How to make a nutrient-dense smoothie for lunch?

What should a lunch smoothie contain?

A snack smoothie can be mostly fruit; a lunch smoothie needs staying power. Use all five building blocks and avoid relying on juice or sweeteners.

1. Liquid base: water, milk, soy milk or another unsweetened plant milk.
2. Fruit or vegetables: berries, banana, spinach, kale, cucumber, frozen cauliflower.
3. Protein: plain yogurt, soy milk, silken tofu, or a protein powder.
4. Healthy fat: nut butter, avocado, chia, ground flax.
5. Fiber: rolled oats, seeds, or the whole fruit and greens themselves.

Step by step

1. Pour the liquid into the blender first.
2. Add greens and blend briefly.
3. Add fruit, protein, fat and fiber.
4. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust thickness with more liquid or ice.

A sample lunch blend

Spinach, a banana, a spoon of peanut butter, rolled oats, plain yogurt and milk, blended with ice. Amounts depend on your appetite and blender; treat this as a starting point.

Tips from nutrition guidance

• Tufts University advises using whole fruit and vegetables rather than juice, since juice has most of its fiber removed.
• Skip added sugar, honey and agave; check store-bought smoothies for added sugars.
• Keep the portion around 12 to 16 ounces and sip slowly, because liquids are easy to drink quickly.
• Use it to replace a less healthful meal, not as an extra.

Safety and limits

Calories still count in a smoothie. If you are pregnant, have diabetes, a kidney condition or allergies, or are replacing meals regularly, check with a health professional. Wash produce, and refrigerate a prepared smoothie promptly; the FDA recommends keeping the refrigerator at 40 degrees F or below.