How to Make a Smoothie without a Blender – 2 Best Ways
I realize a lot of our readers are at the office during the day or traveling and don’t always have access to a blender. To solve that problem, this post will teach you the 2 best ways to make a smoothie without a blender. The other alternative is to use a battery powered blender.
Making smoothies without a blender is actually pretty easy but you will be more limited in the types of ingredients you can use unless you want to chew your smoothie. 🙂
The main thing to consider when making a smoothie without a blender is whether or not you are looking to make a meal replacement smoothie.
If you are looking for a meal replacement smoothie then you need to have fats and protein in your smoothie. In the article below, I add meal replacement suggestions below each option.
The 2 Best Ways to Make a Smoothie Without a Blender
1. Fruit Powders
Mixing a smoothie with fruit powders is the quickest and easiest way. Some fruit powders are simply just fruits that were freeze dried to preserve their nutritional value. They are highly concentrated so you don’t need to use a lot for each serving and they don’t need refrigeration.
Most people use these fruit powders for natural flavoring in handmade smoothies They generally work like having a serving of fruit for the vitamin and minerals.
I prefer the combination fruit powder products that not only taste good but are also packed with a wider range of vitamins and nutrients than just a single fruit.
The ones I like are Berry Superfood and Super Red powder. Both product taste good and all you do is just mix the powder with water.
Also, you can try the popular variety pack from Amazing Grass to see what flavors you like so you don’t get stuck with a container of a flavor you don’t like.
To make a smoothie with fruit powder just mix 1 tablespoon with liquid and you are done. Most people mix them with water or fruit juice. If you want a creamier taste then mix with creamier milks like coconut milk, almond milk, or dairy milk. Rice or soy milk would also work but they are less creamy than the above listed milks.
The downside of fruit powders if that they are usually very low calorie and should not be considered as a full replacement like you can do with a blended smoothie. Generally you would want to supplement your fruit powder smoothie with a healthy snack that has proteins and fats.
If you need more calories and protein for sustained energy during the day then the alternative is meal replacement powders. They work great for travel or at work. You just mix them in a blender shaker bottle with water or favorite milk.
For a meal replacement powder we aren’t talking about those bulk-up muscle protein powders that are loaded with calories and synthetic ingredients.
Instead, I recommend the organic, plant-based protein powders that are high protein and fiber, reasonable calories(usually under 250), and low sugar/carbs. An added benefit with these products is they also contain superfoods and other important plant-based nutrients that are included.
According to WebMD, when choosing a meal replacement product they suggest a product that provides :
- 220-230 calories per serving
- Less than 5 grams of fat per serving
- 3-5 grams of fiber per serving
- 10-15 grams of protein per serving
- Fortified with a third of daily vitamins and minerals
My favorites meal replacement powders are (in no particular order) :
As an example, to make a meal replacement smoothie without a blender, I would would mix 1 scoop of Amazing Grass Amazing Meal Chocolate in a shaker ball cup with vanilla almond milk and sometimes add in a soft fruit.
If you want an even richer chocolate taste then you could add Cacao powder which is a nutrient-rich superfood (not to be confused with Cocoa powder that you make hot chocolate drinks with)
The above meal replacement products are a MUCH cheaper alternative to the popular Shakeology product.
2. Hand Blended Smoothie
To make a hand-blended smoothie, you mash a soft fruit like banana, berries, peaches, or mango in a bowl until they are almost liquid in content and then add fruit juice or your favorite milk until you get the desired consistency. You can also add yogurt to make it creamier and thicker.
Then for a healthy boost add a flavored superfood powder or meal replacement powder. For a snack, I like mixing vanilla yogurt with mango and adding a berry powder superfood (Amazing Grass Berry or Orgain Berry are both popular).
Hand Blended Smoothie Example
As you see, there are some simple options for making a smoothie without a blender. While you won’t get the variety that you can with a blender, handmade smoothies can still provide a healthy source of nutrition.
Personally, when I am on the go, the easiest I have found is just using a meal replacement shake in a blender ball cup. They are nutritious and filling.
