For the hotter summer weather, we all want to look great in a pair of shorts or a bathing suit. The best thing you can do is start your day with a healthy breakfast, but most of us don’t have time to prepare one, so we look for quick and healthy alternatives. Smoothies are a great way to start your day because you can eat your fruits, vegetables, and protein in one smoothie. But, you want to have the blender that will give you a smooth, creamy and delicious shake.

Are you going to make a smoothie for your whole family or just for you? There are a variety of sizes of mixers; some will make enough for one person and others will be big enough to make smoothies for the whole family. If you want to bring a blender to work so you can make one a little later, a smaller one might be the one for you. Regardless of how much you’re doing, you’ll want your mixer to have a solid, sturdy base with a tight-fitting lid. If you didn’t have time to make a breakfast, you probably don’t want to take the time to clean up a smoothie.

Choose a blender that can blend frozen ingredients like ice and frozen fruit. A smoothie maker that provides 500 watts of power will usually do the trick of blending the ingredients. There is nothing worse than trying to drink a smoothie with lumps of partially pureed vegetables and fruits mixed with ice chips. Sometimes you may want to choose a fresh fruit when they are in season for a more satisfying flavor. Definitely include a banana in your smoothie, as they have key nutrients like fiber, vitamin B-6, and potassium. You can add natural yogurt and skim milk to make it a little more fluid. Another alternative would be soy milk to almond milk. Try to avoid fruit juices because of the calories they add; there will be enough fruity flavor in the fruit you choose. The blades should be a strong metal capable of blending everything into a great-tasting smoothie without chunks or lumps.

Add your favorite protein powder for added nutrition; the vanilla flavor works well because it doesn’t overpower the fruity flavor. Protein is what keeps “hunger pains” at bay between meals. Adding a protein powder will give your breakfast shake a boost and longevity so you won’t be looking for the sugar glazed donut in the break room at work.

Some smoothie machines will have variable speeds so you can start the blending process slowly and then add more speed once the ingredients are blended. Some even have a timer that you can set to turn off the mixer once you’ve reached your desired consistency.

Enjoy!