No doubt about it, smoothies have become super trendy on blogs and social media sites in the last few years — and rightfully so! They’re packed with proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and antioxidants, making them perfect for an easy early morning meal, power snack or post-sweat sesh refuel (or even for a good Instagram snap, such as these layered smoothies). The only issue? Whipping ‘em up can be tough to do on a budget, especially if you’re a fan of organic ingredients, pricey mix-ins or expensive nut butters. But fret not, smoothie lovers. We’ve come up with four easy ways you can save while concocting your favorite, frozen combos. Scroll on for the deets.
1. Make your freezer your new BFF. Fresh fruits and veggies are super easy to work with when it comes to whipping up an Insta-worthy smoothie bowl, but frozen foods actually work just as well. In fact, frozen fruits are an awesome way to nail smoothie texture and temperature without too much extra ice. Hit up your go-to store for bags of berries or green veggies that you can keep on hand to mix in with more expensive items. To make the most of your budget, take full advantage of loyalty programs, rewards and coupons.
If you do happen upon an opp to snap up farm fresh produce at a great price, add your fresh food finds to your frozen stash to make them last. Pro Tip: You can freeze anything from berries to peaches and even kale or spinach for your colorful and delicious mixes — the only trick is sealing your ingredients up right away so the nutrients don’t deteriorate.
2. Buy a low-cost blender. You might think you need to invest in a fancy pants Vitamix or magical machine to master your smoothies, but legit online reviews prove it’s just not true. Cut costs from the start by buying an affordable blender, like the Oster Beehive Blender, which clocks in at just $70. Woohoo!
3. Learn how to power shop like a pro. Bulk shopping is one of the best ways to save money. Spy a small container of berries on sale? Buy double or triple the amount and freeze them. To take it a step further, you can portion your power-shopped finds out according to your fave smoothie or smoothie bowl recipes. That’ll help ensure you don’t waste any extras and can stick within your budget without going over. Easy peasy!
When it comes to organic shopping, you can save extra money by knowing which fruits and veggies to buy organic and which ones are pretty clean in general. The Environmental Working Group regularly tests produce and reports on their conditions, keeping a full list of consumer guides for a quick look that you can even pull up on your phone at the grocery store. The “Dirty Dozen” (produce that has high pesticide residue, so you should consider buying organic) includes strawberries, apples, nectarines, spinach and kale.
4. Stalk online superfood sales. Pricey and ultra-tasty mix-ins like seeds, salts, cacao nibs and nut butters are sometimes available online for less during certain times of year. Keeping your eyes peeled for sales, because ordering when you catch ‘em is a great way to save additional cash while upping your smoothie game.
When it comes to stalking the sales, we love online shops Mountain Rose Herbs for spices, herbs and butters and Live Superfoods for their seriously amazing selection of superfoods and supplements. Sign up for the newsletter, which is a smart and easy way to stay in the loop and stick to your budget.
Which smoothie recipes do you reuse over and over again? Tweet us the ingredients or a link @BritandCo or tag us in your Insta-worthy creations. Yum!
(Photos via Getty)
