In honor of National Smoothie Day on Tuesday, June 21, Vitamix is celebrating with its first-ever Smoothie of the Year. Now in its 101st year, Vitamix helped pioneer the smoothie trend decades ago with its blenders' unparalleled engineering and ability to process straight-from-the-freezer or whole-food ingredients.

For the 2022 Smoothie of the Year, Vitamix culinary experts created an Almond Yogurt, Peach and Banana Smoothie, a blend that includes seasonal and easy-to-find fruit combined with nutrient-packed, flavor-forward ingredients like turmeric and ginger.

"Vitamix celebrates smoothies every day as a brand that's led the industry in premium performance, durability and precision for 100 years. Launching our Smoothie of the Year is a fun way to capture what's trending in this moment when it comes to whole-food eating, healthy recipes and exciting flavors," says Vitamix CEO Laserson.

According to Mintel, since 2021, consumers are "looking for even more complexity, diversity, nutrition and functionality from 'simple' fruit smoothies." Utilizing accessible fruit options in smoothies has become increasingly important in the face of supply chain issues and inflation. Smoothies also remain a fantastic way to eat whole, nutritious foods in one meal without going to a restaurant. That's why Vitamix designed the Almond Yogurt, Peach and Banana Smoothie to hit all the marks:

•    Peaches and bananas are both high in fiber and prebiotics, which boost digestion

•    The blend offers 11 grams of protein, the top functional benefit consumers look for in smoothies

•    Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant components, improving cardiovascular health and helping to reduce joint pain

•    Ginger is excellent for digestion and also very high in antioxidants

"At a time when prices on everyday goods are rising, we chose a smoothie that showcases simple, tasty, whole-food ingredients that can be found at most grocery stores," explains Matt Dugan, executive chef at Vitamix. "We also loved that peaches are a seasonal ingredient available from local growers in many parts of the country. Shoppers can ask for 'seconds' to use slightly less perfect fruit that's ideal for blending, is often priced lower and helps to fight food waste."

Vitamix experts, from culinary pros to skilled engineers, have tips to optimize smoothie-making any day of the year. For example, placing heavier, frozen items on top of lighter ingredients helps weigh them down and gets the blend moving faster, reducing stalling. Chefs can share the right ingredient ratios and foolproof tips for improvising smoothie combinations with excellent taste and texture every time.