A new year typically means that most people are looking to improve their health and overall food choices. One way to pack in quite a bit of fruit and veggies is to make a smoothie. They can be nutrient-dense without tasting like it was served from the earth. Best of all, you can prep most ahead of time, making it easy to blend on a busy morning.

Here are a few of my tips and tricks on how to build the best smoothies: 

• Buy Local – I prefer to buy from the farmer’s market or farm stands for my fruits and vegetables. This is typically the best way to get the freshest produce possible and at less of a cost than at the grocery store.
• Freeze – Freeze fruit to avoid having to add lots of ice. Rinse and thoroughly dry fruits and vegetables prior to freezing. Always freeze when produce is at its freshest to capture all the nutrients it packs.
• Make Ahead – Make frozen fruit and vegetable packs with freezer bags. Label the bags and store flat in the freezer. This will make for quick smoothie blends in the morning or for an afternoon snack.
• Fruits – The sky’s the limit as to which fruit to add in your smoothie. I stick to some of the basics I have on hand, like bananas, apples, strawberries. If in season, I’ll add fresh peaches, mangos, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I almost always have frozen pineapple, mango, and mixed berries in my freezer at all times. This allows me to ensure the flavors year-round without the higher price tag.
• Vegetables – I like to place a handful of spinach or kale in my smoothies. If you have a high-power blender, these greens will break up and you’ll never know they are in your smoothie. Other vegetables I blend in are fresh beets, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, and avocado.
• Liquid – I like to use yogurt if I have it on hand. It adds a creamy layer to my smoothies. I sometimes will also use whole or 2% milk if I’m looking for the added protein and fat. To keep the smoothies dairy-free, add in a plant-based milk or nut-milk, like almond milk. Other liquids you can use are 100% fruit juices or even coconut water/milk.
• Sweeteners – If the fruit is not enough to sweeten the smoothie, I’ll add a tablespoon of honey or even agave nectar to my smoothies. 
• Other Add-Ins – I sometimes use a scoop of protein powder or blend in plain tofu. The tofu sounds crazy, but it works. And you’ll never know because it adds a silky texture to the smoothie! I will add a scoop of collagen (to my adult smoothies – not for kids), or to get extra health benefits, I’ll add in fish oil for the healthy benefit of omega-3s. I love adding peanut butter powder or plain peanut butter to smoothies. A scoop of cocoa powder has been found to help with inflammation; this will give you a nice chocolatey flavor.

Favorite Smoothie Combos

If you are stumped on how to mix and match smoothie flavors, here are a few of my favorite combinations:

• Strawberry, Apple, Banana – No dairy in this recipe, keeping the ingredients very simple. I will use 1 frozen banana and 1 cup of frozen strawberries, which means no ice to water down the smoothie, as well as 1 apple sliced into chunks. Blend until smooth.
• Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana – 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 2 frozen bananas, 2-3 pitted dates, ½-cup of spinach, and a splash of almond milk makes for the most delicious, decadent smoothie.
• Ginger Banana Green Smoothie – 2-inch piece of ginger peeled, 1 banana, 1 cup of coconut water, 1 cup of frozen mango chunks, a handful of fresh baby kale and baby spinach leaves. Blend until smooth.
• Pineapple, Peach, Banana – 1 ripe banana, 1 pitted peach, and 1 cup of pineapple with juice; 2 cups of ice.
• Green Smoothie – 1 cup strawberries, 1 banana, a handful of spinach/kale, ½-cup of milk, and ½-cup of ice. To avoid getting a very leafy-green taste, try blending the greens first with the liquid base. Then, add the remaining fruits that are naturally sweet, like strawberries and bananas, and blend again until smooth.

Overall, just get creative and don’t be scared of mixing things up! Try to stick with 60% fruit, 30% veggies, and 10% liquid/other add-ins. Over time, you will get good at mixing up delicious smoothies. For more smoothie recipes, head on over to KatiesCucina.com, where I have quite a few flavorful smoothie recipes.