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If you love green smoothies AND want to maximize your time and money while making them, then this smoothie prep tutorial is for you! I love buying fresh, in-season produce, yet I don’t want it to go bad before I use it all in my daily smoothie. Meal prep smoothies get me through busy seasons with ease.
Meal prep smoothies are my jam! I love doing smoothie prep in batches so I make one mess at a time and get a week (or month) of ready-to-blend smoothies for my efforts. Today, I’m sharing all my tips and tricks to make smoothies for the week as well as giving you a sample menu and shopping list to get started!
Table of Contents
How to Meal Prep Smoothies for a Week
First, gather the following items: measuring cups, quart bags or canning jars (I like wide-mouth jars best!), a permanent marker, your favorite fruit and leafy greens and either my blog or the Daily Blends Smoothie App. These items will make meal prepping smoothies a breeze. Next:
- Decide which recipes you’ll make for the week and have them on hand. Feel free to use my free 10-Day Smoothie Challenge recipes.
- Slice or cut fruit into chunks. You can also cut fruit into smaller pieces and freeze ahead of time on lined baking sheets or use packaged frozen fruit. This helps keep the fruit and leafy greens from freezing together in a large clump, plus the smoothies blend more easily.
- Label bag or jar lids with recipe name and date. Be specific. You might also want to include how much of which liquid gets blended with each smoothie pack (to have when you’re ready to blend).
- Measure out the ingredients and pack into jars or bags.
- Remove as much air as possible from bags and jars when sealing closed. Pack fruit and leafy greens tightly into the jars and screw on the lids.
- Place in freezer. Don’t pack your bags/containers too tightly together. There should be some air circulation to help the contents to freeze quickly.
When you’re ready to use your meal prepped smoothies, remove smoothie pack from freezer. Add liquid base to container or bag (which helps defrost the fruit slightly). You can also thaw for a few minutes on the counter or in warm water. This helps the fruit and greens come out of the container more easily. Pour into blender and blend until smooth.
Prep smoothies for the week, month, or quarter, whichever length of time fits your time and lifestyle (and space!) best. I took the 7-day Smoothie Challenge inside Daily Blends Smoothie App for recipes and prepped for an entire month!
Tips for Make Ahead Smoothies
- Pick recipes with similar ingredients and buy in bulk. This saves money and cuts down on the number of ingredients needed.
- Buy seasonally! Choosing ingredients that are in season (or better yet, local!) also cuts down on cost. Food has the highest nutrition when harvested during its rightful season. Plus, it just tastes better.
- Help your future self by labeling! Know what that prepped jar needs for the liquid base so that when you are ready to blend, you are prepared.
- Set aside time to prep. Whether it’s on the weekend, Monday morning or Thursday evening, make time for prep. This helps you set yourself up for success.
- If you don’t like to or have time to chop up fresh ingredients then buy frozen! I love getting frozen pineapple and mango from Costco to save myself time. Frozen ingredients are picked at height freshness then flash frozen to preserve as many nutrients as possible.
Have any more tips for meal prepping smoothies? Drop a comment below and let us all know!
Smoothie Prep Menu
If you’re looking for some make-ahead smoothie recipes to get started, try out this plan:
- Beginner’s Luck Smoothie
- Clear Skin Smoothie
- Mango Spinach Smoothie
- Vegan Tropical Smoothie
- Spinach Banana Smoothie
- Island Green Smoothie
- Chia Seed Smoothie
For this round of meal prep smoothies, I stuck with tropical smoothies that have similar ingredients so that I can buy in bulk. Here’s the shopping list to prep the above seven smoothies:
| 7.5 cups Spinach | 3 Bananas |
| 1.5 cups Mango | 1 Avocado |
| 1 Lemon | 2 tbsp Chia Seeds |
| 4 Oranges | 2.75 cups Coconut Water |
| 3 cups Pineapple | 2 cups Water |
If you want to simplify your shopping list further, swap coconut water for regular water (which you don’t need to purchase), and you can meal prep smoothies for a whole week with eight ingredients.
For this list, I would pick up my supplies at Trader Joe’s and opt for frozen mango and pineapple, while choosing fresh for the remaining ingredients. Since avocado is only needed in one recipe, I’d just add it into a few other smoothies for a healthy fat boost.
Common Questions Around Smoothie Prep
Yes! While smoothies start to lose some nutrients about 15 minutes after blending, you can definitely blend one the night before. Just give it a good shake before you start to drink.
Yes! Simply add your fruit and veggies and leafy greens to a mason jar or freezer-safe container and freeze! When you’re ready to make a smoothie, thaw slightly on the counter then dump into your blender along with the liquid of your choice and any superfood boosts you want and blend. This is a great way to make sure your ingredients don’t go bad.
Yes! The key to a meal replacement smoothie is adding in protein and healthy fat. These two components will help you get full and keep you full longer.
