Use Frozen Fruit

• Using ice cubes can leave your smoothie with large chunks of unmelted ice in it, because most blenders can't grind ice well. Instead, use frozen fruit that's softer and blends more evenly and smoothly than ice. If ice is called for in your smoothie recipe, add only a few ice cubes or try using crushed ice.

Use the Right Blender

• Using a blender that doesn't have much horsepower can leave you with a smoothie that's not fully blended. Another problem with blenders is that most have blades only at the bottom, so smoothie ingredients don't get blended evenly unless the ingredients at the top are pushed to the bottom. Make sure that your blender is powerful and has the ability to blend evenly by pulling the ingredients into the blades, or use attachments or extra blades that assist with the blending process.

Order of Ingredients

• Adding ice or frozen ingredients before anything else when making your smoothie can lead to chunky smoothies. Blend fats, liquids, yogurt and any other unfrozen ingredients first, and be sure the mixture is smooth before adding any frozen fruit, ice or powders. When adding other ingredients to your smooth base, be sure to add additional ingredients separately and blend for 10 to 20 seconds after each one has been added.

Make Small Batches

• Don't overload your blender by adding more ingredients than it can handle, or you might end up with a partially blended smoothie. If you plan to make smoothies for a crowd, make several smaller batches instead of one large one. Smaller batches produce more thoroughly blended drinks.