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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.
Hey! I’m stoked to be starting this challenge, just packing up some smoothies for the week in freezer bags now. I don’t know what to do with the oranges though, should I treat them as a liquid and add them when I blend? Or peel them and freeze them in the bag in individual wedges? Thanks!
Aleia,
Thank you so much for joining the challenge and reaching out! I think the answer to your question depends on the type of blender you have. If you have a really powerful blender like a Blendtec or Vitamix, I would freeze the oranges with your other ingredients. If you have an older model like me, my blender sometimes has trouble with all of the pulp and seeds that come with oranges, so I like to blend my oranges with my liquid base prior to adding any remaining ingredients to ensure I’m left with a smooth delicious smoothie!
Hope that helps!
Hi all,
So happy to be a part of this challenge. Thanks to Jadeh & Jen and all the Rawkstar folks who help with the questions. Starting this challenge with a dear friend and coworker of mine and couldn’t be more excited!!!
But we do have a Sceptic in our office who told us that blending fruits and veggies takes away alot of the nutrients, well honestly that makes NO sense to me but I just felt I need to ask? (sorry if it sounds stupid but….. Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Joyful,
We love blendin’ with our friends and co-workers and are so excited that you will be joining us for the April 30-day challenge! Blending is a great way to give your body incredible nutrients.
I believe that Dr. Mercola says that people shouldn’t blend because all the nutrients are lost within 15 seconds, or something like that. We do believe that nutrients begin to “go away” and oxalate, but we don’t believe this happens in 15 seconds. Our stance is that green smoothies stay good for you for up to two days, as long as they are in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Hi! I started using green smoothies as my breakfast about 3 weeks ago after a friend turned me on to your Facebook page. I am joining in the 30 day challenge this month too – I really have noticed a difference in how much energy I have during the day!
I travel for business and would like to freeze smoothies ahead of time and take with me on my trips. Can I freeze them in mason jars without the jars breaking?
Hi Kathy,
Smoothies can be blended and then frozen until ready to use. Just defrost them in the fridge the night before you are ready to use. Some separation might occur, but after a good shake, the smoothies will still be fine to consume. I would suggest using freezer safe mason jars to ensure there’s no chance of breaking, we love using the 20oz wide mouth freezer safe jars!
Cheers 🙂
Sorry don’t know if I overlooked the answer but what size mason jar do you recommend? Thank you
Hi Candace,
The 20oz wide mouth freezer safe mason jars are perfect for prepping! Cheers 🙂
Hey guys. Just finished reading everyone’s comments. Thanks to all, they were very helpful. I’m a nurse, I travel, and have 2 jobs so finding out I can freeze my ingredients in advance was Awesome! I am so excited, I can’t wait to start. Only question is can I add flaxseed or Chia seeds to my smoothies?
Hi Shaniqua,
We love flaxseed and chia seeds, they’re a great addition to any smoothie!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/pumpkin-chia-pudding
I am SO excited to start this challenge! I’ve been making these smoothies for about a week now. I’m replacing one meal with them. Im already feeling better and less bloated. This is the motivation that I need. Thanks!!
Tracey,
That’s great to hear! Thank you so much for sharing! Cheers 🙂
I will be starting the green smoothie challenge and I’m very excited about it. I went out and bought all the ingredients needed yesterday and will prep tonight/tomorrow. i will let you all know how things go once i start.
Hi April,
We are so excited to have you blendin’ with us, and can’t wait to share some amazing recipes throughout the April challenge! Let us know if you have any questions along the way.
Cheers 🙂
Hiya! Shopping is done for me but I have a question. Is the challenge about drink in the smoothies that whole 30 days challenge? What do you suggest we should et for lunch and Dinner. Thanks
Hi Laliya,
This is not a fast or a restrictive diet, so you can eat regular meals during this challenge. We are making healthy lifestyle changes that will last a lifetime! Our goal for your is to drink at least one 2-cup serving green smoothie a day in addition to your regular diet. If you would like, you can replace 1 or 2 meals with green smoothies. If you drink green smoothies as meal replacements, make sure to add a protein boost (plant-based protein powder, nut milk, nut butter), or snack on some nuts or a hard-boiled egg 30-60 minutes after you drink your green smoothie.
