As the year starts to move into the warmer months, we can finally say goodbye to the colder, harsher weather. During the longer, sunnier days, many of us get a kick of newly found motivation to focus on our health and fitness.

But, as every parent knows, life gets busy, and it gets difficult to find time for yourself. The warmer weather is the perfect time for family days out, but this also makes it easier to get side-tracked. You may find yourself snacking on ice cream while you’re at the park or indulging in fast-food because you don’t feel like cooking.  

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with treating yourself (reward yourself!), it is important to not overindulge and undo your progress. If you want to get into shape or you want to be more active to feel better within yourself, remember to pay attention to your diet.

As parents, we tend to focus on our children more than ourselves. Sometimes that means that we don’t have enough time to enjoy a nutritious breakfast, or we end up skipping lunch. Even though our intentions are in the right place, neglecting our own nutrition just damages our physical and mental health.

So, how do you add healthy yet easy snacks into your daily routine? Smoothies are quick, convenient, and packed full of nutrients, making them a great addition to your diet. Plus, smoothies are versatile – you can flavor them however you wish. You can also add in extras such as chia seeds, protein powders, or leafy greens to up the nutrition even more.

Feeling inspired by the changing seasons, I’ve created this refreshing protein smoothie to keep you feeling energized. Despite this smoothie’s simplicity, it provides an impressive amount of nutrition for you, and it makes for a healthy snack for your children.

That being said, one of the most important ingredients in this smoothie is the grass-fed whey protein powder. Protein is an incredibly important nutrient – your body needs protein to function and keep you in good health. Without enough protein in your diet, you’ll start to feel weak, tired, and unwell. Protein powders are an excellent way to supplement your protein intake even if you’re busy and you don’t have much time to meal prep.

Whether you’re being active to improve your body composition or to support your mental health, whey protein offers benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked. From a fitness perspective, whey protein supports lean muscle growth while also aiding fat loss.

But studies have shown that whey protein may also lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, decrease body inflammation, and strengthen the immune system.

I’ve also chosen to use grass-fed protein over grain-fed protein. Grass-fed proteins are also high in healthy omega-3s, minerals, and vitamins, so they offer a superior nutritional profile. Plus, whey from grass-fed cows is more likely to be free from GMOs and growth hormones.

And for how much whey protein per day to consume, 1-2 scoops is typically plenty. I like to keep it simple and do 1 scoop for each smoothie.

All the other ingredients in this smoothie work to support your general health as well. Mangos are high in antioxidants which protect your cells against damage and reduce your risk of disease. They’re also a great source of vitamin A, which helps to support and maintain a healthy immune system. Strawberries are often associated with improving heart health, while pineapple can help prevent inflammation.

For one serving of this refreshing spring protein smoothie, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Start by adding the mango, strawberries, pineapple, and milk to a blender and mix until the ingredients are combined. Then, add in a scoop of whey protein powder and continue to blend until smooth.

If you’re planning to make this smoothie for your kids, it’s not necessary to add in the protein powder. Children usually don’t need as much protein as adults, but the smoothie itself makes for a delicious treat!  

Enjoy!