I’ve been blending with Vitamix since 2004 and drinking smoothies and juices for even longer than that. Over time, I’ve come up with a few time and money saving tips for getting the most out of my blending experience.
Feel free to share yours.
- Freeze anything that can be frozen. Almost all fruits can be frozen, including bananas. You can enjoy smoothies and juices all year round, you don’t have to worry about vegetables rotting because you didn’t get to them in time, and it also means not having to use ice, which changes the chemistry of smoothies as they sit out (meaning, they just become watery). This also means buying frozen fruits and leafy greens, which can turn out to be more budget friendly.
- Plan ahead. Measure out your ingredients, bag and freeze them so that when you’re ready to make a smoothie or juice, all you’ll have to do is dump the contents into the blender, add your liquids and any fresh ingredients and you’re good to go. Save the bags for your next cycle and keep it going.You can also make juices and smoothies a day ahead. Store them in airtight containers, preferably glass, and enjoy them the next day. Look for freezer-safe Mason jars for your smoothies, but be mindful not to fill them to the top to allow for the liquid to expand.
- Eat in season. You may notice a redundancy with regard to the types of recipes I post. This is because I belong to a CSAand I shop for produce primarily at farmers’ markets. Depending on the time of year, it will seem as though there’s an overabundance of one type of fruit or vegetable. My CSA gets a lot of apples, squash, and leafy greens, so I’m always trying to figure out creative ways to use them so I won’t get bored.Eating in season also equals savings on fruits and vegetables. You’ll notice a big difference in the price of blueberries in June versus in March. That said, buy as much as you can afford when a fruit is in season, and then freeze half to enjoy when the season ends.
