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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.
What collagen powder do you use for your smoothies?
Hi Barb! I typically use Naomi’s Collagen Peptides Powder.
Where can we get these cute recipe cards in the second picture in this post? 🙂
Hi Elisabeth! We used to offer those but no longer have them. You could print our recipes and make your own cards or we have a smoothie recipe book as well!
This has made prepping so much easier for me. My kid and husband can grab them as well and mornings are made so smoothly not having to dice and grab ingredients when I’m exhausted.
Hi Desirae- I’m so glad that this worked well for you! I love anything that makes my mornings easier too
Thank you for you comment .i am the beginer on using these smoothers for low Body weight .may you direct me how to arrange deferent fruits it for one week
We make a lot of smoothies in our house but my husband always feels they have to have juice. I am looking forward to finding some everyone likes without juice since it is expensive and high in sugar. I do have a question about prepping and recipes. Do you always prep one serving at a time? Usually 3 or 4 of us will be having the smoothie at the same time and I am trying to figure out the best way to prep those ahead. I have the large container Vitamix so plenty of room there.
Hi Michele! You can absolutely triple or quadruple the recipe so that you can make a smoothie for everyone all at one time. Definitely saves a lot of time. If you want to prep smoothies ahead of time for quick blending and even more time saved, I would suggest making and storing smoothie packs, rather than blending a smoothie and then freezing for later thawing and consumption. You can read all about what I’d recommend for smoothie prep in this article: How to Meal Prep Smoothies
I have a medical condition caused by Multiple Sclerosis that prevents me from having anything frozen. Also, for almost two years now, l haven’t been able to chew. I’ve lost >80lbs because I been unable to really eat more than a couple bites a week, so I’ve GOT to figure out how to meal substitute with something I can drink that’s mildly cold and definitely not anywhere close to frozen. I have lost all muscle tone, strength and endurance. My leg muscles are at complete failure after climbing three steps and my arms after folding one shirt. I’m actually having my fourth surgery tomorrow that should somewhat aid in eating after all 3 steps of the surgeries are done in a couple months. I also start Botox injections soon.
With that info, how do I pre-prep for 2 or 3 meal replacements a day for just 3 or 4 days (maybe a week max) at a time… But… Without freezing anything, not using any frozen fruits or veggies and using only fresh fruits and veggies picked up once (maybe twice) a week at the farmers market?
I have the brand new, jam up, Ninja Twisti. I bought 7- 32oz containers for the prepped smoothie recipe, produce saver containers to store the produce in, blue apples that absorb the gases that make fruits & veggies go bad faster, and those baggies that keep produce and fruits fresh longer. I also have a refrigerator full of fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the local gardens and orchard. I have coconut milk, Greek yogurt, almond milk, fresh orange and pineapple juice, all the things.
And…
No idea what to do next. How do I prep a plum, or cucumbers? Peaches? Apples? Do I need protein powders? Which ones? My blood-draw labs are basically non-existent. Imagine a severely malnourished and emaciated person who’s had very little nutrition for two years and that’s me. And I’m just stuck. I don’t know what the next step, before actually adding everything to the 32oz containers, is. I need simple. Quick. Easy because I can only stand for about 15 minutes. ANY guidance would be AMAZING!!!!!
Hi Zachari,
I really appreciate you sharing your medical condition, as well as the current obstacles you’re facing, with us. Just know that all of us at Simple Green Smoothies are hoping, praying and sending the best thoughts and vibes for successful surgeries and results for you.
I’ve got some helpful articles that I would love to share with you. The first is all about prepping smoothie packs (which it seems you’ve found). How to Meal Prep Smoothies You can absolutely store these in the refrigerator. I would just make a few days at a time. I would totally recommend buying frozen fruit and letting it thaw or already prepared fresh fruits to help save time when making smoothie packs.
