You can save money on ready made smoothies found in stores and you will have peace of mind because you will know exactly what ingredients have been added. If you do not have a smoothie maker, it is well worth investing in one and taking a look at what is available on the market at the moment, you will see that it will not cost you too much. The benefit of making your own smoothies is that you know what you have put into them, there will be no ‘hidden nasties’ and no bought smoothie would be as fresh.
I have put together a list of my five top tips to get the best value from your smoothie maker. It is good to know that when you give your children something they enjoy as much as home made smoothies, you are also encouraging healthy eating habits. Smoothies can be enjoyed by all age groups and everyone will enjoy the benefits that come by taking in such high quality nutrition.
By freezing any fruit that you have managed to buy in bulk when it is cheap and ‘in season’, you can really save money on your fruit. You can also shop locally where fruit is often cheaper than in large supermarkets. Freezing the fruit quickly, ready prepared for your smoothie so that it can go into the smoothie maker straight from the freezer retains all the valuable nutrients and makes a lovely creamy smoothie.
You can freeze left over smoothie mixture. If you only have a very small quantity, freeze it into ice cubes and use it to add to a different kind of smoothie. Children especially will love having coloured ice cubes in their smoothies! If you have a larger quantity, use it to make nutritious and delicious smoothie ice lollies which again, will save you money on shop bought ices.
It can be a problem when children turn their noses up at the suggestion they ‘eat their greens’. Don’t despair though, try mixing green leaves of spinach or other leafy veggies into a smoothie. Spinach mixed with fruit in a smoothie might seem an odd idea but wait till you (and the children) taste it – delicious!
Adding honey to a smoothie instead of sugar saves adding a refined product to the mixture. If you get in the habit of tasting a smoothie mix before adding any sweetener, even when the recipe calls for it, you may find that you do not need to add anything at all.
Some people have severe digestive problems if they consume dairy products and this may put them off having smoothies because of the milk that is often a key ingredient. There are lots of things you could use instead though. Nut milks are great, try almond or coconut and for something more unusual but very good for you, try cooled green tea in place of milk.
I hope that the tips I have provided will encourage you and your family to try smoothies for yourselves. If you do not have a home smoothie maker, you could try using your blender but you may find that it is not powerful enough to crush frozen fruit or ice cubes. Once you and your family have started to feel the health benefits of drinking smoothies, you will never go back to drinking just fruit juice!
Read a review of the Pro Blender to make your own smoothies at home.