My good friend Tanya introduced me to green smoothies about 4 years ago. Sure, I was skeptical. Blend green things with water and drink? Um, maybe.
I grew up in a home that was crunchy before crunchy was a thing. My mom shopped at a whole food co-op. I never drank juice from an actual grocery store. I never had sugared cereal. I didn't even know what white bread was until I saw it at a neighbors house. Not even joking.
So, I am always up for new healthy ways to eat. I think moderation is a great thing. I ended up drinking a green smoothie every day for 30 days straight. I felt better. I slept better. I had more energy. I knew I was on to something.
I really wanted to figure out how to make all these delicious ingredients from Aldi. We keep a tight budget and I wanted to see if you could really eat a whole, healthy diet from Aldi.
Sometimes, frugal living gets a bad rap when it comes to eating healthy. Many people think you can't eat whole foods on a budget. It is simply not true.
Over the past 10 years, Aldi has expanded into many new foods. They carry organic, gluten-free, and many delicious, quality whole food items.
You can eat well on a budget.
It is possible.
I put together our complete guide to making smoothies from Aldi. We have spent years learning and experimenting. We included our favorite recipes and all the tips.
The recipes below are kid tested and approved! Try making smoothies for your family one day or week for breakfast. Green smoothies also make a great after school snack!
Are you ready? Let's make smoothies!
HOW TO USE ALDI FROZEN FRUIT TO MAKE HEALTHY SMOOTHIES
Aldi has a great and growing line of frozen fruit available all year long. They currently carry a mixed fruit bag of peaches, strawberries, and mango. They also carry blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, and mixed berries.
They also have frozen fruit available in organic versions as well. Look for the "simply organic" packaging in your freezer section.
Be sure to check the special purchase freezer section of your local Aldi. Sometimes throughout the year, they will have huge bags of frozen mango and pineapple in the "special purchase" section. They will also carry large bags of strawberries too! Stock up when you see those available!
Frozen fruit is a great way to make delicious and healthy smoothies all year long. We use a lot of frozen fruit in our green smoothies. Because Aldi has limited options in frozen fruit, we've come up with our favorite mixes. Each recipe serves one.
Note: You can use kale in any of these recipes below.
YEAR ROUND SMOOTHIES RECIPES USING ALDI INGREDIENTS
ALL IN SMOOTHIE
1 CUP SPINACH
1 CUP ALMOND MILK
1 CUP MIXED FROZEN FRUIT
BERRY MAGIC
1 CUP SPINACH
1 CUP ALMOND MILK
1/2 CUP FROZEN BLUEBERRIES
1/2 CUP STRAWBERRIES
PEACH PASSION
1 CUP SPINACH
1 CUP ALMOND MILK
1/2 CUP PEACHES
1/2 CUP STRAWBERRIES
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY SMOOTHIE FROM ALDI USING FRESH FRUIT
Aldi has a great selection of in-season fruit throughout the year. A good rule of thumb to follow when buying fresh produce at Aldi?
Shop the ad.
If the fruit is on sale, then it is probably in-season. Buy it and eat it!
Aldi has a growing organic produce line as well. We love the avocados and apples. I use the organic spinach and kale when it is available. Use those in your smoothies when you can! You can't beat the price.
Fresh produce is seasonal at Aldi. Here is a rough guide of what fresh fruit I buy throughout the year.
SPRING: BLUEBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, RASPBERRIES
WINTER: ORANGES AND CLEMENTINES
FALL: APPLES, PEARS, PINEAPPLE
SUMMER: MANGO AND BERRIES
BANANAS - ALL YEAR LONG!
ALDI SMOOTHIE RECIPES USING FRESH IN-SEASON FRUIT
Tip: If you like your smoothies cold, consider cutting up your fruit and freezing it before you blend. Add a banana for extra sweetness when needed. You can always sub water for almond milk. Each recipe serves 1.
MANGO MADNESS
1 CUP SPINACH
1 CUP ALMOND MILK
1/2 CUP FRESH MANGO
1/2 CUP PINEAPPLE
STRAWBERRY FAVORITE
1 CUP SPINACH
1 CUP ALMOND MILK
1/2 CUP MANGO
1/2 CUP STRAWBERRIES
CHERRY SMOOTHIE
1 CUP SPINACH
1 CUP ALMOND MILK
1/2 CUP PITTED CHERRIES
1/2 CUP PINEAPPLE
ALDI GREEN SMOOTHIES THAT KEEP YOU FULL FOR HOURS!
Recently, I was introduced to Body Love by Kelly Leveque. I love this book! Kelly writes about how to use a FabFour Smoothie each day to balance blood sugar and keep you full.
I can drink one of Kelly’s FabFour smoothies at breakfast and not be hungry for at least 6 hours. It is amazing.
She has some great smoothie ideas in her book so go grab it! I’ve adapted some of her recipes for my Aldi shopping trips.
Here are my two favorite Aldi FabFour Smoothies!
Nut Butter and Chocolate
2 Cups almond milk
2 Handfuls of spinach (or greens of your choice)
2 Tablespoons of chia seeds or flax
2 Tablespoons of nut butter
2 Scoops of chocolate protein powder
Strawberry Shake
1/4 Cup of frozen strawberries
2 Cups of almond milk
2 Handfuls of spinach
2 Tablespoons of chia seeds or flax
2 Tablespoons of avocado
2 Scoops of vanilla protein powder
More Aldi Tips and Tricks for Making Healthy Smoothies!
Remember to blend your milk (or water) and greens first! Blending your greens first will ensure you don't have any green chunks in your smoothie! Then add your fruit.
Aldi also has a growing line of healthy add-ins you can add to your smoothie for extra protein. Add this to your smoothie for an excellent meal replacement. Adding plant-based proteins are a great way to feed your body and boost nutrients in your body!
CHIA SEEDS
Aldi carries Chia seeds in a purple bag near the nuts and trail mix. Chia seeds are tiny but pack a big punch of healthy protein and fat. Sprinkle chia seeds on top of your smoothie or blend them in with your ingredients
2 Tablespoons = 3 grams protein
FLAXSEEDS
Aldi also carries flaxseed. In our Aldi, it is located next to the nuts and trail mix. We like to add this to our oatmeal and yogurt for an extra protein boost!
2 Tablespoons = 4 grams of protein
OTHER ADD-INS
Aldi now carries protein powder in vanilla and chocolate. You could also add peanut butter or almond butter to your smoothies if you want.
You can always buy fresh in-season fruit and freeze! We chop up fresh fruit and flash freeze in the freezer until hard. Then, we bag it in large freezer baggies. Freezing fresh fruit is a great way to use up fruit before it goes bad. We do this with berries in the spring.
Smoothies are a quick and healthy meal. I love them on busy mornings. Remember to test and experiment with different ingredients. Each of my kids like their smoothies in a different way. Don't give up. Keep trying!
Let us know YOUR favorite green smoothie combinations? Happy Blending!
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