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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.
If I pre-pack my smoothie bags for 5 days, will they last in the fridge or am i required to freeze them?
Hi Kate,
Great question! We suggest freezing your smoothie packs. Then simply allow them to sit on the counter for a few minutes prior to blending. This will ensure everything transfers easily into your blender!
Cheers!
New to trying to eat well! Going to try the challenge! I’m so excited!
Thanks for blendin’ with us, Marcia! Reach out with any questions! 🙂
Hi Cindy,
Of course! Our pre-blended recipes will keep in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two days, or in your freezer for 2-4 weeks.
Just allow your frozen pre-blended smoothie to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. And separation is completely natural (as our recipes don’t have any yucky additives), so simply give your smoothie a quick shake before enjoying!
Cheers!
Hi all,
Thank you for providing this challenge. My husband and I have been wanting to learn how to eat healthier for a long time now.We dabble in it a little here and there but with our busy schedules it’s been very hard to stay consistent and find recipes that we really like and that aren’t too complicated. My husband has been making us green smoothies everyday since I’ve been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Sometimes he nails it and they are perfect, other times I think he gets a little over zealous with all the ingredients are they are less palatable(he’s not a recipe follower). So we started this challenge a little late and I bought the recipe cards to help us stay on track. The pre prep instructions will be helpful as well. I’m looking forward to the next 30 days. My hubby just went out for the shopping list. Thanks again for your help to healthier eating habits.
Hi Amy,
We’re so excited to have you + your husband blending with us! We hope our recipes provide you with the right guidance to keep on blending long after our challenge ends.
We’re so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis + sending you plenty of healing vibes and warm hugs! You may be interested in reading about another couple’s blending story. Check out Amanda and Matt’s story here…
So just two smoothies what else during the day?
Hi Avril,
Great question! Our #1 goal for you is to add one (16oz) green smoothie to your day in addition to your regular diet. During the 30-Day Challenge we try to eat as clean as possible with a whole food-veggie packed diet. Jen + Jadah are both pescatarians so salmon is a great addition for an added protein boost! Looking for meal inspiration? Check out our Let’s Eat Meal Plan…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/shop
Interested in using your green smoothie as a meal replacement? We suggest adding protein + healthy fats to ensure you’re fueling your body with a complete meal. Learn about our favorite meal replacement booster combos here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
Hi Guys! I’m so happy to have started this challenge, I’m looking forward to this newfound healthier lifestyle. You guys definitely ROCK!!!!!
Hi Sharon,
YAY! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us!! Keep us updated throughout the challenge! 🙂
How many ounces is a serving? I’m doing the challenge with a friend. I’d like to buy ball jars to store the smoothies in single servings so I can take her a weeks worth of smoothies.
Hi Missy,
Great question! All of our recipes make two (16oz) green smoothie servings. A pint jar is the perfect container for storing your blended green smoothies!
This prepping ahead really should eliminate my morning excuses!
Hi Tricia,
It’s all about making healthy living easier + removing any obstacles!
Cheers 🙂
I woke up this morning decided to live life a little different , so here goes !!! I’m all in,husband was prostate cancer, I have gut issues , what can we lose, but maybe a few pounds,and some unwanted health issues!!!!
Hi Dee,
YAY! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us! It’s all about taking one simple step! Keep us updated on your health + wellness journey! 🙂
I see there is no protein do we add that? Is this meal replacement
Hi Tammy,
Great question! Interested in using your green smoothie as a meal replacement? We suggest adding protein + healthy fats to ensure you’re fueling your body with a complete meal. Check out our favorite meal replacement booster combos…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
I just signed up today for the challenge after visiting your instagram page! I am so excited and got my husband on board too…I’m purchasing the recipe cards and will be headed to the store this evening so we can get started tomorrow morning! This is right on time and I am looking forward to making this a daily habit! (^_^)
Hi Amanda,
YAY! We’re so excited to have you + your husband blendin’ with us! Please keep us updated throughout the challenge on Facebook + Instagram!
Cheers 🙂
This is my second 30 day challenge. I did the January challenge and I got hooked. Yeah !!! Looking forward to this challenge.
Hi Joann,
Wohooo!! We’re so excited to have you back + blendin’ with us for our April Challenge!
Starting the challenge!
Hi Pavi,
YAY! Thanks for blendin’ with us!
Hi!
I’m from France and i’m having a hard time figuring out how much is 2 cups spinach or peaches or anything else that you guys measure in cups!!!
Can you help me with that!!
Thanks a lot!!
Hi Nadia,
Blending outside of the US? We’ve got you covered! Check out our Rawkstar Conversion Guide for easy blending – anywhere in the World!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/app
Looking forward to starting this challenge along with a yoga every day challenge! Unfortunately I only joined today, so got my shopping list and recipes rather late (my bad 🙁 ). I’ll just make a smoothie I found on your IG page and shop tomorrow night.
Thanks for having me along for the challenge 🙂
Hi Suzy,
That sounds like a perfect plan! Our #1 goal is for you to add one green smoothie to your day along with your normal diet, no matter the recipe! Jadah has a new yoga routine as part of her health goals! So we’ll be hitting the yoga studio as well!
I can find peaches or mango in my area (not even frozen), what can we substitute with? Papaya? Apple?
Thank yoi
**correction: I CAN’T find
Hi Patricia!
Thanks so much for reaching out! Feel free to swap out the peaches and mango for any fruit that you love :). Papaya and apple would both be great substitutes! Here is our Rawkstar Substitution Guide that also lists our favorite ingredient swaps:
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/substitution-guide
Cheers!
+exited for the 30 day challenge. Have been trying the beginners luck smoothie I came across in my woman’s world magazine.
Hi Denise,
So happy to have you join us for the challenge! Beginner’s Luck will always be a SGS favorite :). Can’t wait for you try more of our recipes over the next 30 days!
Cheers!