This strawberry banana kefir smoothie is a light and refreshing summertime drink. It combines the probiotic goodness of raw milk kefir, the fiber and prebiotics of bananas, and the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants of strawberries.

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our site disclosure for more information.

RELATED DISCUSSION BOARD: The Scoop | All Things Dairy

Milk kefir smoothies are an easy and nutritious way to incorporate raw milk kefir into your diet. They are endlessly customizable, easy to hide add-ins (i.e. protein powder, collagen powder, greens, nut butters, etc.), and they make “healthy” food enjoyable!
 
Follow along as I take you through this simple, light, and refreshing strawberry banana kefir smoothie recipe. You’ll learn a new way to use your homemade milk kefir, which is especially beneficial if you or someone in your family isn’t particularly a fan of raw milk kefir by itself. Sprucing it up with strawberries and bananas will allow you to reap the benefits of milk kefir without even knowing you are.

Why Use Milk Kefir?

Raw milk kefir is my go-to base for all of my smoothies. It takes the benefits of raw milk and enhances everything by culturing it into a fermented dairy product. It is the perfect creamy, probiotic-rich base for this strawberry banana kefir smoothie.

Store-bought vs. Homemade Milk Kefir

I have never personally bought milk kefir at a store. I first learned about milk kefir from the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Several years ago when I began purchasing raw milk from a local dairy farm, it made more sense to use the raw milk I had and turn it into kefir myself.

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Through that book I learned that traditional cultures from all over the world have consumed raw fermented dairy products for thousands of years. With all the food sensitivities and allergies that are so common amongst people in America, I thought there might be something to how traditional cultures have, and still do, consume their dairy both raw and fermented.

Is Raw Milk Safe? What are the Benefits?

To get started with making my own homemade milk kefir, I purchased dehydrated milk kefir grains from Cultures for Health. I followed the directions for activating them, and have been using them ever since. The grains have continued to grow and multiply, leaving me with an endless supply of milk kefir grains.
 
To purchase already activated milk kefir grains, please see The Savvy Saige Etsy Shop:

Activated Milk Kefir Grains

Since I went the route of making my own milk kefir, I gained several advantages such as:

• Acquiring a traditional hands-on skill
• Knowledge of fermented dairy products
• Knowing exactly what is in my food
• Not dependent on store availability
• Ability to share my kefir grains with others

Why I Don’t Buy Commercial Milk Kefir

In addition to the advantages of what I gained through learning to make my own milk kefir, I also came across information as to why homemade milk kefir is superior to store-bought milk kefir.
 
The downsides of store-bought milk kefir can include:

• Not in control of what type of milk is used- I drink raw milk exclusively
• Additives such as sweeteners, thickeners, stabilizers, preservatives, flavors, and colors
• Pasteurization reduces the available probiotics
• Higher cost per serving
• Not always made from live kefir grains (not traditional milk kefir– reduced microbial strains)
• Environmental impact of single-use plastic bottles

How to Make Homemade Milk Kefir

If I have convinced you that homemade milk kefir is the way to go vs. store-bought, you’ll be happy to know that it is one of the easiest fermented foods you can possibly make. Raw milk kefir requires only two ingredients, minimal kitchenware, and the process is largely hands-off.
 
In the end you’ll be left with a healthy, probiotic-rich drink that is naturally preserved through the lacto-fermentation process. Your body will thank you for the improved gut health and immunity!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp activated milk kefir grains
• 3 cups raw milk

Supplies

• 1 quart size mason jar
• Coffee filter or breathable cloth
• Rubber band
• Mesh strainer
• Bowl
• Spoon
• Funnel

Instructions

1. Place the kefir grains in the quart size mason jar and add the raw milk.
2. Cover the jar opening with a coffee filter or breathable cloth, and secure with a rubber band.
3. Place jar on the countertop and allow to culture for 12-48hrs, or until desired taste and consistency has been reached.
4. Using a fine mesh strainer and spoon, strain the milk kefir into a bowl, separating out the grains from the final product.
5. Jar the completed milk kefir and place in the refrigerator.
6. Keep the kefir grains for future batches.

For more details on how to make your own homemade milk kefir, please see this post:

How to Make Raw Milk Kefir

Kefir Smoothies

Now that you know how to make your own milk kefir, it’s time to be creative with it!
 
Kefir smoothies are a delicious way to use your raw milk kefir in recipes. They are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This strawberry banana kefir smoothie can be enjoyed for breakfast, a mid-day snack, a sweet treat after dinner, and as a refreshing drink on a hot summer day.
 
My two favorite kefir smoothie recipes at the moment are mixed berry kefir smoothie and strawberry banana kefir smoothie.
 
To see the recipe for making a mixed berry kefir smoothie, please see this post:

Mixed Berry Kefir Smoothie

For this recipe, we’ll be making the strawberry banana kefir smoothie. Check out the benefits of incorporating strawberries and bananas into your diet.

