How to Make the Ultimate Healthy Breakfast Smoothie

Energize your morning routine with this healthy breakfast smoothie loaded with protein, fiber, healthy fats and essential vitamins and minerals. Our easy-to-follow formula can be customized to suit your taste and is filling enough to keep you satisfied until lunchtime. Read on for detailed instructions and tips from our Test Kitchen for how to make the most out of your next breakfast smoothie.

How to Make a Healthy Breakfast Smoothie

1. Slice the Fruit

Slice the banana and either slice or chop other large fruit into smaller pieces. Small bits of fruit make it easier for your blender to blend to an even consistency.

2. Pulse the Ingredients

Pulse a few times before turning up the speed to blend fully. A few pulses help pull ingredients down toward the blade, creating a great base for blending. If the ingredients aren’t making it to the blade, turn the blender off and push them down with a wooden spoon or add a little bit more liquid.

Ingredient Swaps to Try

• For a dairy-free smoothie, use plant-based yogurt in place of the strained (Greek-style) yogurt. 
• For a nut-free smoothie, substitute ground flaxseed, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for the almond butter. 
• Try swapping in a mild leafy green such as dinosaur kale or microgreens for the baby spinach. Most other greens will work as well, but may add more flavor and bitterness, so do your research before adding them.
• The fruit choice is yours! Think about combinations that you like and use those for inspiration. For example, make it a berry-forward smoothie and use a variety of berries. Or try a blend of tropical fruits, which can be refreshing after a workout or on a hot summer day. Don’t forget stone fruits either—pitted cherries, apricots and peaches are also delicious!

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• To make blending easier, add the milk and yogurt first, then all of the other ingredients. The liquid at the bottom helps pull the ingredients toward the blade.
• If the smoothie is too thick, thin it out with an additional splash of almond milk. If the smoothie is too thin, you can thicken it with a handful of ice.
• Use all frozen fruit to keep your smoothie thick and ultra-cold. If it’s too thick, add a little water or additional milk for thinning.
• Smoothies are best when freshly made, but you can make a smoothie ahead of time and keep it in the fridge overnight so it’s ready for breakfast. While it should still be good within 48 hours, it’s best to enjoy it within 24 hours for the best consistency and taste.

Nutrition Notes

• Bananas are one of the best fruits for smoothies. They’re portable and delicious—plus they’re packed with vitamins and minerals! One medium banana provides 3 grams of fiber and 12% of your Daily Value for potassium. Fiber boosts satiety and also promotes gastrointestinal health. Potassium is an important electrolyte for fluid balance, nerve and muscle function and heart health.
• Frozen or fresh, strawberries are a low-calorie fruit that’s full of antioxidants. They are a fantastic source of vitamin C, which helps boost immunity and promotes wound healing. It’s also an important nutrient for making collagen, a protein necessary for the stretchy, strong tissue that makes up skin, cartilage and bones.  
• Plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt is packed with protein: around 20 g per 7-ounce container, according to the USDA. Protein is beneficial for satiety, but it’s also an important nutrient for building and maintaining muscle mass. Yogurt is also a great way to get more probiotics, powerful living microorganisms that help improve gut health.