Prep smoothie packs ahead of time for an easy, nourishing breakfast on busy mornings.
No matter what time of year it is, I can easily find myself sipping a smoothie for breakfast. Mainly because I don’t have a huge appetite in the morning, am often running out the door to get somewhere, and it’s an easy way to get a lot of nutrition in quickly.
The tricky thing about smoothies is making them when you’re in a rush. I’ve tried every which way to make a smoothie ahead of time, but the texture and flavor is never as good as when the smoothie is fresh. My best solution: have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go so you can blend and run!
I like prepping my smoothie ingredients at the beginning of the week to blend up all week long. Smoothie ingredients keep well in quart freezer bags and/or mason jars. This method works with just about any smoothie recipe (it works well for my Classic Green Smoothie recipe too). Below I’ll be sharing the prep process for my current favorite, the green goddess smoothie.
Prep your ingredients
If you are using pre-frozen ingredients, feel free to skip this step. If you are using fresh produce, make sure it is washed and ready to go. Wash and dry any greens and herbs, and wash and chop fresh fruit. Lay the cut fruit on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for 1-2 hours until frozen. This will prevent the fruit from freezing into a big clump, making it harder to blend.
Prep your storage containers
Write the date and smoothie ingredients (or recipe name) on your freezer bag, or on a label for your mason jar. That way you know exactly what’s in your blend and how old it is when you’re ready to use it.
Assemble your smoothies
Place a serving of frozen fruit in the bottom of your jar or bag. Top with any greens or herbs you are using before sealing. If you are using freezer bags, try to squeeze as much air from the bag as possible. If you are using mason jars, secure tightly with a lid.
Blend!
When you are ready to blend, simply dump smoothie ingredients into your blender, add your liquid and any mix-ins you’re using (nut butter, protein powder, seeds, etc.) and blend away.
Bonus tip for my Nutribullet peeps: put your prepped ingredients in a Nutribullet cup and secure with the airtight lids before putting in the freezer. In the morning, just add your liquid/mix-ins of choice, screw on the blade and blend away.
Green Goddess Smoothie
https://www.thebalancedberry.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Green-Goddess-Smoothie-2-of-2.jpg
| Prep: | Cook: | Yield: 1 | Total: |
You'll Need...
- For Smoothie Packs (Ingredients Prep 4 Smoothies):
- 4 Cups Spinach
- 4 Persian Cucumbers, Sliced
- 2 Avocados, Sliced
- 1 Cup Parsley, Chopped
- 2 Cups Frozen Pineapple
- 2 Cups Frozen Banana Slices
- For Blending One Smoothie:
- Optional - 1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (I used Perfect Fit)
- ½ - ¾ Cup Water (Can sub almond milk or coconut water)
Directions
- Remove one smoothie pack from the freezer, and allow to thaw at room temperature for a few minutes.
- Place smoothie pack ingredients in a blender along with protein powder (if using) and liquid. Blend until smooth.
Your Turn:
- What is your current favorite smoothie recipe?
- What are your favorite smoothie prep tips?
This is such a good idea and I just need to make some already! I have all the ingredients in my fridge/freezer, but yet never seem to ‘have time’ to make a smoothie. I’m gonna try this tonight!
Smoothies can definitely be time consuming in the morning – I hope this helps!
YES! I am actually going to be stocking my freezer this weekend with freezer smoothie packs. I’m expecting a baby any day now and would love the convenience of pulling a bag out of the freezer and chucking it into the blender with some water or almond milk. Such a life saver.
Congratulations! Yes, having a few of these handy would probably be a big help!
Yes! I love the idea of pre freezing packs; we get some pre-frozen packs from Costco which are a tremendous blessing, but I like the idea of doing your own too…
I had no idea you could buy them at Costco too!
Love it! This makes so much sense when you’re busy (or lazy in the AM)
Plus when it’s all frozen it’s nice and thick <3
Exactly! The texture is amazing when everything is all frozen
Gosh, I have never considered making smoothie packs!! GENIUS!!
I am secretly lazy, so I am always looking for shortcuts – ha!