How to make smoothie freezer packs for easy smoothie recipes any time you want! Get tips for how to make smoothies and how to freeze them for later plus 14 great fruit smoothie recipes.
Pretty much any day of the week, Dustin and I enjoy a smoothie for breakfast. You can find me, coffee in hand, blending away some of my favorites, like my Blueberry Muffin Smoothie or my Pink Power Beet Smoothie. Recently, I started prepping my smoothies ahead of time in smoothie freezer packs so I could have handy smoothie packs ready to grab and blend from the freezer.
If that sounds amazing to you, you’re right. It’s been awesome. All I have to do is add my milk of choice (usually unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk), and blend in my blender. Even better: in just the prep time it takes to make one smoothie from scratch, you could have an entire weeks worth of smoothies prepped and waiting for you in the freezer.
How to Make a SmoothieThe first step in making your own fruit smoothie freezer packs is to understand how to make a smoothie. Fortunately, this is very simple. Here are my tips for how to make a smoothie:
Liquid: Use 1 cup of milk (or liquid of choice) per serving. When ready to blend, you’ll want to start with the liquid. This will help your blender get moving. Produce: With fruit smoothies, you’ll need a fruit base. Bananas and avocados make great bases for smoothies and don’t overpower the flavor. Other produce that works great includes: berries, mango, pineapple, peaches, spinach, and kale. Thickeners: Personally, I like my smoothies to be thicker, rather than thinner. In order to add a thick, creamy texture to your smoothies, you can add fillings that are nutritious, such as peanut butter, almond butter, chia seeds, flaxseeds, rolled oats, or greek yogurt. Flavors: Now that you have the basics down for your smoothie, you might want to give it a boost of flavor. This can be done using spices, such as cinnamon or mint or using sweeteners, such as dates or raw honey. Boosts: This is where you can add healthy add-ins and nutritional boosts that add a punch of vitamins, antioxidants, and even a little texture to your smoothie. Great boosts include flaxseed meal, chia seeds, protein powder, matcha, and spirulina.
One of the absolute best things about these make ahead fruit smoothie freezer bags is that you can freeze fresh produce and enjoy it later. Gone are the days of grabbing that container of baby spinach or that bag of fresh kale, only to find it’s old and unusable. Instead, you can add them to your freezer bags and have them ready to blend any time you want. Freezing the greens doesn’t have any effect on their flavor, texture, or nutrients when used in these freezer packs!
To freeze raw kale, wash it and get rid of all the woody stems. Drain it of any excess moisture and place in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Kale can last up to 10 months in the freezer and is a great addition to your favorite green smoothie!
Mason jars are a great, inexpensive and eco-friendly storage option. Mason jars are safe for the freezer as well, but you have to be careful in order to prevent the glass jars from cracking or shattering in the freezer. I like using these 16 oz mason jars for freezing, but you can also use 1 quart plastic storage bags for smoothie freezer packs.
If adding liquid, don’t fill the jar all the way up, but up until about an inch or two from the rim. Liquids expand when frozen and this will keep the jar from cracking up in the freezer. Defrost your mason jars in the fridge or at room temperature. I wait to add the milk to the smoothie until it’s time to blend my smoothie and freeze everything else.
How Long Can You Freeze Smoothies in the Freezer?If stored properly in a freezer-safe ziploc bag, these freezer packs will last up to 3 months in the freezer. When ready to enjoy, you can either thaw the night before or blend straight from the freezer. If blending straight from the freezer, you might need to add a little more liquid to help balance out for the frozen produce.
This is definitely one of the questions I get asked often. Whether you just want to stock up on your favorite dairy product when it’s on sale or make sure it doesn’t go bad when you’ll be off for a few days, it’s good to know that you can easily freeze dairy products, and especially greek yogurt.
Frozen milk and cream are best used within 2 months, while cheese can last up to 3 months without losing its taste and consistency.
When freezing greek yogurt, make sure to use them within 2 months. Yogurt may get a little grainy when frozen, but once you whisk it well or incorporate it into your smoothie, you won’t be able to taste the difference.
For freezing the greek yogurt for these smoothie packs, I find it helpful to freeze using a simple ice cub tray. Each slot is about 2 tbsp. so I use that as a basis for how much to grab and put into my freezer pack. You could also plop greek yogurt out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then freeze individually before adding to the smoothie packs if you don’t have an ice cube tray.
If I’m being honest, no matter how big the jar, peanut butter does not last long in our household. A spoonful here, a spoonful there and it’s gone before you know it. However, if you make a really big batch of my natural peanut butter or you want to make it easier for these smoothie freezer packs to just dump into the blender, add milk, and blend, you can easily freeze peanut butter.
