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Let’s be honest: some mornings you’re lucky if you remember to put on deodorant, let alone whip up a fresh and nourishing green smoothie from scratch. That’s why frozen meal prep smoothie packs are my secret weapon. I’m talking about prepped, stored in the freezer, ready-to-blend smoothies to save your time, sanity, and sad spinach from dying a slow death in your fridge.
If you love smoothies but hate daily messes, wasted produce, or chopping pineapple at 7am (who doesn’t?), follow along. Your future self is gonna love you for this!
Benefits of Meal Prep Smoothies
Smoothie prep doesn’t have to be complicated or chaotic. All you need are a few tools—measuring cups, wide-mouth mason jars or freezer bags, a Sharpie, your favorite fruits and greens, and a handful of go-to smoothie recipes. Stick with a few tasty recipes with overlapping ingredients so you’re not buying out the entire produce aisle. Cut your mango into chunks (frozen mango or pineapple works great), and label each jar or bag with the recipe name and what liquid to add later—because let’s be real, you won’t remember.
- Smoothie prep packs save you a ton of time. No more chopping, measuring, or searching your fridge for ingredients every morning—just grab a pack, blend, and go. It makes busy mornings feel way more manageable.
- They also help you save money. When you prep in bulk, you can buy produce in larger quantities (especially at places like Costco or Sam’s Club) and use it before it goes bad. That means less food waste and more bang for your buck.
- Freezing ingredients also keeps produce from spoiling, especially those leafy greens or delicate fruits that always seem to wilt before you get to them. Smoothie packs help cut down on food waste significantly.
- They reduce decision fatigue, too. You don’t have to think about what to make each day or worry about having all the ingredients on hand. Just grab, blend, and you’re good to go.
- And finally, they make it easier to stick with healthy habits. When something is convenient, you’re more likely to follow through. Smoothie prep packs take away the excuses and make consistency a whole lot easier.
Recipes for Frozen Smoothie Packs
Decide which recipes you’ll make for the week and have them on hand. I’ve included 7 green smoothie recipes I recommend starting with below— and I’ve even made you a grocery list. If you don’t just want green smoothies, check out the Smoothie Challenge recipes and grocery list to smoothie prep the rainbow.
Frozen Meal Prep Smoothie Packs
Ingredients
- 5 cups spinach
- 2 cups kale
- 3 bananas
- 3 oranges
- 2 cups mango
- 2 ½ cups pineapple
- 2 cups strawberries
Instructions
- 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 you will need to add before blending since we do NOT add liquid to smoothie packs.
- 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 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Make-Ahead Smoothie Tips
I don’t love spending my weekends in the kitchen. I’d rather be outside, yet I also know when I don’t prep my smoothies, I either skip them completely or end up with a waffle in the toaster… or driving through Starbucks for an overpriced breakfast. That’s why I swear by smoothie prep. It’s one big mess, one time—and then the rest of the week, I’ve got delicious, nourishing smoothies ready to go with zero chaos. Total game-changer. Here’s how to make it even easier:
- Buy frozen if you hate chopping. I get frozen pineapple, blueberries, strawberries and mango at Costco and never look back.
- Label your jars. Future you will not remember if it’s “Mango Spinach Smoothie” or “Best Green Smoothie.”
- Set a time that works for you. Don’t stress if it’s not Sunday. Monday night, Friday morning, whatever—just pick a window and roll with it.
- Batch it like a boss. Make a week or a month of smoothie packs at one time. Trust me—you’ll never regret having a freezer full of grab-and-blend options when life gets chaotic.
Costco Frozen Smoothie Packs Demo
If you’ve got freezer space and want to save money, watch my video below making 36 frozen smoothie packs for $48 using Costco produce. Watch it if you want to see exactly how I made a month of smoothies with a $50 Costco haul, using mostly organic ingredients. This is a smart way to stock your freezer, save money, and never skip your daily smoothie again. Here’s the bulk grocery list to do this:
- Organic Power Greens: $5.99 (24 oz)
- Organic Spinach: $3.89 (32 oz)
- Oranges: $13.99 for 24 (needed 20)
- Organic Bananas: $1.99 for 8 bananas
- Frozen Pineapple: $7.99 (80 oz bag)
- Fresh Mangoes: $4.49 for 6
- Organic Frozen Strawberries: $9.99 (64 oz)
How to Use Frozen Smoothie Packs
When you’re ready to use your meal prep smoothie pack, remove 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 fridge overnight. This helps the fruit and veggies come out of the container more easily. Pour into a high-speed blender for smoothies and blend until smooth.
