How to Make a Healthy Milkshake

5 Tips for a Lower-Calorie Treat

A healthy milkshake – sounds like an oxymoron, right? But it doesn’t have to be! On long, hot summer days, nothing brings back the sweet nostalgia of childhood quite like a thick, goopy milkshake. Because our metabolism might not be quite what it was when we were kids, we’ve gathered five tips for making this a healthier, lower-calorie sweet frozen treat.

Opt for Yogurt 
Use vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. This cuts down on fat and calories and makes a great milkshake base that can take on a rich chocolate taste by adding low-fat chocolate milk or a fruity flavor by adding strawberries, peaches, or berries.

Pack in Potassium
For a potassium-rich shake, break up a banana and freeze it in a plastic baggie – it’ll mimic the taste and texture of ice cream. Once it’s frozen, blend it with a cup of skim milk, half a cup of ice, and your choice of berries or chocolate syrup.

banana milkshake with two straws

Blend in Citrus 
Freeze cubes of vanilla-flavored soy milk and place six or seven of them in a blender. Then fill the blender with orange juice and a small pealed orange for a dreamsicle-inspired shake.

Add an Avocado 
You won’t detect the avocado taste, but it’ll add a smooth, rich, creaminess plus healthy fat and vitamin E. Try mixing a half-cup of ice, a splash of almond milk, and an avocado with fruit, honey, peanut butter, or cocoa powder. Blend until you reach the perfect consistency.

Use Cottage Cheese 
It sounds crazy, but cottage cheese can add a punch of protein, calcium, and vitamin B-12 to your sweet snack. As a filler for milkshakes, it can take on the flavor of added vanilla extract, fruit, honey, or cocoa powder.

Calories per Serving in Common Vanilla Ice Cream Brands

Wondering how many calories you’ll skip by opting out of ice cream? Read below!

  • Ben & Jerry’s……….250
  • Breyers………………130
  • Häagen-Dazs………250
  • Mayfield…………….160

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