6 Tips and Tricks for Your First Smoothie Blends (2024)

FAQs

Do you put ice first or last in a smoothie? ›

Add small amounts of water, milk, or juice. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds. Tip: Load the container in the following order: liquids first, then soft fruits or vegetables, greens, and ice on top.

This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water. It's important to add the liquid to your blender before adding the fruit, as this will prevent the blade from getting damaged.

Protein Powder. Protein smoothie recipes often contain protein powder, and Spivak says protein is an important part of a nutritious smoothie. “Protein builds and maintains muscle mass, and can help to keep you feeling full and satisfied,” she says.

No ice: If you don't have ice, you can use frozen fruit, oats, chia seeds, yogurt, or nuts and nut butter to thicken your smoothie. No frozen fruit: Add a scoop of raw oats or chia seeds into the blender instead. No yogurt: You can swap yogurt with nut butter to thicken a smoothie.

If you're looking to cut calories and sugar from your diet, water is the perfect choice for liquid for smoothies. Not only is it calorie-free and sugar-free, but it's also money-free!

Second, well…it keeps the smoothie cold. Without frozen ingredients the heat of the blender tends to make the smoothie a less than desirable temperature. We've come up with some creative ways to get the chilled temperature and the creamy texture that ice cubes can deliver but without the diluted taste.

A general rule of thumb is to stick to around 1 cup of fruit per smoothie. That's about a serving. Putting a few different fruits in your blender can easily add up to much more so if you're mixing fruits, keep an eye on the total amount. You're not keeping tabs on added sweeteners.

Pro tip: A quick blend at full speed can create a traffic jam. Instead, start at low speed until the bottom layers are blended and gradually increase the speed. Blend at full speed for at least a minute. Don't be shy—it's hard to overblend a smoothie.

Regular ice cubes or frozen milk or even frozen coffee ice cubes all work wonderfully to thicken up a smoothie. I always add at least 1/2 to 1 cup of ice cubes to my smoothies because I like them very cold and thick. Again, frozen ingredients make the biggest difference in making thick smoothie bowls.

Should you put a smoothie in the fridge or freezer overnight? ›

After you've made your smoothie, pour it into a mason jar and close it with a lid. Freeze. Place your mason jar in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Shake & enjoy.

The Right Way to Blend a Smoothie

No matter what fruit or liquid or blender you use when you make a smoothie, remember that the order you add ingredients to the blender is important: Add liquid first. (This helps the blender blades break through hard frozen fruit.)