The Health Nut's Guide To Frugal Smoothies

Nothing screams “wellness” more than a cold, creamy smoothie. Packed with fruit and veggies, they are basically medicine in a glass, providing antioxidants, fiber, vitamins. 

They are also extremely versatile. Add some nut butter or avocado and call it a meal. Having a sweet tooth? Thrown in a handful of chocolate chips. Thirsty? Try a detox trifecta: cucumber, spinach, apple. But while making smoothies is a staple of your diet that can boost your general well-being, it can also cause major damage to your wallet. Here are some ways to save money, without cutting back on deliciousness. 

1. Make the freezer your BFF. Even the tiniest freezer will do the job which is to store your bellowed fruit and vegetables. The best part? Almost anything can be refrigerated. All you need is a dozen of zip lock bags and …Pinterest. The platform is flooded with step-by-step tutorials on how to pack a month's worth of smoothies.


2. Don't be afraid of those cheap, frozen fruit bags from the Dollar Store. Sometimes, frozen is better than fresh, nutritionists say. For only ten bucks, you can walk away with close to eight pounds of pineapple, berries, mango and peaches – each bag is a little under a pound.


3. Your blender doesn't have to cost a fortune. For many of us, top-notch blenders like Vitamix are a luxury. Enter yard sales and thrifts stores like Salvation Army; if you're lucky you might find items that were never used. Using someone else's kitchen appliances grosses you out? Then go online to find plenty of options under $20.


4. Avoid waste. It's tempting to eyeball ingredients, but you'll most likely go overboard. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, and, voilà, you just made smoothies for a small army. Be warned: smoothies are not meatloaf and don't hold up in your fridge more than a couple of hours. We encourage you to stick to a recipe at first, to learn the right quantities. One clever way to save or even make your delicious concoctions ahead of time is by pouring them into ice cube trays. Your Future, Always-on-the-go Self will appreciate this for sure! Still in the dark about the whole process? Check out these awesome tips from The Kitchn.


5. Hunt sales. Stock up. Repeat. Kale, spinach, green collards – think about them as the foundation of your smoothies. Unfortunately, they can get quite pricey. So what does the Health Scout Manual suggests doing? Hunt sales and start stockpiling. Once again, the freezer will come in hand. Just don't forget to give them a good wash.


6. Play with your toppings so you don't get bored. We like to dress up smoothies with all sorts of super-seeds: flax, hemp, chia. Other budget-friendly ideas that will jazz up any bland smoothie are roasted peanuts, chocolate chips, shaved coconut plus baking extracts and flavorings. Hint: you can add pretty much anything that goes into cookie dough.