This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I can earn a small commission from items you purchase (at no cost to you).
When life gets busy (and when isn’t it?), a meal replacement smoothie can totally save the day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, post-workout fuel—you name it. With the right mix of ingredients, a smoothie can easily replace a meal and still keep you feeling full, satisfied, and energized. Let’s talk about how to do it right.
Table of Contents
Why Smoothies Make Great Meal Replacements
Our bodies crave nutrients all day long, not just when we sit down for a “traditional” meal. A balanced smoothie made with leafy greens, fruit, and whole-food boosters can be one of the easiest ways to flood your body with nutrients—without the heaviness or bloat that sometimes comes from cooked meals.
Here’s what happens when you replace a meal with a thoughtfully blended smoothie:
- Steady energy: The natural sugars in fruit paired with protein and fat help prevent that mid-morning crash.
- Hydration boost: Blending with water, almond milk, or coconut water keeps your cells hydrated.
- Less bloating: Fiber and hydration work together to support digestion.
- Supports healthy weight: You’re fueling your body with nutrient-dense ingredients, not empty calories.
- Quick + convenient: You can blend one in under 5 minutes—and take it on the go.
Save this Recipe for Later!
Enter your info below and I’ll send it straight to your inbox to save for later.
How to Turn a Smoothie into a Complete Meal
The key to transforming your smoothie from a snack into a satisfying meal? Balance. When you include all three, your body feels nourished, your cravings stay quiet, and your blood sugar stays balanced. A true meal replacement smoothie needs:
- Fiber (from fruits, veggies, or oats)
- Healthy fats (for staying power)
- Protein (for muscle repair and long-lasting fullness)
Step 1: Choose a Plant-Based Protein
Plant-based proteins keep your body full and give you tons of energy. They also help repair your muscles, which is perfect for that post-workout buzz. Oh, kale to the yeah! Protein helps your smoothie go the distance. Look for sources that blend smoothly and digest easily:
- Homemade protein powder (16g per ¼ cup)
- Hemp hearts (8g protein per 3 tbsp)
- Chia seeds (5g per 2 tbsp)
- Rolled oats (3g per ¼ cup)
- Silken tofu (10g per ½ cup)
- Plant-based protein powder brands (15g +)
Step 2: Add Healthy Fats
Don’t skip the fats—they’re key for brain health, hormone balance, and that rich, creamy texture you love.
- ¼ avocado
- 1 tbsp almond or peanut butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or MCT oil
- 2 tbsp chia or flax seeds
Step 3: Load Up on Fiber + Greens
Fiber keeps you full and supports digestion—plus it’s one of the most underrated nutrients for weight management.
- Spinach, kale, Swiss chard or other leafy greens (2 cups = 4g fiber)
- Oats or cooked sweet potato (add creaminess + slow-digesting carbs)
- Apples or pears with the skin on (extra fiber and antioxidants)
Dietary Adjustments & Substitutions
Need to swap an ingredient or accommodate a food allergy? Click the button below for tailored suggestions just for you:
Sample Meal Replacement Smoothie Boosts
You can explore any of my Meal Replacement Smoothie Recipes or use one of these combos to upgrade your next smoothie into a satisfying meal:
| Combo | Ingredients | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Power Green Boost | 2 tbsp hemp hearts + ¼ avocado | Smooth, nutty flavor + balanced macros |
| Protein + Fat Fuel | 2 tbsp homemade protein powder + 1 tbsp coconut oil | Great for post-workout recovery |
| Fiber Lover | 1 tbsp almond butter + 2 tbsp rolled oats | Keeps you full for hours |
| Supercharged Energy | 2 tbsp chia seeds + 2 oz silken tofu | Omega-3s + plant protein |
| Creamy Dreamy Blend | 2 tbsp chia seeds + 1 tbsp coconut oil | Thick, creamy, and satisfying |
Meal Replacement Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale or spinach
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 1 cup blueberries frozen
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 2 tablespoon rolled oats
Instructions
- Blend kale and almond milk until smooth in a high speed blender.
- Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Video
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Use a frozen fruit to make smoothie cold
- Swap out almond milk for any non-dairy milk you prefer.
- Add a scoop of homemade protein powder to boost it with 16g plant-based protein.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Any time that fits your lifestyle is the right time for a smoothie. In the morning, it’s a quick way to jump-start your day with leafy greens, citrus, and plant protein for steady energy. At lunch, blend something heartier—like oats and nut butter—to stay full and focused through the afternoon. After a workout, aim for protein and electrolytes (think coconut water and banana) to help your body recover.
If you’re feeling hungry an hour later, add more protein or fat next time. If you feel sluggish or too full, cut back a bit on the oats or nut butter. It’s all about finding your personal “just right” blend.
They can be, especially when you focus on whole, unprocessed ingredients. Smoothies naturally help with portion control, reduce refined sugar intake, boost nutrient density, and keep you hydrated and energized. When made right, they help you fuel your body—not starve it. If your goal is to gently reset or lose weight, my 21-Day Cleanse is a great place to start. It includes two smoothies a day, balanced snacks, and nourishing meals designed to help you feel full, satisfied, and confident in what your body really needs.
You can! Blend it the night before, store it in a sealed jar in the fridge, and give it a shake before drinking. It’ll stay fresh for up to 24 hours.
This was really good. Mine didn’t look that pretty blue purple, but filled me up.
So glad I got your SGS Boost in time. It has definitely helped to fill me up. Love blueberries and almonds so this was terrific!
Blueberries are on the top of my list for smoothie ingredients. Delicious!
Day three, Yeah!!!, Pretty good, clean tasting . I thought it was great !
This smoothie is a bit thicker, perhaps because of the rolled oats, but still tasty! It’s not as sweet, perhaps because if that, as well as the raw almonds and spinach, but it’s still satisfying! I would definitely make it again! I love all of the nutrients!
Not a fan of Day 3 Blueberry smoothie. I used almonds instead of almond butter and 1/2 banana. It was a little bland.
This smoothie is pretty good. Seemed like it was a little “flat” I was short half a banana so that could have contributed. I always make 2 servings as my daughter wants to join in with me. I added some pomegranate so that may have contributed to the taste, now that I think of it!
I love this hearty blueberry smoothie, made for a delicious lunch. I might love even more all the tips on this recipe page, because I often drink smoothies for lunch and they need to be filling enough to carry me through dinner. I even ate dinner an hour later than usual and wasn’t hangry!
I will have to try this smoothie one more time. I made it this morning for breakfast. I shouldn’t have added the whole cup of almond milk because it was way to watery. Since I like my smoothies thick, I added ice but that really diluted the flavor. Next time, I will keep adding a little bit of almond milk until I get it to the right consistency.
I’m really surprised that I didn’t taste the spinach in the smoothie. Truly something to consider as a meal replacement.
I had this for an early lunch and it is now almost 5pm and I am not hungry at all. This tasted great. My frozen organic blueberries were really flavorful. I do not have the protein powder so I added chia, flax and hemp seeds. This is one I will make again!
Day 3 Smoothie
I didn’t have any almond butter so I used ‘just peanuts’. My oats are flaked instead of rolled. I will give it a second try when I get the proper recipe ingredients. Hopefully, I will find it better. I did add 4 frozen cherries to increase the flavour.My regular favourite smoothie includes 3 dates, 1 banana, 2 generous tbsp of peanut butter, almond milk and a scoop of chocolate protein smoothie powder – delicious.
I enjoyed this smoothie and it was a good meal replacement for dinner that I would have probably skipped due to a long day.
I really like this one I will definitely make this one again.
This is the first smoothie I’ve made with rolled oats; I was surprised how creamy the texture remained. I also really liked the flavor the almond butter gave it.
I liked this smoothie very much. I added some ground flax seed (just because I had it and I thought it would compliment the ingredients.) I love all smoothies that taste like a healthy milkshake. I would make this one again.