The arrival of January has most of us looking for ways to get back to better eating habits.  Maybe you are the type to make resolutions, maybe you have a warm weather holiday coming up, or perhaps you just want to feel energetic again.

Whatever your motivation, you need a plan.

The most obvious thing you can do is give up the junk.  Get rid of the soft drinks, the chips, the sweets, and commit to keeping them out of your shopping cart. The fastest way to improve your eating habits is to get rid of the worst offenders. Look at what you reach for in the evenings or in mindless quantities during the day and get rid of them.

Another great way to speed your way back to health and energy is to adopt a new habit or food that will make a big difference to your days – either by trimming calories, adding greatly needed nutrients or replacing other, less wholesome foods.

One of my favourites in this category is green smoothies.  Have you gone green yet?

Green smoothies are a great way to revamp what you’re eating without the frustration of starving yourself or skipping meals. Your body wants fuel!  Better you just learn better ways to feed it than try to cut everything out. And don’t tell me you wouldn’t like green smoothies because you don’t like most veggies. I promise you, they don’t taste anything like you’d expect, so don’t hesitate to try them out. What have you got to lose?

The idea is pretty simple – take a popular breakfast/snack/beverage idea like smoothies and pump up their nutrient level by adding a couple of handfuls of spinach or other fresh green to the mix.  You can keep the recipes simple or get really into adding different fruits, supplements or other healthy boosters. Do what feels right for you, but I’d recommend starting with a simple base of water or juice (I like orange), bananas, strawberries or other sweet fruit, crushed ice and two handfuls of fresh spinach.  I add the spinach last to be sure the blender can manage the leaves, and within a couple of minutes, have myself a smooth, fresh, sweet drink that is a treat to enjoy.

I went to Pinterest for inspiration, but you can find recipes almost anywhere.

Try any of these combinations to inspire you:

Easy green monster smoothie perfect to tempt wee kiddies.  Around my house they are called Dinosaur Smoothies and go down without a hitch.

Spinach and kale, plus a bright burst of citrus.

On days when you just want smooth, creamy goodness, try avocado.

If we’ve sold you and you want to make it a regular habit – a huge list of green smoothie recipes with a ton of variety.

Save this cool green smoothie rocket popsicle idea for your kids for summer.

A good guide to greens.

If you want to get all technical about ingredients, supplements and healthy boosts.

And for those who just aren’t quite ready to take the leap, here is a blueberry banana smoothie with a delicious purple colour to hide the spinach.

And this doesn’t need to be a costly venture, either. Many good quality blenders can handle daily smoothies if you use crushed ice, and if not, you can always look on used sites to find a top-notch brand for a lower price than buying new.

Have you been craving a way to get back to feeling healthy? Green smoothies might just be your ticket.

Have you tried green smoothies? What is your favourite recipe, ingredient or tip?