June 21st is national smoothie day! Smoothies are a great way to incorporate fruit, low-fat dairy, and even grains and vegetables into your diet. Read on for tips and recipe recommendations:
Smoothie Tips
- Wash, slice, and freeze fruit (like bananas, oranges, and berries) and greens (like spinach) before they go bad and save them in the freezer for easy smoothies. Just add milk or water to reach desired consistency.
- Freeze in single serving sizes and try our different combinations.
- Try adding a ¼ cup of oats for extra fiber.
- If your fruit is already frozen, you might not need to add ice.
- Try adding in spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Smoothies are a great way to sneak a handful of leafy greens into breakfast and a great way to use up the last of a bag of spinach.
- The calories and sugar in smoothies can add up – watch out for adding too much peanut butter (1 TBSP should do it) and sugary milk-alternatives.
- Ripe fruit is pretty sweet. Try it like it is before adding any additional sugar or syrups.
- For most people, smoothies should not replace daily fruit intake. Smoothies are a nice treat but incorporate a variety of fresh, whole fruit into your diet as well.
Smoothie Recipes [Click links to see recipe]
by Carolyn Alecia Negley, RD
Nutrition Education Manager