Make Ahead Smoothies
Did you know that you can even freeze already blended smoothies? For real! Make sure you use freezer-safe containers and leave space when filling them, as liquid expands when frozen. Put in the fridge the night before you want to drink, carefully defrost in warm water or just toss it into a cooler if you’re taking it with you.
I love smoothie prepping blended smoothies for road trips. They act as ice packs for snacks and are perfectly chilled but defrosted when I’m ready to enjoy them.
Meal Prep Smoothies
Ingredients
- 5 cups spinach
- 2 cups kale
- 3 bananas
- 5 oranges
- 3 mango
- 1 pineapple
- 2 cups strawberries
Instructions
- Decide which recipes you'll make for the week and have the recipe on hand. Feel free to use my free 10-day smoothie challenge recipes. For this sample guide I'm using my original Simple 7 Smoothie Guide.
- Slice or cut fruit into chunks. You can also cut fruit into smaller pieces and freeze ahead of time on lined baking sheets or use packaged frozen fruit. This will help keep the fruit and leafy greens from freezing together in a large clump and the smoothies will blend more easily.
- Label bag and jar lids with recipe name and date. Be specific. You might also want to include how much of which liquid gets blended with each smoothie pack (to have when you're ready to blend).
- Measure out the ingredients and pack into jars or bags.
- Remove as much air as possible from bags and jars when sealing closed. Pack fruit and greens tightly into the jars and screw on the lids.
- Place in freezer. Don't pack too tightly together. There should be some air circulation to help the contents to freeze quickly.
When ready to use
- Remove smoothie pack from freezer. Add liquid base to container or bag (which helps defrost the fruit slightly). You can also thaw for a few minutes on the counter or in warm water. The fruit and greens will come out of the jar/bag easier too.
- Pour into blender and blend until smooth.
Equipment
- freezer
- measuring cups
- quart sized jars or bags
- permanent marker
Video
Notes
- Smoothie packs will keep for several months in the freezer but are the very best quality when used within 2-4 weeks.
- This sample prep guide uses naturally sweeter fruits. To lower the natural sugar in a smoothie, swap 1 banana with 1/2 an avocado.
- If hoar frost forms on the fruit and greens, it is still perfectly safe to consume. It can be rinsed off with lukewarm water.
- Store smoothie packs away from foods with strong odors. Glass jars offer the best protection against odors.
- Pick smoothie recipes with similar ingredients for bulk purchasing and to save money.
Hi!
What size jars do you use? In the picture it does not seem like you fit 2 cups of spinach? I just tried prepping using a mason jar but I could only fit the fruits. I pack the spinach super tight so I usually have a ton of spinach per smoothie.
Hi Loren,
Thanks for reaching out! We love using 32oz freezer-safe mason jars for prepping our favorite recipes! If you’re a huge green fan like us + are having trouble fitting all of your leafy greens try freezing your leafy greens on their own or try another freezer-safe storage option. Learn all about freezing your leafy greens here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/how-to-freeze-spinach
Thank you for making this so easy! I love it. I had my first meal replacement smoothie last night and it was great. Thank you.
Hi Tina,
Thank you so much for reaching out + sharing the love! What did you blend for your first meal replacement?
Cheers 🙂
do you drink the smoothies alone for the 30 days?
Hi Yolanda,
Great question! Our goal is for you to add one (16oz) green smoothie to your day along with your regular diet. Green smoothies make the perfect complement to any meal, or are a perfect snack! Interested in using your green smoothie as a meal replacement? Learn all about adding healthy fats + protein to your green smoothie to ensure you’re getting a complete meal here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the tips! Will definitely help me to stay on track for this challenge! =)
You’re so welcome! Reach out with any questions throughout the challenge!
Cheers 🙂
If greens say they are triple washed, are they good to go or should you still rinse them?
Hi Sarah,
Great question! Even if a company says they pre-wash their leafy greens, we think it’s important to wash your greens yourself before enjoying. Learn how we wash our greens here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/dirty-dozen-list
Cheers 🙂
I am so looking forward to this challenge, I have been looking everywhere for something like this I am so grateful Thank you so kindly
Hi Anita,
Yay! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us! Reach out with any questions throughout our October 30-Day Challenge!
Cheers 🙂
can these smoothies be consumed as a full meal (e.g. breakfast)? or would you need to have some other food (e.g. toast, porridge) with the smoothie?
Hi Zoe,
Thanks for reaching out! Green smoothies make a great meal replacement! Just be sure to add healthy fats + protein to ensure you’re getting a complete meal.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
Or have them on the side, as a compliment to your green smoothie. It’s all about finding what’s best for you + your body!
Cheers 🙂
I try to make a smoothie everyday and I am loving the tips that you have shared. I am signing up for the Healthy Living bundle. Due to time constraints and availability I am not always able to track down fresh organic produce. Is there an issues if I use some frozen and some fresh in season produce to make the smoothies? Thank you.
