DIY Smoothie Bar (with recipes!)
Set up a DIY smoothie bar at your next breakfast, brunch, or special gathering, and impress your guests with individual smoothies catered to their personal tastes! This simple guide will show you the tips and tricks to setting up the easiest and best smoothie board. It makes entertaining a breeze!
Everyone will love partaking in this creative way to whip up a delicious smoothie, whether for a shower, a poolside party in the summer, a holiday brunch, or a special weekend breakfast!
This easy-to-follow guide will help you set up the best DIY smoothie bar, give you ideas on what equipment you need, what ingredients to pick up, including nutrient and flavor boosting add-ins, and inspiration for how to set your station up for success. We even share three smoothie ideas!
If you’d rather keep things simple and just serve one smoothie, try a pumpkin pie smoothie, nectarine smoothie, cherry smoothie, pineapple smoothie, mango coconut smoothie, or blueberry smoothie. We also love these fun green smoothie pancakes!
About this DIY smoothie bar
Smoothies are all the rage lately, and for good reason! They’re a great way to get vitamins, nutrients, fruits, veggies, and protein all in one sip. They’re simple to make and great for taking on the go!
Here’s the thing though: sometimes we’re so concerned with filling our smoothies with “all the healthy things” to maximize the health benefits that we end up with a smoothie that doesn’t taste good.
Setting up a smoothie bar with plenty of ingredients to choose from but offering your guests recipes to follow (included below), is an easy way to ensure everyone gets to choose what they want but also that their smoothies will end up tasting great!
Keep in mind the fun element! There is no wrong way to do this. Use this guide as a jumping-off point but use all of your favorite ingredients and lots of creativity, and run with it!
If you love smoothies as much as we do, don’t miss our berry smoothie bowl!
What you’ll need
Below are our suggestions to make the pictured smoothie board. Want to make it all dairy-free? Go for it! Want to use different or seasonal fruits? Great idea! These are just ideas to get you started.
Ingredients
- Yogurt: plain Greek yogurt, strawberry yogurt, and vanilla Greek yogurt
- Liquid: whole milk, orange juice, vanilla almond milk
- Fruit: fresh or frozen pineapple, mango, strawberries, blueberries, banana, kiwi, limes
- Vegetables: mini cucumbers and spinach
- Sweeteners: honey, real maple syrup
- Add-Ins/Toppings: chia seeds, chocolate protein powder, matcha, mint
Make sure to include a variety of colors. A smoothie board is a feast for the eyes as much as it is for the taste buds. Presentation is key, just like in our Christmas board, Father’s day breakfast board, and pancake board! Also, a variety of colors means a variety of flavors and nutrients that people will enjoy being able to mix and match.
Equipment
- Small bowls/ramekins – These will be used to hold smaller items like chia seeds, protein powder, hemp hearts, blueberries, matcha, pineapple, mint leaves. This is a fun connected set.
- Jars/Mason Jars/Pitchers – For the milk and juice. If you’re offering honey or maple syrup you’ll want to have smaller jars for easy pouring.
- Spoons – Have serving spoons handy for things like yogurt, chia seeds, small berries, etc.
- Tongs – for picking up things like lemon or lime wedges, larger fruit pieces, spinach leaves.
- Platter – A wood board or marble lazy Susan are great ideas. Turning the board around as you fill the blender with your ingredients makes this super convenient.
- Glasses – For serving, small milk bottles are a cute idea.
- Extra Napkins – Just in case!
- A Blender – A blender with a few extra blender jars is best so that you don’t have to rinse or wash it as often in between different smoothie recipes.
How to set up a smoothie bar
Prepare fresh fruits
Make sure to pick up fresh fruit. Look for ripe, sweet fruit that isn’t browning, or bruised and the same goes for the veggies. Prep and slice your fruit and vegetables small enough so that they blend easily and people aren’t left with big chunks in their smoothies.
Pineapple: Slice it lengthwise in half and then cut out the core. Carefully cut the pineapple from the sides and then cut into tidbits. Put the tidbits back into the hollowed-out pineapple “bowl”.
Mango: Cut the “cheek” of the mango (the widest side) and then score it with a sharp knife. Use a spoon to scoop them out when ready.
Kiwi: Slice in half and then use a spoon to go around the edges, peeling the skin off. Then cut them into slices.
Strawberries: Cut the tops off and if they’re large, cut them in halves or quarters. You can also leave them whole.
Banana: Carefully peel it without fully taking the peel off. Remove the top 1/3 of the peel so that you can see the banana but it is still sitting in the remaining peel. Slice it.
Limes: Slice into wedges. Keep a few halves for people to squeeze the juice directly into the smoothie.
Prepare veggies
Cucumbers: Slice. Peel some, and leave some unpeeled.
Mint: Wash and dry the mint. Tear off as much as you’d like to use.
Spinach: Wash and dry, then place a few handfuls in a bowl.
Assembling the Smoothie Board
This guide is just that, a guide. Setting up a DIY bar is all about creativity. Take what you like, leave what you don’t, and have fun with it!
