Yes, you can freeze smoothies. There are two methods for freezing smoothies in advance, both of which will be described in detail. You have two options: either make portioned packages of the smoothie mix and blend them whenever you feel like a smoothie or blend the entire smoothie and freeze it.
But, how to freeze smoothies? Don’t worry, I will give you more details in the post, continue reading.
Can You Freeze Smoothies?
Since some mornings are so busy, we don’t even have time to get the blender out, we absolutely love to do this at home!
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender (without any liquid), pour into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays, and place the smoothie in the freezer to freeze and thaw.
When you’re ready to drink it, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw for at least 15 minutes, but possibly up to 30 minutes, depending on how cold your freezer is.
Smoothies that have been frozen and thawed are still delicious and great to pack in a lunchbox or bring to work.
How to Freeze Smoothies?
As usual, prepare your smoothie, but try to only use fresh ingredients (not ones that have been frozen).
Smoothie Bags Method
Freezing smoothies in bags is the best option if you want to prepare single servings that you can grab and go.
Simply combine all of your ingredients in a freezer bag (without any liquid) and seal it before putting the bag in the freezer.
When you’re prepared to make a smoothie, pour the contents of the bag into your blender along with your preferred liquid and process until smooth.
If you want to be able to quickly make a smoothie without any cleanup or if you are pressed for time in the mornings, this method is ideal.
Ice Cube Trays
You can also freeze your pre-blended smoothies in ice cube trays if you don’t have any freezer-safe containers on hand.
In order to do this, you simply need to combine all of your ingredients in a blender and process them until they resemble a fresh smoothie. After that, pour the mixture evenly into an ice cube tray and freeze. The frozen smoothie cubes can be removed and put in zip-top bags for longer-term storage after being popped out of the freezer.
When you’re ready to make your smoothie, put the desired number of smoothie cubes in the blender with your preferred liquid and process until smooth. Although you can also simply defrost the cubes and stir them well, I prefer the way they function when combined with liquid.
This is the way the frozen cubes from Bumpin’ Blends works. When you are ready to make your smoothie, you place the frozen cubes in the blender with the liquid and blend. You receive the frozen cubes in the mail packaged in dry ice. Very practical and SO simple!
Containers
Smoothies can be frozen in a very straightforward manner using this method, which is probably the most popular. Simply place all of the ingredients in a blender, process until completely smooth, and then pour into freezer-safe containers.
My preferred method for doing this is in a mason jar, but I’ve had issues with glass in the past; if you’d rather, you could use the plastic freezer-safe containers shown below.
Make sure to leave space at the top of your jar because frozen smoothies expand, and you don’t want that to happen to your jar.
Simply seal the container with the additional space for expansion after putting your smoothie inside, then place it in the freezer.
When you’re ready to consume your frozen smoothie, take it out of the freezer and give it a good stir or another blend after it has thawed for about 15 minutes.
Freeze into Smoothie Pops
This is a huge hit in our house! For any smoothie leftovers, we usually use this technique. I frequently make a sizable batch of smoothie for the kids, and if they don’t finish it, I turn it into smoothie pops.
You can either pour the mixture into standard popsicle molds or buy really cheap disposable containers.
What Containers Are Best for Freezing Smoothies?
- Plastic beaker with a lid
- Plastic water bottle (suitable for freezer)
- Soup container – plastic with a snap on lid and suitable for freezer
- Re-usable squeeze pouches – make sure that they are suitable for freezer use
- Plastic freezer bag with zip lock
This could be a strong plastic bag with a lock that you can keep upright in a big container and portion out the smoothie (let’s say 1 cup or 250 ml at a time).
Additionally, you can use puree and smoothie-specific reusable squeeze bags. Although you can find adult sizes as well, these are typically marketed as kitchen accessories for feeding children.
These are very useful because you can portion out your smoothies properly, freeze them, and then take them with you (frozen) to the gym or to work. They will defrost by the time you need them (keep them in another plastic bag or cover so that you don’t end up with a defrosted water from the outside of the bag).
How Long You Can Freeze Smoothies For?
In theory, you should consume your smoothies as soon as possible, but depending on the ingredients you use, once frozen, they should be fine for 1-3 months (much like freezing jello).
Even though I’ve had some smoothies in my freezer for up to 6 months, I’ve found that they don’t taste as good as when they’re consumed within a month. Make sure not to keep the smoothie in the freezer for an extended period of time, especially if you add a raw egg.
If you are making numerous batches of different smoothies, you might want to label each batch with a date so you will know when to start removing the smoothies that are the oldest.
Benefits of Freezing Your Smoothies
Smoothies that have already been frozen are the ideal cheat meal to save time and effort. You’re ready to go for the following few days after just one round of packaging or blending the entire smoothie mixture.
