Frozen smoothie packs keep my daily smoothie habit going when I’m super busy… or just don’t feel like coming up with a recipe to blend. These packs are made using Costco-sized bags of produce to maximize my budget and make for easy prep.

Ever wonder if it is possible to prep a month of green smoothies on a budget, using mostly organic produce? Well, I did… so I tried, conquered and am now going to share all my tips with you.

Frozen smoothie packs using Costco (not sponsored, just great!) produce that now give you no excuse to having a daily smoothie.

Table of Contents
  1. Grocery List for Smoothie Packs
  2. DIY Frozen Smoothie Packs From Costco
  3. Frozen Ingredients
  4. Fresh Ingredients
  5. Tips for Using Organic Produce with Smoothie Packs
  6. Month of Smoothies for Under $50?
  7. Prepping Frozen Smoothie Packs
  8. How to use Frozen Spinach in Smoothies
  9. Frozen Smoothie Packs FAQs
  10. DIY Frozen Smoothie Packs Recipe
Ingredients for homemade frozen smoothie packs

Grocery List for Smoothie Packs

I’m all about fueling my body with whole foods, yet I also have to watch my family’s monthly budget. To do this successfully, I used our Smoothie Digital Guide for our free Smoothie Challenge. This includes a shopping list which makes 10 smoothie recipes using only 10 ingredients!

I invited my friend Erin along for some shopping at Costco, a member-only, bulk-grocery store. We purchased as much organic produce as we could afford, then attempted to make at least a month’s worth of smoothies.

Did we succeed? Check out this video below, or read on to see our results!

DIY Frozen Smoothie Packs From Costco

There are so many reasons I love to shop at Costco. They strive to offer organic options, they have a great produce section, and it’s possible to get all the smoothie ingredients in one place! Costco stores can be found all over the world, yet each location has slightly different food selections.

No, we did not get endorsed/sponsored by Costco to do this experiment. Quite the opposite. We actually had to be sneaky in the store so we didn’t get kicked out for recording without permission. I felt like I was 15 again. 🙂

Frozen Ingredients

To make frozen smoothie packs, I suggest using a combination of frozen and fresh produce. Frozen fruit is not second place to fresh. It’s a great option on its own because it’s picked at the peak of the season, then sliced and frozen for us. Plus it saves money…. and I’m on a budget here.

frozen smoothie packs Costco

In the Costco freezer aisle, you can get organic strawberries as well as pineapple. While we hoped to score some frozen organic mango too, there was none in sight. Sniff Sniff. So we headed to the fresh produce section next.

You don’t need all frozen or all fresh ingredients to create smoothie packs. Use a mix of what you can find because they’re all going in the same storage containers in the end.

Fresh Ingredients

In the fresh produce section, we found organic bananas, mango, oranges, and organic spinach. We couldn’t find any kale (organic or non-organic), so I bought a bag of Organic Power Greens. This mix of all organic baby kale, spinach, and swiss chard is a perfect blend of leafy greens that gives great nutrient variety to our smoothies.

leafy greens for prepping smoothies
fresh fruit for smoothie prep

Tips for Using Organic Produce with Smoothie Packs

The best guide for knowing what produce to buy organically is The EWG List, published annually. When shopping for green smoothies on a budget, use this guide to keep my produce clean, yet still doable.

The produce on the Clean 15 list can be more safely purchased as non-organic, though feel free to purchase these ingredients organically grown as well.

The foods on the Fresh 15 list either have a shell or skin that protects the fruit underneath, or the farming practices do not genetically modify or use the same chemicals as the first list. If buying all organic is not an option for your budget, use these lists as your guide to the safest, most delicious smoothie ingredients.

Month of Smoothies for Under $50?

We know that fresh produce is often the most expensive stuff in our grocery carts, not to mention trying to buy organic! Here’s what we were able to do at Costco with our shopping list and a $50 budget:

  • Organic Power Greens = $5.99 per 24 oz
  • Organic Spinach = $3.89 per 32 oz
  • Oranges = $13.99 for 24 (needed 20)
  • Organic Bananas = $1.99 per 8 bananas
  • Frozen Pineapple = $7.99 for 80 oz
  • Fresh Mangoes = $4.49 for 6
  • Organic Frozen Strawberries = $9.99 for 64 oz

Grand Total: $48.33


The best deal in town was Costco!

My goal was a month of smoothies, but I was actually able to prep 36 green smoothies with our Costco ingredients, and spent $48.33 total. That comes out to $1.34 per smoothie, and less than $50 a month!! Beat that price, smoothie bar!