Start with the focal point, which is usually the largest bowl or item. If you’re following this guide exactly, you’ll want to place your pineapple bowl in the center of the board.
Place add-ins in smaller bowls and arrange them around the board. Arrange the add-in jars so that they are spaced out and can be surrounded with the ingredients they would pair well with.
Place yogurt into a bowl. If using multiple flavors then use several bowls or a serving tray with multiple sections.
Pour your liquids into jars or 16-ounce glass containers.
Fill in the blank spaces with remaining fruits and veggies. Pair the green foods with the matcha; the strawberries with the chia seeds, and the chocolate protein powder with the banana.
How to make this your own
- Make it a full brunch! Serve along with other handheld breakfast items like stuffed breakfast biscuits, banana fritters, mashed potato pancakes, breakfast crunchwraps, or candied bacon.
- Think about including more add-ins like hemp hearts, flaxseed, goji berries, or dates.
- Add raw cacao powder, nut butter, and seed butter to your board for added protein and good fats.
- Avocado slices are nice for creating a thick, creamy smoothie.
Smoothie Recipes
Below are some smoothie recipes you can make with this smoothie bar. They are also included in the printable recipe card. Of course, these are just ideas; use your creativity and go wild!
Green Smoothie
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 handful spinach
- 1/2 mini cucumber
- 1/2 kiwi
- 1/2-1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
Tropical Strawberry
- 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt
- 1/4 mango
- 4 mint leaves
- 6 strawberries
- 1/2-1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Chocolate Banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 handful spinach
- 1/2 banana
- 1 small handful blueberries
- 1 small handful pineapple
- 1-2 teaspoons chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 cup milk
TIP: Use fresh or frozen fruit! If using fresh, you may want to add some ice cubes to the blender to thicken your smoothie.
Make Ahead Ideas
You can prepare most of this smoothie bar ahead of time. Wash, cut, and slice your fruits and veggies. Make some ice cubes. Chill the milk and juice. Pour your add-ins into little bowls and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate whatever needs to be kept cold (yogurt, berries, etc.).
You can also assemble the entire platter and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it!
Storage Tips
A DIY smoothie bar is great for making individual portions and serving sizes, so there won’t be much leftover. A smoothie is best served right away for maximum flavor and nutrient potency. If you happen to have some smoothie left in your glass, keep it in the fridge and finish it later on in the day.
If you have cut up fruit leftover that you’re not going to eat right away, consider freezing it for easy smoothies in the future.
Get the Recipe: Smoothie Bar
Ingredients
Yogurt
- Plain Greek
- Strawberry
- Vanilla Greek
Liquids
- Whole Milk
- Orange Juice
- Vanilla Almond Milk
Fruit
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Banana
- Kiwi
- Limes
Vegetables
- Mini Cucumbers
- Spinach
Add-ins
- Chia Seeds
- Chocolate Protein Powder
- Matcha
- Mint Leaves
Sweeteners
- Honey
- Pure Maple Syrup
Instructions
Prepare fresh fruit:
- Pineapple: slice it lengthwise in half and then cut out the core. Carefully cut the pineapple from the sides and then cut into tidbits that you will fill in the pineapple bowl.
- Mango: Cut the “cheek” of the mango (the widest side) and then score it. Use a spoon to scoop them out when ready.
- Kiwi: Slice in half and then use a spoon to go around the edges, peeling the skin off. Then cut them into slices.
- Strawberries: Cut the tops off and if you wish, cut them in half or quarter them.
- Banana: carefully peel it without fully taking the peel off. Remove the top 1/3 of the peel so that you can see the banana but it is still sitting in the remaining peel. Slice it.
- Limes: Slice into wedges if you would like to throw it into your smoothie, cut it in half you just want to squeeze the juice.
Prepare veggies:
- Cucumbers: Peel if desired, and slice.
- Mint: wash, dry, and tear off what you would like to use.
- Spinach: wash and dry, and place a few handfuls in a bowl.
Composing Board
- Place add-ins (if desired) into little bowls.
- Place yogurt into bowls.
- Pour liquids into 16-ounce glass containers or jars.
- Arrange your board. Start with your largest fruit, the pineapple as the center. Then arrange the add-in jars so that they are spaced out and can be surrounded with the ingredients they would pair well with. Pair the green foods with the matcha, the strawberries with the chia seeds, and the chocolate protein powder with the banana.
- Serve immediately with recipe ideas!
Notes
Smoothie Inspiration:
Green Smoothie
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 handful spinach
- 1/2 mini cucumber
- 1/2 kiwi
- 1/2-1 teaspoon matcha powder
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
Tropical Strawberry
- 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt
- 1/4 mango
- 4 mint leaves
- 6 strawberries
- 1/2-1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Chocolate Banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 handful spinach
- 1/2 banana
- 1 small handful blueberries
- 1 small handful pineapple
- 1-2 teaspoons chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 cup milk
Other notes:
- When using fresh fruit, add a handful of ice cubes to each smoothie to thicken it. If you use frozen fruit, you can omit the ice.
- Nutrition information is for one green smoothie.
- Servings listed as four, but recipe can be scaled to whatever size is needed.