Peanut butter has a very high oil and low moisture levels and – very good news – holds up very well in the freezer. Defrosted peanut butter tastes pretty much the same as the one you took directly off your shelf.
Instead of freezing an entire jar, split the peanut butter into smaller portions and freeze separately. I always do it using ice cube trays, it’s simple and easy. Later just grab a cube and pop it into your smoothie. Perfect!
When you freeze an avocado, the texture does change slightly when it’s thawed. However, the good news is that this doesn’t make one bit of difference in your smoothie if you freeze avocados in your smoothie freezer packs. Personally, I can’t stand any brown spots on my avocado, even if I’m adding it to a smoothie, so freezing perfect avocados in my freezer packs so they’re ready to blend later is a great option.
In order to freeze an avocado for your smoothie freezer pack, just dice it into small cubes so it breaks down easily in the blender once frozen. A little lemon juice helps keep it from browning as well. Then, add it to the freezer pack and freeze.
14 Smoothie Freezer Pack Recipes
Okay, so now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s get to the smoothie freezer pack recipes!
Tips for How To Make Smoothie Freezer Packs Use a 1 quart freezer ziplock bag to make individual portions (or any freezer-safe container) Cut all produce including the banana into smaller pieces to make it easier to blend when frozen Label the freezer bag so you know exactly what smoothie recipe you’ve prepared Use either fresh or frozen fruit to make your freezer packs Add protein powder into the freezer packs or when blending to add more protein For these smoothie packs, you can just take the contents of the packs and add them into a blender, along with the milk of your choice and any other liquids, like greek yogurt, peanut butter, or raw honey. Then, just blend them together and you’re all set with your easy smoothieThese 14 smoothie freezer packs will give you an entire weeks worth of variety, flavor, nutrition, and fruit smoothie satisfaction.
Blueberry Muffin Smoothie Pack
Make this Blueberry Muffin Smoothie for a sweet and healthy take on a blueberry muffin. Click here for the recipe.
Mango Green Smoothie Pack
This Mango Green smoothie is fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor.
This mango green fruit smoothie is fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor.
To make the mango green smoothie freezer pack, add the flaxseed meal to the bottom of the freezer bag, followed by fresh baby spinach, diced mango, and 1/2 a banana.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.When ready to blend, add the almond milk to a kitchen blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
Make this Pink Power Beet Protein Smoothie for a nutritious and vibrant fruit smoothie recipe. Click here for the recipe.
Blackberry Coconut Smoothie Pack
Make this Blackberry Coconut Fruit Smoothie using just a few simple ingredients for a whole lotta flavor. Click here for the recipe.
Spiced Pear Smoothie Pack
This spiced pear smoothie has fresh pear and warm flavors, like nutmeg and cinnamon, and is a great change up in the smoothie rotation.
This spiced pear smoothie has fresh pear and warm flavors, like nutmeg and cinnamon, for a fun new way to enjoy a fruit smoothie.
When ready to blend, add the almond milk to a kitchen blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
Make this Kiwi and Kale Smoothie for a fresh and green smoothie recipe to start your morning off right! Click here for the recipe.
Caramel Apple Smoothie Pack
This Caramel Apple Smoothie has all the flavors of a caramel apple, packed into a nutritious and healthy fruit smoothie.
All the flavors of a caramel apple, packed into a nutritious and healthy fruit smoothie.
Add rolled oats to the freezer bag, then chia seeds, ground cinnamon, diced apple, and 6 pitted dates.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.When ready to blend, add the almond milk to a kitchen blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
It’s time to swap your favorite sandwich for a smoothie! PB&J Smoothie is packed with flavor and makes an easy and quick breakfast on the go.
It’s time to swap your favorite sandwich for a smoothie! PB&J Smoothie is packed with flavor and makes an easy and quick breakfast on the go.
Add the rolled oats to the bag, followed by the flaxseed meal, fresh or frozen strawberries and natural peanut butter to freezer bag or mason jar.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.
When ready to blend, pour contents into blender and add milk.
Blend until smooth.
It’s about time you try a kale smoothie you’ll actually like! The Avocado Kale Smoothie is packed with vitamin C and healthy fats that will fill you up and boost your energy levels!
It’s about time you try a kale smoothie you’ll actually like! The Avocado Kale Smoothie is packed with vitamin C and healthy fats that will fill you up and boost your energy levels!
To make a avocado kale smoothie freezer pack, add banana, avocado, lemon juice, and kale to the freezer bag.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.
and some fresh lemon juiceWhen ready to blend, add the almond milk to a kitchen blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
Sweeter than a cherry pie and much better for your waistline, too! This Cherry Vanilla Almond Smoothie is a perfect snack to curb your dessert-cravings!