Your morning breakfast routine will be more convenient and less time-consuming since you won’t need to prepare and assemble a smoothie each day. It’s simpler to incorporate a smoothie into your daily morning routine once one is already prepared and waiting for you. That gives you more nutritional value and is a fantastic, healthy beverage to have in the morning.
What to Expect When You Freeze Smoothie
After your smoothie has been defrosted, the flavor and thickness should remain the same.
If you use bananas, the color may slightly change.
When defrosted, the smoothie might separate. Shaking or re-mixing the smoothie is an easy way to bring it all together again. You can also try adding another spoonful of protein powder or cream cheese to the smoothie to slightly thicken it.
Read about Is Ketchup A Smoothie?
How to Freeze Smoothie Packs?
This is the better method since you don’t lose the quality of taste over time, and everything is frozen beforehand
This alternative approach avoids the problem of the quality of your smoothies deteriorating over time. This preparation method requires a little more work and takes longer than having the right smoothie prepared beforehand.
Prepare Smoothie Ingredients
The preparation of your smoothie’s ingredients is the first step. Prior to peeling, slicing, and cutting your fruits into usable sizes, wash them all. When you’re finished, combine everything.
Flash-Freezing Your Mixture
The following step is to quickly freeze all of your fruits. Before putting the packages together, this entails throwing them into the freezer for a few hours. To make your frozen smoothie mixture, combine the fruits once they have frozen.
Make Portions and Freeze
It’s now time to divide and freeze the mixture. In order to avoid taking out more than you need from each blend, make sure to portion them out according to serving. The mixture can now be divided into portions and frozen until needed.
These can be blended as soon as you need them, and you can top the frozen fruits with whatever you want to. You can alter the base mixture to your preferences by adding honey, coffee, vanilla extract, or sweeteners.
You get the ideal smoothie to start your day off, and the results are fresher every day. The smoothie’s flavor is less of a concern than the fact that you want to enjoy it every morning.
What is a Smoothie’s Freezer Life?
It depends on what you’re using to store the smoothie. Making blended smoothies requires keeping in mind that there is dairy in them, and it is always advised to give them a sniff test before drinking.
One month is the recommended shelf life for smoothies in ziploc bags and freezer bags. You can store smoothies for three months in a Mason jar or Tupperware container, but the smoothie’s flavor may change significantly as it gets close to the expiration date.
If you’re making packages, you can freeze them for weeks at a time and they’ll always be waiting for you. To help you remember which bags and containers should be used first, labeling them is a great idea.
Can Smoothies Be Refrozen?
Although they can, they really never should. If you choose to freeze, thaw, and then re-freeze the smoothie, it will lose both its consistency and flavor. It simply won’t be a smoothie anymore because the moisture, texture, and flavor will all be gone. Because of this, it’s preferable to portion your servings to prevent wasting any of the pre-made smoothies.
How Do You Defrost Your Smoothie?
Smoothies can be defrosted by simply transferring them from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to consume them. When you drink the smoothie, it will be cool and creamy.
To avoid the fruits harming the blender blades if you’re using packets, take one out a few minutes before blending your smoothie.
A quick stir with a spoon will be sufficient to reunite any separated ingredients in the pre-made smoothie.
Can You Freeze a Smoothie in a Ziploc Bag?
It is ok to freeze blended smoothies in Ziploc bags, but you will need to transfer it to a container you can drink from once it has thawed.
Blend the smoothie, then transfer the desired amount to the plastic bag, sealing it shut. The bags can then be laid flat on a baking sheet or cookie sheet (however many you like) and frozen. This will facilitate storage.
Can You Freeze Smoothies With Protein Powder?
You can safely freeze protein powder. In fact, I frequently kept my opened protein powder containers there.
Therefore, it is okay to freeze smoothies containing protein powder, whether you decide to make a smoothie pack and add the loose powder or if you want protein powder in your blended smoothie.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Frozen Smoothies
- A blended smoothie should be put in the freezer right away. Smoothies have a tendency to separate, so it’s best to freeze right away after blending to reduce separation.
- Before consuming, shake or stir your defrosted smoothie. Again, some separation is possible; therefore, it is best to stir or even shake the mixture if it is in a well-sealed container in order to thoroughly blend it.
- Make sure the container you’re using is actually airtight. You don’t want any funky smells in your smoothies, so seal up those ingredients well in the freezer!
Final Thoughts
So, whether you decide to make freezer packs or first blend your smoothies, freezing smoothies is a really handy way to store them.
This guide provides three methods for freezing smoothies: pouring the smoothie into a freezer-safe container and freezing it after blending; freezing the smoothie into ice cube trays; and freezing the smoothie’s ingredients in a bag without the liquid. I hope you give smoothie freezing a shot!
