I’m sure we all know that smoothies are a great source of nutrition and so versatile, but creating smoothies on a budget isn’t always easy. They make perfect on-the-go breakfasts, convenient snacks and can be the ideal sweet craving quencher! However, we’re also well aware of how pricey they can be to make, but before you’re tempted to grab a McDonalds breakfast for half the price, here are some budget-friendly smoothie options and top tips.

Add these smoothies to your meal plan along with these great tips on how to eat healthy cheaply!

Let’s start with the basics before we get into some recipes for smoothies on a budget!

Budget-friendly greens

·         Use any green veg leftovers you may have in the cupboards or fridge

·         Spinach and kale seem to be the favourites, but cucumber, broccoli and avocado all work too

·         Use frozen veg, this way you don’t get any wastage and it’s usually cheaper to purchase frozen bags

Budget-friendly fruit

·         Bananas are always a staple as it makes the drink sweet, gives it the smoothie consistency and doesn’t break the bank

·         Whilst berries are really tasty in a smoothie, try and stick to the fruits that are ‘in season’ and therefore cheapest – you can also bulk buy when they’re cheap and freeze for a later date

·         Try something different like peaches, pineapple or mango as an alternative to berries

·         Buying frozen mixed fruit bags are also a great alternative because you only need a handful and the bags last ages.

Added liquid

·         There are plenty of options here, obviously water is the cheapest choice but anything from the following that you may have at home can really help switch up the flavour!

o   Vanilla or Greek yoghurt

o   Fruit juice (apple, orange, etc)

o   Milk or cream

o   Cottage cheese

o   Almond or coconut milk

Now we have the ingredients understood, here are some recipes and formulas guaranteed to give you those tasty, healthy smoothies on a budget!

Green Smoothie

The formula for this recipe is 1:1:2.

1.       Fill one half of the blender with smoothie-friendly veg

2.       Fill the other half with fruit leaving a 1-inch gap at the top

3.       Add your chosen liquid to the gap at the top and blend

Fruit Smoothie

This recipe works on a 1:1 formula.

1.       Fill the first half of the blender with banana

2.       Fill the second half with berries or alternative fruit options

3.       Add a little covering of liquid and blend

Oats Breakfast Smoothie

For a different, more breakfast-like smoothie, try this banana and peanut butter oats combination.

1.       Add a handful of oats to the blender and blend until finely ground

2.       Add banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter, half a tablespoon of maple syrup, a few splashes of milk (preferably almond milk, a dash of cinnamon and pure vanilla extract and blend

Smoothie Cubes

The smoothie cube hack is a brilliant way of reducing cost and wastage as well as prep time!

1.       Whizz up your fruit, whether its frozen, berries, mangos, or anything you managed to pick up cheaply

2.       Pour the blended mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze

3.       You know have your ready-to-add fruit already prepared!

If you’re a fan of the budget smoothie ideas, and you’re aged 16-24, sign up to our exclusive platform here for more nutrition and wellness tips!

Now, if only we had a washing-up hack! Enjoy your blended good-ness.