Just by drinking green smoothies daily without even changing your regular diet, you are moving in the right direction towards healthy eating. We are not meal plan experts, but we suggest you eat real food that’s free of processed sugar and avoid ingredients that you can’t pronounce. My personal meal plan during the green smoothie diet will be paleo-inspired with lots of veggies and some seafood.
Hi, I have a question about using regular mouth quart jars. Can I just screw that straight onto my blender to make the smoothies? I’ve seen it done for other drinks. Just curious if you’ve tried that and had success with it.
Hey Cyndi,
Thanks for the question. Some blenders have that ability, but others don’t . Which model do you have?
I have a Hamilton Beach. The regular mouth jars have the same thread spacing as the blender’s jar, so you can just screw the blender collar (with blade assembly) onto the canning jar instead of the blender jar. I’ve seen it for things like margaritas. Just curious if you’d tried it with the smoothies…
how many ounces should the canning jars be
Hey Ashley,
These jars are the freezer safe 20oz. 🙂
I was excited to read all these tips as it was a hassle trying to prep everyday! I decided to challenge myself to ‘green it up’ for 60 days, so I started this challenge when I first found this ahhmazing site; have been blending since March 2 so I am used to having my greens twice a day since then. My skin reflects the difference!! Thank you Jen and Jadah for creating this site, and to all the others for your comments! Makes it a lot easier knowing there are REAL people out there on the mission with you
Hi Jay,
We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us! We hope you’ll include our 30-day challenge that starts on April 1 into your personal 60-day challenge. We have so many delicious recipes to share!!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/challenge
Keep it up Rawkstar!! 🙂
Can you use frozen spinach instead of fresh when making these up ahead of time???
Hi Brenda,
We always believe fresh is best, and have heard that using frozen spinach from the grocery aisle doesn’t always result in the best tasting smoothie. Here is our favorite way to freeze leafy greens to help prevent waste and help out wallets!
You just need to rinse them, pat them dry, and place them in an air tight bag in the freezer. This will keep your leafy greens fresh for months!
I buy fresh kale, spinach etc and freeze. I put in blender frozen. I only let my fruit sit out for a little while and thaw. Works and tastes great!
New to smoothies, ready snd prepped for April challenge
I did this for the first time. I did not add any liquid. Just checking if I am reading directions correctly. I used mason jars.
Barb,
Sounds perfect to me! Let us know how it works for you! Cheers!
I just love the freaking kale out of you guys!!!! I have unsubscribed from SO many sites because they never stay intouch like they say they will. I have never personaly left a comment or emailed you guys, maybe its all the fruits making me that annoying happy morning person haha, but reading everyone’s comments and feedback and your guys response is so awesome!! So just thanks for all the help and motivation you give me.
Lindsay,
KALE YEAH! Thank you so much for your sweet note, we are so happy to have you blendin’ with us! And we’re very excited that all of the good fruits + greens you’re getting made you happy enough to message us this morning! Keep the messages up, we love hearing from you! Cheers 🙂
I started freezing everything this week and it’s been less than desirable. I was told to let my bag sit in the fridge over night to blast in the morning. Just hasn’t been as good as blasting fresh but I’d love to prep better. Any suggestions? Something I might be doing wrong? I measure everything out and then put it in a ziploc bag, let out as much air as possible then freeze. Thanks for the help if you can. Can’t wait for the start of the challenge.
Hi Melissa,
You only need to thaw in the fridge overnight if you’re pre-blending your smoothies. Don’t pack too tightly together. There should be some air circulation. That will help the contents to freeze quickly. Before blending, thaw for a few minutes on the counter or in warm water, just to allow the greens and fruits to come out of the jar/bag easier.
Please let us know if this helps your results! Cheers!
Thank you! I’m going to try blending the smoothies and freezing them in advance. I only prep five at a time so hopefully it’ll work! Thanks for the advice and can’t wait for the challenge to start!
Happy to help. 🙂
You can also blend the spinach with water to a smooth consistency and place in muffin tins (sprayed to keep from sticking) and freeze and then place the little pucks in a baggie. I put one in the blender and let it sit a little bit to thaw then add water and blend and then add the fruit. I use frozen fruit that I let thaw in the fridge overnight so my smoothie isn’t as thick.
Hi Gail,
Thank you so much for the great tip!