Virgin Piña Colada Smoothie — My Accidental 89p Pineapple Rescue
I have a problem, and I suspect I’m not alone in it. I see something in the reduced section — 89p for a whole pineapple, in this case — and I buy it purely because it’s cheap, with zero plan for what I’m actually going to do with it. It then sits on the counter for a week while I ignore it, until I either use it in a panic or quietly admit defeat and bin it.
This time, I remembered it in time. Just.
I went looking in the cupboard for something to pair it with and found a tin of coconut milk with a best before date that, if I’m honest with myself, I was not honest with myself about. I looked at “best before August 2025” and decided that 5 was clearly a 6. (For the official recipe below, I’d recommend you use a fresh tin — but for the record, mine was completely fine.)
Into the blender it all went: the whole pineapple chopped up, the coconut milk, half a lime i had laying around, a squeeze of honey, and a handful of ice. I wasn’t drinking alcohol — pretty hard to justify a piña colada while breastfeeding — but I have always loved one, and this hit every single note I wanted: tropical, creamy, sweet-sharp from the lime. Genuinely a 10/10. It’s going straight into my regular rotation, and now that pineapple isn’t going to waste, either.
One small note for next time: I think this would be even better with crushed ice rather than cubes, for that proper slushy piña colada texture. I held back because I didn’t want to risk it going watery — if you try it with crushed ice, I’d genuinely love to know how it turns out.
Virgin Piña Colada Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 whole pineapple peeled, cored and chopped
- 400 ml coconut milk 1 tin
- ½ lime juiced
- 1 tbsp honey or to taste
- 150 g ice cubes or crushed ice
Instructions
- Peel, core and chop the pineapple into rough chunks.
- Add the pineapple, coconut milk, lime juice and honey to the blender.
- Add the ice and blend until completely smooth.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or sharpness to your liking.
- Pour and serve immediately.
Notes
- On the coconut milk: use a fresh tin for best results. If yours is a little past its best before date, use your own judgement — “best before” isn’t the same as “use by,” but when in doubt, especially if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, play it safe and use a fresh one.
- Crushed ice vs cubes: cubes give a thinner, more drinkable result. Crushed ice gives a thicker, slushier texture closer to a real piña colada — just blend a little longer if your blender struggles with crushed ice, to avoid it separating.
- Make it ahead: this is best drunk fresh, as the pineapple can make it foam up if it sits too long. If you want to prep ahead, freeze chopped pineapple chunks in advance — it also gives you a thicker, colder smoothie without needing extra ice.
- Non-breastfeeding version: add a splash of white rum if you fancy the real thing — this recipe works equally well either way.
- Reduce food waste tip: this is now my go-to for any pineapple that’s about to turn, reduced-price or otherwise. No more sad, forgotten pineapples on my counter.
Made this? I’d love to see it — tag me on Instagram or Pinterest @caramba.crafts. And if you’ve got your own “rescued from the back of the cupboard” recipe, tell me about it in the comments — I have a feeling I’m not the only one who does this.