Common Questions
Smoothie packs can last up to 3 months in the freezer when stored properly in airtight bags or containers. For best taste and texture, aim to use them within 4–6 weeks.
Yes! You can add things like chia seeds, cashews, flax, spirulina, or protein powder directly to the pack. Just be sure to label it so you know what’s already in there.
Not necessarily. You can blend smoothie packs straight from frozen if you have a high-speed blender. Otherwise, let the pack sit out for 5–10 minutes or run it under warm water to loosen it up.
Wide-mouth mason jars and quart-size freezer-safe bags (silicone or Ziplock) work great. Bags save space, while jars are reusable and eco-friendly—pick what fits your lifestyle (and freezer).
Freezing smoothie ingredients helps preserve nutrients, especially compared to letting produce sit in the fridge for too long. While there may be a tiny loss, it’s minimal—and way better than tossing wilted greens.
Do you need to add lemon to the cut up fruit to prevent it from turning brown? And for those that make the actual smoothie ahead of time, it seems there are 2 options for storage. Freezer safe mason jars and plastic bags. How exactly do you store the liquid in the plastic storage bags?
Thanks! Excited to start this prep!
Hi Jennifer.
Thanks for the comment. I don’t squeeze lemon in mine, but feel free if you would enjoy that. Don’t freeze the liquid, add the liquid fresh the day of blending. 🙂
I froze mine like this and when I blended it with almond milk it came out like ice cream. It really didn’t blend smoothly. What did I do wrong?
Are all mason/ball jars okay to use for freezing or are there special ones to buy? I have tons of jars left over from canning- can I use those?
I haven’t been able to locate any quart jars that are labeled as freezer safe. Plenty of pint size mason jars labeled as freezer safe though. What size jars are you using to prep your smoothies in the freezer?
Hey Sheryl.
Thanks for the comment. Do they say freezer safe in the glass? Only use the freezer safe mason jar, you don’t want a broken mess in your freezer. 🙂
Seems to me that the fresher the ingredients the more nutritious the smoothie. I think that freezing destroys some of the nutrients. Fresh is best.
🙂 We enjoy both, Fresh + Frozen. 🙂 Fresh is best, but frozen is a close second. 🙂
When using mason jars is just twisting the lid on good or does it have to actually be sealed ? I’m asking for after the blending I’ve been just twisting but sometimes it’s bitter tasting so I’ve been blending lemon in the smoothies sometimes it helps and other times not. I actually don’t know how to seal them. Thanks so much and appreciate these challenges and has helped my liver greatly.
Hey Amelia.
Yes, sealing the jar with a little lemon is a great idea. Keeping it fresh. 🙂
When I try to blend 2 cups of frozen spinach mix (from Costco) with 2 cups of soy milk, the spinach freezes my mixture and turns it into a slushie that doesn’t blend well (it sticks to the sides of the blender).
I have a ninja 1500w blender, and use the pitcher attachment.
What are my other options?
Also thank you so much, the first thing I saw online about green smoothies was your 60/40 ratio advice, and it truly is the key.
Hey Kit.
Try using more liquid, or fresh leafy greens. It might be too cold, too fast and having a hard time blending.
I usually prep in advance using zip lock bags but sometimes if I’m running late I can’t blend then up. Is ok to blend my smoothies maybe 3 days at a time n then freeze them? That would be ideal to just grab n go.
Yes, Natti! It’s totally fine. Grab and go is the best, isn’t it?? 🙂
The bags with spinach are so big I wanted to freeze it, but I read that freezing raw spinach is not ok (Thats on dutch websites) what do you say about it? In your article you say to freeze it all together, ahead, and use in within 2-4 weeks.
