Smoothie bowls, the most common one being an acai bowl, are the perfect refreshing meal or snack! In case you haven’t had one before, they are basically a thick, creamy smoothie in a bowl with delicious toppings sprinkled on the top, like berries, nuts, chia seeds, shredded coconut, etc. They are really common for breakfast, but would make a delicious dessert instead of ice cream, or a nice refreshing treat on a hot afternoon.

You want them to stay frosty and thick and want that thick frosty goodness to stay that way as long as possible. Here are a few tips to make these antioxidant packed bowls be as delicious as possible!

1. Make it thick.

The very best smoothie bowls are thick and frosty; you don't want to end up with a bowl of thin smoothie soup. There are two ways to get that extra-thick texture: Start with less liquid than you normally would for a drinkable smoothie, and/or you can also add some extra base ingredients like frozen fruit to the blender. Not only will frozen fruit bring some sweet flavor to your bowl, but it is also the key ingredient for thickness. Frozen fruit makes for smoothie bowls with a super-thick and creamy consistency, and works better than fresh fruit. And remember — you can always add more liquid as you blend, so start with less and pour in more as needed.

2. Chill your bowl before getting started.

Even though they're thicker than regular smoothies, smoothie bowls can melt pretty quickly. It certainly doesn't make them any less delicious, but that perfect frostiness only stays around for so long.

There are steps you can take to slow this down, namely popping the bowl in the freezer before getting started. If you think of it ahead of time, that's great. But even stashing your bowl in the freezer while you prep ingredients and whip up your smoothie makes a difference.

3. Choose a deep bowl over one that's wide and shallow.

Consider the shape of the bowl you plan to use for your smoothie. Again, the name of the game is keeping your smoothie bowl thick and chilled as long as possible. Go for a bowl that's deeper than it is wide. The smaller surface area means slower melting.

4. Get everything prepped before loading the blender.

This is a general rule to follow with whatever you're cooking, but prep is important here to prevent a fast melt. Get all of your ingredients prepped before anything hits the blender. This means all the add-ins for your smoothie bowl, as well as the toppings.

Did you know that they sell frozen acai smoothie packs in a lot of stores now? They used to sell them at Costco, but I haven’t seen them at mine for a while now, but I know they sell them at health foods stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s. These make prep work a breeze! Feel free to add in any other fruits or things you want in that smoothie in addition to the packet (like a nice frozen banana—yum!)

5. Add texture with toppings.

What really makes smoothie bowls different from their drinkable counterparts are the toppings! The extra surface area of the bowl, compared to a glass, lets you bring texture and crunch in the form of nuts, seeds, toasted coconut, granola, and fresh fruit. Layer it on!

And finally, I would love to share a fantastic recipe for a smoothie bowl with you. This is a key lime smoothie bowl. It has a dreamy smooth yogurty base with kiwis, blueberries, macadamia nuts and shredded coconut on top! It is every bit as perfect as it sounds—without the guilt from eating real key lime pie!

Key Lime Smoothie Bowls

Serves 2

1 regular lime or 4 key limes
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt 
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
1/2 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted macadamia nuts
2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes

Zest the lime(s) with a Microplane and add 1 teaspoon of it to a medium bowl. Juice the lime(s) and add 1 tablespoon of the juice to the bowl. Add the yogurt, honey, vanilla, and salt and whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture into 2 small serving bowls.

Top the yogurt mixture with the kiwi, blueberries, macadamia nuts, and coconut flakes. Serve immediately.

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