Nothing is better than downing a cold and refreshing smoothie. But nothing is worse than not having a blender when the mood strikes.
So what's a thirsty person to do? Improvise, that's what. With the right tools and ingredients, you can blend a makeshift -- and arguably more eco-friendly -- smoothie to satisfy your craving. Just keep in mind the texture might pale in comparison.
Check out a few methods below, to use with your favorite fruits and milk, water or juice.
1. Avocado
Smash in an avocado with normal smoothie ingredients to fix watery consistency issues.
2. Chia seeds
Already regarded as superfood, chia seeds take about five minutes to thicken into a gel-like consistency when soaking in a liquid. Stir in a few spoonfuls of them into your blender-less smoothie and let it work its magic.
3. Whisk
It's basically a manual blender. Smash up ripe fruit -- like mangoes, bananas or strawberries -- and then whisk in yogurt or milk.
4. Powder
Fruit or soy powders can help thicken the consistency of your smoothie. Combine the powder and liquid in small portions until the smoothie reaches your preferred consistency and amount.
5. Shake it up
Toss some crushed ice, chopped up fruit, milk and some nut butter into a mason jar or capped bottle and give it a good shake until everything is cool and mixed.
6. Greek yogurt
Think about adding some creamy Greek yogurt instead of standard milk to help your smoothie thicken.
