Many students new to college are learning for the first time how to take care of themselves. What seem to be simple tasks, such as doing laundry, cleaning the bathroom, and cooking, may be hard for students who have never been instructed in those areas before.

For me cleaning was never an issue. Cooking, on the other hand, did not come easy. I was never taught to prepare food. I soon discovered many foods that are simple to make, such as microwave dinners, are not always the most appetizing or nutritious. Thus began my search for quick, easy, and healthy food options.

My freshman year I had a friend who taught me how to make a new snack, the strawberry banana smoothie. I have since then stepped out on my own and experimented with his way of doing things to create my own recipe for the perfect smoothie — healthy, delicious, and easy to create.

The secret to making the perfect smoothie is not using ice or yogurt. Ice waters the taste down and makes the smoothie a little too runny, then it becomes more like an icee or a snow cone. Yogurt gives the smoothie a sour and almost bitter taste. To make the best strawberry banana smoothies only three ingredients are required: bananas, strawberries, and fruit juice. You will also need a blender. I prefer using the Magic Bullet. It really is magic.

To make the smoothie cold and thick the fruit needs to be frozen. Buying frozen strawberries or frozen strawberry slices cuts down on preparation time. Before freezing the bananas, first peel and cut them into half inch thick slices. Put the slices into a freezer bag that is tightly sealed to keep the fruit fresh and place the bag in the freezer. I recommend freezing fruit for at least 12 hours for best results. The bananas and strawberries need to be frozen solid.