Want to know the difference between shopping at Costco vs. other grocery stores for the same amount of supplies?

If that price difference seems crazy to you too, then you’re not alone. Almost a 40% price difference between the same ingredients at Costco and Publix.

If you need to pause reading this to get a Costco membership real quick, then don’t let me stop you. Buying green smoothie ingredients on a budget has never been so easy.

frozen smoothie packs

Prepping Frozen Smoothie Packs

There are a few ways you can make freezer packs. My favorite are mason jars or reusable bags. Stasher and (re)zip are both great brands that you can reuse over and over because they’re made from silicone.

storage Options

Can you freeze ingredients in freezer bags? You absolutely can. Yet, I love prepping my smoothies in wide mouth, pint sized ball jars. These jars will fit the blended smoothie perfectly and they are reusable. Also, they fit in all kinds of spaces within most freezers.

Wide mouth jars work the best as the ingredients are easier to get out when I start blending. There is no worry that the glass will break, as the liquid isn’t added until blending.

smoothie packs

Prepping Produce

Prepping all the produce before stuffing the jars makes the process faster in our opinion. Grab a friend or family member and start chopping. A few chopping notes:

  • When prepping oranges, make sure to peel the tough yellow part, yet keep the white pith surrounding the orange. A lot of vitamin C lives in the pith, and that’s what we want!
  • Check out my post on how to cut a mango for some great tips!
  • Dump the frozen fruits into large bowls for easy scooping when filling the mason jars.
  • leave the greens for last when filling the jars, as it is super easy to pack these on top.
best fast food

How to use Frozen Spinach in Smoothies

While I don’t recommend using the boxed frozen spinach since it usually has additives (and reminds me of slime), you can absolutely add fresh spinach to your smoothie prep as I mentioned above.

Freezing your own greens is a great way to avoid produce waste as well as use fresh ingredients year round.

With our Costco haul, we were able to prep 36 frozen smoothie packs with our $50 budget. So grab a friend and some cute tote bags, head to the local farmers’ market or Costco, then get prepping!

Frozen Smoothie Packs FAQs

Is it OK to drink smoothies everyday?

Yes! Make sure you rotate your leafy greens and really all your smoothie ingredients so you get the most nutrients you can. Daily smoothies are wonderful!

Are smoothies good for weight loss?

Green smoothies boosted with plant-based protein and made with only whole food ingredients can aid in healthy weight loss. Make sure the smoothies are a good balance of carbs, protein, healthy fat and fiber. Ensure you are also eating other whole food meals and snacks, as well as have a daily exercise routine.

What are the most popular smoothies?

The most popular green smoothies is the Best Green Smoothie! It’s a great first smoothie for anyone wanting to eat more plants and drink something delicious.

Drop a comment below and let us know your fav places to buy produce, as well as your money saving green smoothie tips and tricks! 

4.88 from 16 votes

DIY Frozen Smoothie Packs

Making prep ahead frozen smoothie packs is a great way to save time and money making smoothies.
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Author: Jen Hansard
Course: Breakfast, Smoothie
Cuisine: Plant-Based, Vegan
Serves: 36 smoothies

Equipment

  • mason jars
  • freezer-safe bags

Ingredients  

Costco Shopping List

  • 24 oz power greens $5.99 per 24 oz bag of organic
  • 32 oz spinach $3.89 per 32 oz tub of organic
  • 20 oranges $13.99 for 24
  • 8 bananas $1.99 per 8 organic bananas
  • 80 oz pineapple $7.99 for 80 oz bag of frozen
  • 6 mangos $4.49 for 6
  • 64 oz strawberries $9.99 for 64 oz bag of frozen

Instructions 

  • Join the Smoothie Challenge and get the recipes we'll be making: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/challenge
  • Head to Costco (or store of your choice) and buy the items above 
  • Get 10 recipes from the 10-Day Challenge and start putting them into the containers (without the liquid). 
  • Write the name of each recipe and what you still need to add (ex: add 1 cup almond milk)

Video

Notes

  • You can shop at other stores as well, yet Costco had the best quality and price we could find down here in Central Florida.
  • The nutrition info is based on my sample ingredients. Your nutrition will change based on the ingredients you use.
  • Feel free to swap in whatever ingredients you use most for smoothies! 

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 27mg, Potassium: 602mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 3174IU, Vitamin C: 125mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Show me!Mention @SimpleGreenSmoothies or tag #SimpleGreenSmoothies!