Hi Maureen,
Thanks for reaching out! We love frozen fruit! It’s perfect for enjoying your favorite fruits when they’re no longer in season, + we even suggest using at least one frozen fruit to ensure your smoothie is chilled to perfection!
Having trouble finding certain organic fruits? We try to follow the Dirty Dozen.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/dirty-dozen-list
Hi, I will be blendin for the first time on Sunday 9/20/15. I am excited and I enjoyed reading the comments. They were very helpful an encouraging. Thank you for this site!
Hi Wanda,
Wahoo! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us. How was your first green smoothie? What did you blend? Reach out with any questions, we’re here 24/7!
Cheers 🙂
Hi there,
I’m keen to give the challenge a go. Just wondering if I can use a food processor instead of a blender? I guess it’ll do the same thing right? just havent tried making a smoothie in it before. Thanks girls
Hi Sophia,
YES! Your food processor is the perfect green smoothie machine!
We can’t wait to send 30 delicious green smoothie recipes straight to your inbox. Make sure + sign up here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/challenge
Cheers 🙂
I found out I am allergic to Chia seeds. Any suggestions on substitutions.
Hi Lennie,
Allergic to chia seeds? No worries, we’ve got you covered! We love chia seeds for their protein + healthy fats, so simply replace chia for your favorite healthy fat + protein options (flax + hemp seeds are both great options). Here are a few more of our favorites…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/plant-based-protein-powder
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-fats
Hi! I recently tried freezing jars with fruit and they cracked. :/
Has this ever happened to you and do you have any suggestions as to how to keep this from happening again?
Thanks!
Hi Shanel,
Oh no! Healthy eating is not good when it’s a possible safety hazard! That’s why we reach for freezer safe mason jars. Check out these by Kerr…
Hi, I’m heading to Cancun, Mexico in November and am really hoping to bring my Vitamix to continue my green smoothies regime. Do you know if Mexican customs/security allows these (I’m coming from Canada with a layover in the U.S.)
Also, how long can you freeze an already blended smoothie for and will it lose more nutrients the longer you freeze it?
Thanks in advance
Hi Elisia,
Did you know Jadah travels everywhere with her Blendtec? She usually wraps her blender + places it in her backpack as a carry-on, or occasionally wraps it in bubble wrap in her suitcase. While she may receive some weird looks from security, she’s never had any issues traveling with her blender, but it’s always best to reach out to TSA or your local airport security to double check when traveling international.
Smoothie packs will keep for several months in the freezer, but are the very best quality when used within 2-4 weeks. Storing your smoothie packs in the freezer will help preserve all of their nutritional goodness!
Enjoy your travels to Cancun!! Cheers 🙂
Hi! So excited to start my journey with smoothies. I just have a question. If I am prepping for the week is it okay to have my smoothie packs in the fridge or do they need to be frozen?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Kathy,
Great question! To prevent your leafy greens from wilting or any of your fruits from going bad before you’re ready to blend, we suggest freezing smoothie packs until you’re ready!! Just let them sit on the counter for a few minutes before blendin’, so your ingredients pour easily into your blender.
Cheers!!
Hello,
I was just diagnosed with pre diabetes and I need to incorporate more greens what Cain of smoothie would be good for me
Hi Chica Cali,
Thank you so much for reaching out! Green smoothies are a great way to add leafy greens to your diet! But, since we are not doctors or nutritionists, we suggest that any member of community with health concerns to speak to their healthcare provider to confirm that green smoothies and the natural sugars are okay for their eating plan.
Here is a link to our favorite low sugar fruits…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
Hope that helps.
Hi!!
First thanks so much for doing what you do!! I’m a teacher so was very excited to do your challenge in July!! I feel great!!! I even splurged on a vitamix!! Woo hoo! Going back to work I’ve experimented with the freezer pack smoothies…(as I will be making them in the morning for lunch and breakfast– they’re so filling!) I am finding that the fruit is freezing together like a rock making it difficult for even the vitamix to blend easily– I have to tamper away and end up needing a lot more liquid– if I take out the freezer pack the night before and put it in the fridge does it matter if the greens defrost some? I’m trying to figure out how I can do this in one quick step with minimal effort… Let’s just say I’m not a morning person– but always feel much better after the smoothie!!! Thanks again ladies!!
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for reaching out! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us + love that your finding ways to make your mornings SIMPLE + nutritious. Finding your fruit freezing together? Are you using fresh fruit in your smoothie prep kits? If so, cut fruit into smaller pieces and freeze ahead of time on lined baking sheets or use packaged frozen fruit. This will help keep the fruit and leafy greens from freezing together in a large clump and the smoothies will blend more easily. Before blending, thaw for a few minutes on the counter or in warm water. The fruit and greens will come out of the jar/bag easier too.
Hope this helps! And we hope you have a wonderful school year!
Cheers 🙂