Health Benefits of Strawberries 🍓

• 91% water, 7.7% carbohydrates, 0.7% protein, 0.3% fat
  • Glycemic index of 40, which is low and considered safe for people with diabetes
  • 26% of the carbohydrate content is fiber, soluble and insoluble
    • Fiber is necessary to feed the good bacteria and improve digestive health
• Vitamins and Minerals
  • Vitamin C- antioxidant necessary for immune and skin health
  • Manganese- trace element needed for many bodily processes
  • Folate (Vitamin B9)- needed for normal tissue growth and cell function (pregnancy!)
  • Potassium- aids in regulating blood pressure
  • Iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins B6, K, and E
• Antioxidants and Plant Compounds
  • Anthocyanins
    • More than 25 different anthocyanins present in strawberries, they are associated with heart health. They are also responsible for the bright colors of fruit (you always want to eat the rainbow).
  • Top Source of Phenolic Antioxidants- 2-11x greater than other fruits. Linked to fighting bad bacteria and reduced risk of cancer.
• Reduced Risk of Many Chronic Diseases
  • Heart Disease
  • Metabolic Syndrome and Type II Diabetes
  • Cancer and Tumor Formation
• Additional
  • Improve blood antioxidant status
  • Decrease oxidative stress
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Improve vascular function
  • Improve your blood lipid profile
  • Reduce the harmful oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol

(source)

Health Benefits of Bananas 🍌

• Nutrients
  • Carbohydrates, water, fiber, and antioxidants
  • Vitamin C
  • Riboflavin
  • Folate
  • Niacin
  • Copper
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
• Blood Sugar Levels
  • May improve blood sugar levels through soluble fiber and resistant starch (found in unripe green bananas)
  • Resistant starch may improve insulin sensitivity
• Digestive Health
  • Dietary fiber and resistant starch, which is a prebiotic, are food for the beneficial bacteria in the gut
  • Pectin (ripe and unripe bananas) may soften stools and help prevent constipation
• Weight Loss
  • Dietary fiber and resistant starch may you help feel full longer, reducing the frequency and size of your meals
• Heart Health
  • Potassium may help lower blood pressure
  • Magnesium may reduce risk of heart disease, elevated blood pressure, and high levels of fats in the blood
• Antioxidants
  • Flavonoids and amines are linked to reduced risk of heart disease and macular degeneration
• Kidney Health
  • Potassium may slow the progression of kidney disease
• Exercise Performance
  • Easily digested carbs
  • Potassium and magnesium act as electrolytes- protection against muscle cramps

(source)

How to Make a Strawberry Banana Kefir Smoothie

If you are ready to mix things up with a new way to drink your milk kefir, this strawberry banana kefir smoothie is the perfect way to do so.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw milk kefir
• 1 heaping cup frozen strawberries
• 1 banana sliced (fresh or frozen)
• 1-2 tbsp raw local honey

Equipment

• 1 wide mouth quart size mason jar
• Immersion blender

Instructions

Tap/click the images for a description of each step ⬇️

1. Add raw milk kefir, frozen strawberries, sliced banana, and honey to a wide mouth quart size mason jar.
2. Using the immersion blender, blend until smooth.
3. Serve immediately, or freeze for later.

This strawberry banana kefir smoothie is an enjoyable and easy way to experience the health benefits of milk kefir.

Not only is this strawberry banana kefir smoothie a tasty treat, but it is nutritious and SO easy to make!

Tips

• This recipe is perfect for a single serving, and yields about 3 cups of strawberry banana kefir smoothie. It can be multiplied any number of times according to how many servings you wish to make.
• Fresh strawberries may be substituted for frozen strawberries. If using fresh, you may wish to add ice when blending.
• Fresh and frozen bananas work in the recipe. I usually use fresh because I have fresh bananas on hand most of the time.
• You can forgo the honey or use any sweetener you’d like.
• An immersion blender works well because you can drink the smoothie in the same mason jar that you blend it in, reducing the amount of equipment that you need. However, a regular blender would be just fine to use.
• Use these practical mason jar lids to take this smoothie on the go.
• Some nutritional add-ins that can be included are:
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Nut butters
  • Collagen powder
  • Protein powder
  • Powdered supplements
  • Chia seeds
  • Avocado
  • Anything you can think of!

Ways to Enjoy

Enjoy this light and refreshing strawberry banana kefir smoothie, packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and probiotics.

You can drink this strawberry banana kefir smoothie as is, or use it in fun and creative ways.

Try some of these ideas:

• Popsicles
• Smoothie bowls
• Homemade sorbet

FAQs

Related Posts

How to Make Raw Milk Kefir (And Why You Should!)

Mixed Berry Kefir Smoothie (Probiotic + Antioxidant Powerhouse Drink)

Is Raw Milk Safe? What are the Health Benefits? (+ My Personal Experience)

Hope you enjoy this light, refreshing, and healthy strawberry banana kefir smoothie!
 
Cheers to healthy living! 💛

Tag on Instagram @thesavvysaige

Enjoyed? Rate and comment below!

RELATED DISCUSSION BOARD: The Scoop | All Things Dairy

This is a personal blog. All posts, recipes, recommendations, and how-tos are for informational use and personal viewing pleasure only. Blog posts are not written by AI.