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Rating




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Prepping smoothies this way was soooo helpful when using one of my Simple Green Smoothies cleanses. Made life so much easier that now I want to have smoothie packs in my freezer always.

  2. 5 stars
    I just wanted to say, these totally saved me after a week long trip! I got home and had jet lag for days. I knew I had prepped smoothie jars in the freezer that I’d done before my trip, so I’ve been using them all week to keep getting in good breakfasts, even when I feel like crap. Thank you!

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve been doing this since covid started and it’s been a huge time and money saver. Thank you Jen!!!

  4. 5 stars
    This tip definitely turned a new habit into a lifestyle. Love having delicious, healthy smoothies on hand!

  5. 5 stars
    Really great ideas! Thanks for the tips. I am leaning towards making the smoothies ahead of time and freezing them. Also something that you recommend on your website. One thing I would add is that they make plastic lids for glass jars for freezing instead of using the two piece metal lids.

  6. 5 stars
    Hi,
    I love this idea! Do you wash the greens before assembling? The greens on the picture look bone dry.
    Thank you!

    1. Hi Grace! Washing greens would be a personal choice. It’s usually recommended, although many of us opt not to if we’re buying organic.

  7. When you make your smoothie packs, do you wash off the spinach before packing them in the jars? Even when the package says “prewashed” I will rinse. I like to be certain the greens are thoroughly rinsed. I suppose the water on the leaves does not hurt the produce when frozen??? What do you do? Thanks!!!!

  8. 5 stars
    Love this. Thank you for all the great tips. Prepping smoothies just got easier and budget friendly, which means I get to enjoy more of my favorites more often.

    1. Really glad this was helpful to you J’Que! Also a thought…Some rawkstars like to do this with a buddy, to split the cost of larger bulk purchases and to make prep time more fun. Let us know if you try it!

  9. I am so excited to go to Costco now and buy these ingredients! Thank you! I have loved making smoothies for the past two years, but the logistics have been a hassle. Thank you for making it so easy!

    1. Absolutely, Brittany! So glad you’re taking care of yourself by rawkin plants these last two years. You go girl!!!

  10. As a male and and a new owner of blender, I was looking for a shopping of the necessary items for a basic smoothie. Thanks for the info and the directions.

    1. Smoothies for all!!! Happy blending Clyde! 🙂

  11. 4 stars
    I love the idea of smoothie prepping. But there is a way to make it way more efficient and save LOTS of time. If you are eating the same smoothie for 7 days. Make a big batch of the smoothie. Then pour it into your jars, label them and pop them in the freezer. Take one out every morning to enjoy the next day. Simply shake and drink. You could make all 36 smoothies and rinse the blender (if you wanted) between recipes. Then you don’t have to get your blender out every day and clean it every day. I’ve been making batches of smoothies for years and it saves so much time. Honestly it is the 1 thing I am not liking about this challenge, getting out and blending my prepped smoothie. I am enjoying the variety and I will absolutely use some of these recipes to make batches of smoothies. Give it a try – it’s life changing!

    1. Is it safe to put a smoothie or anything liquid in these mason jars and into the freezer? They won’t crack?

    2. You can definitely freeze your smoothies in mason jars! Just follow these tips:

      * Opt for wide-mouth jars (the ones with straight sides).
      * Use jars made with tempered glass. Most glass jars that contain spaghetti sauces, jellies, etc. are not made with tempered glass and can be used for storing your smoothies in the fridge, but could break if put in the freezer.
      * Leave space at the top of your jar (i.e., don’t fill your jar 100% full). Your smoothie will expand when you freeze it and it needs somewhere to go!
      * Thaw your frozen smoothie overnight in the fridge. (That way it’ll be ready to drink when you wake up. )

  12. 5 stars
    This is so helpful! I’m prepping smoothies for my uncle and now I feel even more confident.

    1. That’s awesome, Mia! I bet he really appreciates it! 🙂

  13. Hi and thank you, was wondering how I would be able to stick to my smoothie routine once I returned to work. Great idea! I see you didn’t mention Whole Foods which is usually where I get my produce. Don’t think there is a Costco near by
    Janet

    1. Hi Janet. Of course you should go to the grocery store that’s near you/you prefer. In this case, Jen used Costco because you can buy in bulk there and the topic is smoothie packs on a budget. She wanted to show how easy and budget-friendly it can be to drink a green smoothie every day. 🙂

    2. I just got to lose so much weight so I’m going to try this out.

    3. You’ve got this Jo! Small steps, gentle movements and one smoothie at a time!