Simplify your morning routine with these Frozen Smoothie Packs! Bulk prep your favourite smoothie recipes so all you need to do is dump and blend your premade smoothie packs on a busy morning.
Who wants to save time in the morning? You do? I do. We all do!
Friends, I am not good at mornings. Don't get me wrong, I get up early, I do lots of stuff in the wee hours, and I feel productive, but I cannot for the life of me get my self out the door on time.
Probably because I'm always trying to do too much stuff and I'm a time optimist, as they say in Sweden.
Add to that two sweet, charming, little children, one of whom who has taken to throwing category 5 tantrums over breakfast on weekdays, and the other who's top skills include timing his morning poop with the exact moment we need to walk out the door.
Srsly you guys, our mornings are getting a little frazzled. Anything that can shave off a few minutes is welcome, and if it could shave off 15 or 20, even better. Enter: Frozen Smoothie Packs!
What do you need to make premade smoothie packs?
All you need is your favourite smoothie ingredients, and something to pack them into!
In the past I've used plastic freezer bags, but as I, like many of you, am trying to reduce my use of single-use plastics, I've switched over to using these awesome silicon freezer bags. They're sturdy, they're reusable, and they don't take up much space to store.
Alternately, I've seen people layer their frozen smoothie ingredients into a mason jar, which is great if you've got the freezer space to stack them up. Plus, you've got your drinking vessel ready to go as well!
You can also check out these Zero Waste Food Storage Ideas from Sustainable Cooks for more inspiration!
Listen, smoothie packs aren't a new thing, and I certainly didn't invent them. You've probably heard of them before, seen them on Pinterest, or maybe even made your own before.
So let this serve simply as a reminder that they're a thing and that they do indeed help streamline your morning routine if you're a smoothie drinker on the reg, like I am.
How do you make freezer smoothie packs?
It's as simple as this: take your favourite smoothie recipe and multiply the ingredients by 2 or 3 or 4 or whatever floats your boat. Divide everything but the liquid into freezer bags, and you're done.
If you want inspiration, check my Smoothies page where you'll find more than a dozen different smoothie recipes to suit your needs.
Tips for making smoothie packs
- I like to start with mostly frozen fruits and veggies, since it's going in the freezer anyways. They're super convenient, and cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables!
- I buy frozen spinach in bags and it comes in those little green pucks you see above - I find that three or four pucks is the right amount of spinach for my smoothies. If you can't find frozen spinach in individual servings like this, just throw in handfuls of fresh spinach. It'll freeze and will blend up perfectly down the road.
- Use a pen and some tape to label what kind of smoothie it is, and what you need to add to it. I note how much liquid and any extra ingredients that should be added to each smoothie.
- If you have a favourite smoothie recipe and you want to bulk prep it as frozen smoothie packs, you can simply adjust the number of servings on the recipe card in each recipe, and it will automatically adjust the ingredients list for you. Neat, eh?
How to use your frozen smoothie packs
When you want to use your frozen smoothie packs, all you need to do is pull them out of the freezer, pop the contents into your blender, and add any necessary liquids.
I will note that even my Vitamix isn't super happy about blending up a big frozen lump of ingredients, so what I usually do is pull the smoothie pack out as soon as I get up, and let it thaw a bit in the jar of the blender while I'm getting organized.
If you don't have time for that, I recommend you pulse the ingredients a bit to break them up, and be aware that you may need to add a bit of extra liquid to loosen it up.
How long do frozen smoothie packs last for?
I usually go through them pretty fast, but they'll be good in your freezer for up to three months.
What are the best smoothie recipes for frozen smoothie packs?
Most of your favourite smoothie recipes will do just fine as a premade smoothie pack! Here are some of my favourites for you to try. Just remember to adjust the serving size on each recipe card if you're planning to bulk prep many servings of the same smoothie recipe.
This post was originally published February 23, 2018. It was rephotographed, and updated August 29, 2019.
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dana
hello. I am so excited to try these smoothie recipes. When you say frozen vegetables do you mean I can buy frozen cauliflower and use that? Is it is supposed to be raw or cooked? Also frozen spinach in pucks--are those raw? I am not sure if I can find them locally. thanks so much for clarifying!
Katie Trant
Hi Dana. Yep, you can buy frozen cauliflower and just throw it into the bags. Frozen vegetables have been blanched prior to freezing, so it's ready to use as is. The frozen spinach pucks have also been blanched prior to freezing, as with all frozen spinach. If you can't find those, you can try making your own: https://www.sustainablecooks.com/freezing-spinach/
Kristin
i have the same issue. i wake up at an absurdly early time to try and get a bunch of things done in the morning, but somehow i'm still always running late. it can feel quite depressing to get to work 5 hours after you've woken up and know that you're just starting out the day (when you're actually ready for a nap). then i have to stay late, so i get home late, stay up too late, wake up too early, and move even slower because i'm tired, ha. i can't seem to break the cycle!
Katie Trant
Girl, you are speaking my language! What is the deal?! I'm up at at 'em at the crack of dawn and still never get out the door on time. It's insanity! But I'm glad to know I'm not alone 🙂
Sandra Lea
I love having the ability to adjust the recipe for serving size. I have found that all my smoothies tend to taste the same, I think it's the banana. I'm definitely going to try some of these.
Katie Trant
It might be banana, it tends to take over! I actually rarely use bananas in my weekday smoothies these days, so most of my go-to recipes have apples or another lower sugar fruit instead. Hopefully you can find some inspiration here!