Sweeter than a cherry pie and much better for your waistline, too! This Cherry Vanilla Smoothie is a perfect snack to curb your dessert-cravings!
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.
When ready to use, add the frozen contents to the blender, followed by the milk (and yogurt, as applicable).
Blend until smooth.
Fuel up on all things good for you like mandarin oranges and bananas with this Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie.
Fuel up on all things good for you like mandarin oranges and bananas with this Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie.
Ddd mandarin orange slices to the ziplock bag or mason jar, followed by the banana, vanilla extract, and plain greek yogurt.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.
When ready to blend, add the almond milk to a kitchen blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
This protein-packed Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie is great for a quick filling breakfast or as a post-workout meal. Click here for the recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie Pack
Indulge in your favorite desserts while maintaining your healthy lifestyle. This Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie recipe is yummy, healthy and contains no artificial sweeteners!
Indulge in your favorite desserts while maintaining your healthy lifestyle. My Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie recipe is yummy, healthy and contains no artificial sweeteners!
Add the strawberries, lemon juice, and greek yogurt to a freezer bag or mason jar.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.
When ready to blend, add the almond milk to a kitchen blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
Instead of stopping for a sugar-filled coffee drink on your way to work, start your day off right with a Coffee Bean Smoothie!
Instead of stopping for a sugar-filled coffee drink on your way to work, start your day off right with a Coffee Bean Smoothie!
To make the smoothie freezer pack, add the ground coffee to the bottom of the bag, followed by banana, vanilla extract, and peanut butter to a freezer bag.
Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, then place in the freezer.
When ready to blend, add the almond milk to a blender, followed by the frozen contents from the freezer pack.
Blend until smooth.
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
The post 14 Smoothie Freezer Packs appeared first on A Sweet Pea Chef.
Do you appreciate the seasons? Many of you have told us you adore winter–which I can appreciate–and really, I wish I could say the same. But here’s the thing: I love summer. Maybe it’s because I’m from Minnesota originally, and I grew up with regular sub-zero temperatures. Maybe it’s because I live in Indiana, where fall and winter are dismally gray. Whatever the case, I LOVE SUMMER for so many reasons: wearing no socks (they’re so oppressive, right?), sunshine for days, morning coffee on the porch, going to the splash park, and lazy meals our patio with a glass of rose. Summer is my spirit animal. And so is this summer three bean salad.
Why three bean salad? Well, where I’m from it’s tradition. The summer potluck is all about three bean salad–maybe three or four types. It’s always welcome alongside a burger or salmon at a patio grill out. It’s got Father’s Day recipe written all over it. And three bean salad is perfect for sitting on a picnic table for hours on end.
Why this three bean salad, when there are so many three bean salads out there? This one is our new go-to. It’s based on a three bean salad that my mom makes, but made even simpler. Every time we set out to make a simple recipe, the trade-off is flavor. So as always, in this three bean salad we’ve optimized to get the best flavors with the least amount of time and fuss.
My mom’s recipe calls for blanching green beans, but since that adds time and complexity we’ve gone with all canned beans for this one. The secret to this three bean salad is the dressing: it’s made with a bit of tomato paste and ketchup, so it has an unexpected earthy undertone. And adding feta cheese brings in a savory flair! If you’re leaving it in the sun at a barbecue you could omit the feta (or for vegan diets), but we love the burst of flavor the feta brings. Finally, the combination of green onions and chives adds just the right amount of complexity. If you’re in a pinch and can’t find chives you can omit them, but we recommend using them for the best flavor.
Tip: We like buying our tomato paste in a tube; you can keep it in the refrigerator and squeeze out the amount you need. Typically buying it in a can, we end up with an unused can that sits in our refrigerator for months on end and then ends up going bad!
There’s something about three bean salad that just says SUMMER, right? It would also be a perfect Father’s Day recipe! This year, we’ve already made it for countless cookouts, so we knew we needed to share it with you. Let us know if you try it out: as always, we’re over on Instagram and would love to see your creations!
This recipe is…This three bean salad is gluten-free and vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the feta.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 as a side
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Pin RecipeThis three bean salad is the most delicious, seriously simple salad to hit your plate. It’s a knock-out vegetarian and gluten-free side dish for summer barbecues, starring three beans, a zesty dressing, and a sprinkle of feta cheese.
For the salad
15-ounce can garbanzo beans 15-ounce can cannellini beans 15-ounce can red kidney beans 4 scallions 1 large or 2 small stalks celery 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus additional for garnish 3/4 cup feta cheese crumbles, plus additional for garnish Black pepperFor the dressing
2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons all-natural ketchup 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon kosher salt 6 tablespoons olive oil
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A Couple Cooks - Recipes for Healthy & Whole Living
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