This Simple Mistake Stopping You From Making Restaurant Worthy Smoothies

While they may seem simple on paper, smoothies are quite delicate recipes which can get messed up without you even noticing how. We here at The Takeout are strong believers that making green smoothies with a bunch of ingredients can be cost-effective and delicious — especially when you remember to add vanilla to the mix. Still, it might not be worth the trouble if you don't know the correct order in which to add the ingredients to the blender. Adding ingredients incorrectly is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when blending a smoothie. Luckily, we were able to discuss this mistake with Kaytee Hadley, functional medicine dietitian and founder of Holistic Health and Wellness in Richmond, Virginia.

Hadley not only told us what order is best when making a smoothie at home but also why the order matters so much. "Start with your liquid base, then add soft ingredients (such as spinach, yogurt, or protein powder), followed by frozen fruits or ice, and finally, any hard ingredients like nuts," Hadley told The Takeout. "This order ensures the blades have easy access to the liquid and soft ingredients first, creating a vortex that pulls everything down and blends it into a smooth, creamy consistency.

There are plenty of ways you're likely making smoothies wrong, but adding your ingredients in the correct order is one easy fix. Beyond that, the quality of your equipment and the speed at which you blend the ingredients will help you achieve homemade smoothies that taste restaurant-quality. As far as equipment is concerned, a high-powered blender makes a real difference in terms of the beverage's temperature and taste. "High-powered blenders are best for making incredible smoothies because they can effortlessly break down tough ingredients like frozen fruit and vegetables while creating less friction, which means the smoothie stays cold," Hadley explained.

With this in mind, using a blender that has manual speed settings is another great way to produce smoothies premium texture as it allows for a gradual increase in power depending on what is being blended. "Starting at a lower speed helps to incorporate all the ingredients without overwhelming the motor," Hadley explained. "As the ingredients start to break down, increasing the speed allows the blender to pulverize everything more effectively, resulting in a consistently smooth texture without any chunks."