Hi!! I just found this website and I’m obsessed!! I do have a question though..I had the idea of possibly blending all my greens and fruits together and putting the smoothie in freezer bags for meal prepping. That way I don’t even have to worry about blending them in the morning. In my ideal world I could do this weekly?? Is this a possible idea? Thanks! 🙂
This is such a great idea, Tia. And Yes! It’s totally possible. And we do this all the time. 🙂
I too am curious on the order in the mason jars. I know that for salad mason jars it’s recommended that the dressing is placed first. I noticed in the pictures that the bananas are in the middle and the greens are on top, is there a reason?
Hey Madeline.
Yes. From trial and error. If the leafy greens are on bottom they get stuck. If you put the fruit on the bottom, it helps push the greens out. 🙂
I blend my greens with just enough water to liquify and then pour into ice cube trays and freeze, I add 2-3 cubes of greens to my smoothies.
Such a great tip, Diana! I totally use this one. 🙂
Can anyone tell me roughly how many calories a smoothie is, generally made with water and a banana? Thanks
Hey Sharon. Have you tried MyFitnessPal app? That’s the one I have used for years and enjoy it.
Just bought my husband a Tribest Mason Jar Personal Blender PB-350 for Christmas
Now I can prep and freezer in mason jars and he can pick one, blend, and go!! And it’s a one jar clean up too!
Woohoo MissChievousRN!! That’s awesome and what a great Christmas present! 🙂
Do the bananas freeze well? I’m afraid they will have a less than desirable taste. THANK YOU!
Yes! They freeze perfectly! I usually buy 2 bunches of bananas, wait for them to ripen and those that we don’t eat, just toss in a bag in the freezer and use them up in all my green smoothies. 🙂
Yesterday I prepped out all the week #1 recipes and put them in the freezer; they were so beautiful and I took photos I was so proud of my mason jars…
… and then today I read in one of your responses that you don’t recommend freezing citrus. Yikes! Do you have any recommendations for reconstituting frozen oranges and grapefruits while blending? Would it help to substitute some of the water in the week #1 recipes with juice?
Hi Ileana! Congrats on all the prepping. It helps out so much in my house. You should totally post your pics on our Facebook wall!!
As far as the citrus, don’t worry about it too much. You might just need to add in a bit more liquid or fruit to get it the right consistency/taste.
Keep up the great work, rawkstar! 🙂
Hey!
I’m a Junior in high school and have a busy schedule. Being a teenager, I often find myself at odds when it comes to finding time to eat healthy. I almost never find time to eat breakfast in the morning and then the school lunch is absolutely atrocious so I miss two main meals o the day. My schedule is pretty right and right now I’m cramming for my upcoming EOC’s, ACT, and SAT. I came upon this website by chance, and have been wanting to try things out, but haven’t had the chance to try any smoothies yet! I am a die-hard sweets fan and am obsessed with sugar. I’m also trying to break that habit. Reading this article has made me so happy that I can prepare ahead of time and just toss into the blender!
I do have one question, though.
Do I need to still blend the greens first, then add the fruits if they are both frozen? I don’t have a very high-powered blender so I was just curious!
Thanks!
Hey Madison!
Thanks so much for joining us! You can throw your leafy green in with your fruit. 🙂 Let it thaw for a few minutes and then it should pop right out. Make sure you are using freeze baggies or freeze safe wide mouth mason jars. 🙂
Thanks! I’m using the quart-sized Glad Freezer Bags!
I live with my grandmother and she cans veggies and fruits so we have more than enough Mason jars on hand!
Maybe I shouldn’t be worrying about it, but what is the average calorie count on a green smoothie?
Hi Adrienne.
We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data and the phone apps My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
I have been using my fitness pal to calculate the calories and for 1 serving of each smoothie (most if not all are 2 servings per recipe) have averages from 150-220 calories. I try not to obsess over the calories though because like Simple Green Smoothies said they’re healthy calories!
Thanks, Amy. 🙂 Cheers to you both!