How To Make The Perfect Smoothie Bar
Summer holidays are here, and that means lots of barbeques and get-togethers! What’s better on a warm, sunny day than an awesomely refreshing smoothie? Take your entertaining to the next level by having a smoothie bar at your next summer celebration. Here’s what to include in the perfect smoothie bar:
Fruit – obviously!
Aim for a mix of fruits that pair nicely together in many different combinations. Look for multiple different colors to make your spread look professional and appetizing. Try bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and peaches. Grapes are often overlooked when it comes to smoothies, but their sweetness makes for a delicious flavor and they keep well in the warmth.
Fruit contains vitamins, minerals, and even electrolytes. These will help refresh and energize you and your guests while relaxing under the sun.
Pro tip: Be mindful of fruits with lots of seeds throughout as they can cause a bitter taste if blended too much. Ex. kiwis, dragon fruit, and blackberries.
Veggies
Add one to two different colors of vegetables to your smoothie bar. Incorporating veggies in your smoothie will add nutrients like fiber to help the smoothie be more filling. Spinach, carrot, and cauliflower are a few creative options.
Pro tip: Add half the amount of veggies as fruit in order to still get that sweet and fruity flavor people often look for in smoothies.
Protein
If you want your smoothies to be well-balanced and complete meals, you’ll want to add protein to your smoothie bar as well. Keep it simple by offering this through dairy, nuts, and seeds. Greek yogurt is the perfect way to add body to your smoothies. Peanut butter or peanut butter powder, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or any other nuts and seeds are also great protein options to offer your guests.
Pro tip: Choose a flavored yogurt like vanilla, strawberry, or banana if you’d like to minimize the tart flavor of Greek yogurt.
Liquid
To achieve the right consistency, your smoothies will need some liquid. Try 100% fruit juice, almond milk, or coconut water to name a few. Just plain water will also do just fine.
Pro tip: Start with less, then add as needed. You can always add more liquid to your smoothies, but you can’t take it away. Guests can customize how thick or thin they’d like their smoothies by being able to add their own liquids.
Ice
Ice is not always necessary in a smoothie. If your fruit and veggies are frozen, you can skip the ice for a less watered-down product, especially since things melt fast in the summer! Of course, ice can be blended right into your smoothie, but keeping ice frozen if outdoors may be challenging. Try keeping cups filled with ice in your freezer or cooler. A finished smoothie can be poured right over the ice.