This link will direct you to the all the smoothie recipes we feature on our blog. Check back – we add and update with new recipes often! https://simplegreensmoothies.com/smoothies
When it comes to adding a protein powder to make smoothies a meal replacement, I’d absolute recommend our homemade protein powder. However, we are currently sold out, but expect it to come back in stock within the next 2 months. I realize that this may not be ideal for you, as you may be looking to find something sooner. I would just suggest looking at nutrition labels and finding a plant-based protein powder with as few ingredients as you can.
Or, in the meantime, you can add hemp hearts, flaxseed and/or chia seeds to your smoothies, which are all great sources of protein & the only 3 ingredients that are in homemade protein powder.
If you’d like to read more about homemade protein powder and why we love it, here is an article: Plant Based Protein Powder for Smoothies
I really hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please write to us at hello@simplegreensmoothies.com
This meal prep has been so helpful to me. When I think of meal prep I think of dinner. This is such a great way to wake up!
So glad to see this and excited to start the challenge this weekend!
I freeze in REGULAR mouth jars with plastic lids. In the morning, I add whatever liquid needed, and screw it directly to my blender base! Then I top it with one of those straw drinking lids and off I go! Now I only need to clean the blade base and I’m all ready for the next day. Freshly blended, and less things to wash!
I could never do daily smoothies without freezer prep. Thanks for the motivation!!
Sounds like you’ve got your method down!! Way to go! I’m always so much more likely to drink my daily smoothie if it’s already prepped and ready for me.
I came here to boost this comment.
Alternatively, if you use the wide mouth jars, you can pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds, add liquid, and use a stick blender.
My employer gave me a great stainless cup with reusable straw, I’m thinking of trying smoothies blended right in the cup!
Happy smoothies!
Great suggestions, Kai!
This is super important for first time Simple Green Smoothiess! I hate buying produce and then have to discard it because I didn’t use it quickly enough. I usually print out the recipes and cut out the instructions with the name of the smoothie and put it in the quart bag with my ingredients. That way I know exactly which pack to pull out when I am ready to BLEND!
I pack the greens in a sandwich baggie and fruits in a separate sandwich baggie. That way I can blend the greens first and then add fruits and extras in my second blend. Thanks for making your instructions and prep guides so detailed – it makes getting ready for the week much easier! Especially the shopping list! Love it! – Valerie
Such great ideas for more smoothie pack inspo Valerie!!! Love the ability to blend greens separately, since many blenders need that step to get it smooth. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Beginner’s Luck smoothie is one of my favorites. I use coconut water instead of plain water to add to the tropical feeling the pineapple brings! Day one is off to a great start!
This is a terrific idea, Lisa. I was born in the Kenya and have been living in cold Canada (in various cities since 1974). We used to drink fresh coconut, mango and sugar cane juices among others. We can get fresh tropical fruits only during summer months so canned coconut juice will work for me. Thanks for the tip.
Great article. Great tips. I feel prepared for the challenge ahead while saving time. Thanks.
Hello,
Make ahead – wonderful!
Can you freeze the fax seed, protein powder along with other ingredients?
Thank you!
I enjoy carrot juice too! Can I use carrot juice/beet juice combination made in the PM, then use the juice as a base to a blended Green Smoothie in the AM?
Love this question, Leroy! You can totally use any liquid base you prefer for your smoothies! Just keep in mind that adding juice will up the sugar content of your smoothie if that’s something you’re needing to watch out for.
Hi there,
I have a recipe with lettuce, spinach, green apple, almond butter and coconot water, could I put everything together in a bag when I am doing the prep time? I was wondering if the apple will go brown?
Thanks a lot
You can totally prep ahead and freeze all but your coconut water in a freezer-safe bag or jar! The coconut water (or any liquid) should be added in when blending. The apple could be tossed with a little bit of lemon juice before freezing to prevent it from turning brown.
Hello, I love your videos and I’m so ready to start. The plant concept is right on time. What size mason jars do you use? I want to purchase before I start the challenge. Thx…Linda
Awesome Linda! We used pint sized, wide mouth mason jars for this make ahead smoothie prep. 🙂