FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

• Why You Need My Banana Smoothie Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make A Banana Smoothie
• My Recipe Tips
• Recipe Variations
• Storage & Meal Prep
• More Smoothie Recipes
• My Favorite Blender For This Recipe
• Banana Smoothie (5-Min Recipe) Recipe card
• Gratitude Moment
• Recipe Reviews

When my girls want a quick healthy breakfast or snack , I throw together this banana smoothie . They’ve been requesting it every week since first sip, and even made it themselves once. With just a few easy steps and simple ingredients, you (or your kids) can whip up a creamy, thick smoothie that everyone will love. Blitz this banana smoothie recipe with me on a busy morning, or for a quick refreshing treat on a hot day!

Why You Need My Banana Smoothie Recipe

• Thick and creamy – My ratio gives that perfect texture. And if you plan ahead, freezing the bananas in advance makes this banana smoothie so thick that it tastes like a frosty milkshake!
• Sweetened with fruit – The ripe bananas make this smoothie sweet enough all on their own. No sweeteners needed.
• Perfect way to use up ripe bananas – This is my go-to recipe when I have bananas starting to brown. Your smoothie will taste great even when they are a bit too ripe to eat plain.
• Easy to make – With just 5 simple ingredients, my banana smoothie comes together in minutes. You can find time for it even on busy days!
• Great for all ages – I drink this as a pre-workout snack, while my girls enjoy it for breakfast. Your family will love it, too.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my banana smoothie recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

• Bananas – The bananas I buy are typically 6 oz each with the peel, so that’s what I use in my recipe. I list the weight with peel so that you know what to look for at the store. But if yours are larger or smaller, this recipe is pretty forgiving and will still work. You might need more or less milk for different sizes (see my tip about this below). The riper the banana, the sweeter your drink will taste! And if you’ve got extras that are too ripe, turn them into my protein banana bread or banana oat pancakes .
• Milk – I use store-bought almond milk to give my banana smoothies extra flavor (without added sugar), but my homemade almond milk works, too. I don’t recommend sweetened ones here, as the bananas are plenty sweet. You can also use regular dairy milk, or other types of non-dairy milk (like coconut milk beverage), and add a dash of vanilla extract.
• Half and Half – I add just a splash for richness, and it only adds up to a couple tablespoons of it per serving. But if you want the smoothie lighter, you can just use more milk instead. You can also sub full-fat coconut milk for a similar richness.
• Plain Yogurt – For a protein boost and extra creaminess! You can use plain Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt, or even nondairy yogurt. I liked the flavor best with regular yogurt, as it’s more neutral. Greek yogurt is a little thicker than regular, so if you use that, you might need a few extra tablespoons of milk to get the right consistency.

How To Make A Banana Smoothie

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Prep the bananas. After peeling, I like to pop my bananas in the freezer for a couple hours to get an extra thick banana smoothie, but when I took these pictures, I was in a hurry and skipped it. Both ways are delicious!
2. Combine and blend. Add the bananas, milk, half and half, and yogurt to a high-power blender . Puree until smooth.

My Recipe Tips

• Adjust the consistency to your liking. This smoothie is just the right thickness for me. If you want it thinner, add more milk. If you want it thicker, add more yogurt or use slightly larger bananas.
• Forgot to freeze your bananas? You can still pop them in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool them off, so your smoothie is ice cold. You can also add a few ice cubes to thicken, though this dilutes the flavor.
• Sweeten to taste if you want. I think this banana smoothie has the perfect sweetness level and doesn’t need any sweeteners, but if you like it super sweet, you can add a touch of honey (or my natural sugar-free honey ), or even powdered Besti .

Recipe Variations

This is my most basic version, but there are a million ways to make banana smoothie recipes! Here are some add-ins for something different:

• Strawberries – Replace one of the bananas with 1 cup of frozen strawberries.
• Nut Butter – Blend in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter for more creaminess, plus a protein boost. You’ll need a little extra milk.
• Chocolate – Add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, or a drizzle of my sugar-free chocolate syrup .
• Greens – Toss in a handful of fresh spinach or kale for a nutrient boost. You’ll hardly taste the greens in your banana smoothie! If you don’t want to guess on amounts, try my banana spinach smoothie .
• Tropical – Add about 1/4 cup of frozen pineapple, 1/4 cup of frozen mango, and replace the half and half with 1/2 cup of coconut milk.
• Protein Boost – Blend in a scoop of your favorite protein powder, or a tablespoon of flax seeds or chia seeds. Add a little extra milk to compensate for these add-ins.

Storage & Meal Prep

• Store: I find it’s best to drink this banana smoothie fresh, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. The color turns brown, so my kids refused to drink it the next day.
• Meal prep: Store peeled bananas in the freezer, so they’re always ready to go.

More Smoothie Recipes

If you like my banana smoothie recipe, try one of my other smoothies next:

Detox Smoothie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Spinach Smoothie

Pumpkin Smoothie

My Favorite Blender For This Recipe

I love this blender because it’s powerful enough to handle anything I throw at it, even frozen bananas. Plus, the self-cleaning feature makes cleanup fast!

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 2 large Bananas (peeled; ~12 oz total before peeling) ▢
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular dairy milk) ▢
• 1/4 cup Half and half (or more milk) ▢
• 1/2 cup Plain yogurt (or Greek yogurt) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. If you want a thicker, icier banana smoothie, freeze the peeled bananas at least 2 hours ahead of time. Otherwise, you can just peel them right before.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a high-power blender .
3. Puree until smooth and frothy.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Banana Smoothie

Gratitude Moment

Here are my girls enjoying my banana smoothie this spring! I forgot to bring my powerful blender with me to Minnesota while we’re here for the summer, and I didn’t realize how much of an issue this would be. Ugh!

I never thought I’d say I’m grateful for my blender (lol), but now I miss it so much, and here we are.

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Banana Smoothie (5-Min Recipe)

Enjoy a thick, creamy banana smoothie in minutes! My easy recipe needs just 4 simple ingredients: bananas, milk, half & half, and yogurt.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/banana-smoothie/

Ingredients

• 2 large Bananas (peeled; ~12 oz total before peeling)
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup Half and half (or more milk)
• 1/2 cup Plain yogurt (or Greek yogurt)

Instructions

1. If you want a thicker, icier banana smoothie, freeze the peeled bananas at least 2 hours ahead of time. Otherwise, you can just peel them right before.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a high-power blender .
3. Puree until smooth and frothy.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)