really makes each one unique, and I learn what flavors I really enjoy and how I can make them different when I want to mix it up as well.

Supplies:

• Frozen or Fresh Fruit
• Milk of Choice
• Greek Yogurt
• Add-ins

How to Make a Fruit Smoothie:

Start off by pouring the milk into the bottom of your blender. Then add your yogurt and whatever add-ins you want. Finally, add your fruit to the blender.

Secure the lid, and blend until smooth. You may need to stop at different points to stir if things get stuck.

Pour into a glass, and enjoy!