This is Why You Need Frozen Smoothie Packs in Your Life (and your freezer)
No one knows the importance of consuming daily greens more than me, a nutritionist. Dark leafy greens are great for just about every part of your body as they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants.
But...I know it's not just me struggling to find the time to actually make them! Green smoothies are one of the first things I let go when life gets crazy. I have to feed my kids...I can't stop making their breakfast, I have to get dressed and look presentable...neighbors, you are welcome that I don't let that go, and there are like a million things to organize, pack, and distribute before school. Oh right, and coffee. There is no way I am skipping coffee.
So, you can see why green smoothies lose on the list of priorities. I'm sure I'm not alone in this...
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Frozen smoothie packs save the day
I finally figured out how to make daily green smoothies happen in my life. Frozen smoothie packs are the answer.
Frozen smoothie packs are basically a meal prop hack for smoothies. You simply add all the ingredients (minus the liquid) that you would normally put in the blender for your smoothie but instead it all goes into a Ziploc bag and into the freezer. By making several packs at a time and freezing individual smoothies blends in the freezer you have a stash to use for busy mornings.
All you need to do in the morning is grab a bag, add some liquid, blend and go.
Guys seriously, this is a total game changer. I can make 1 month of smoothies in about 20 minutes.
How to make frozen smoothie packs
Step 1
Decide on a great smoothie recipe (I may have just a few suggestions!) All the pictures and ingredients in this post are using My Everyday Green Smoothie recipe.
Here are some other great places to start for awesome (and super healthy) smoothie recipes:
The Best Green Smoothies To Get Into the St. Patrick's Day Spirit (yes, I know it's December, but green means healthy!)
The Formula for How to Make a Great Smoothie (if you want to create your own recipe - no worries, it's super easy!)
Step 2
Gather your supplies and your ingredients.
You will need:
Quart-size Ziploc bags (one bag for every individual smoothie serving)
Sharpie pen (or pens if you want to color coordinate recipes and colors?)
All the ingredients for your chosen recipe(s) prepped and ready
several large bins or baskets (I used large plastic containers without the lids) to prop up your open Ziploc bags as you are filling them.
Funnel (totally optional - personal preference)
Step 3
Label your bags. It is far easier to label on a table rather than on a bumpy bag full of fruits and veggies!
Step 4
Prep the bags by folding over about 1 inch of the bag at the top to keep it open and put all the open bags upright in some bins or baskets (to help keep them standing upright). Then start adding all the ingredients to the bags.
Order of addition (for frozen smoothie packs):
Dry ingredients (like hemp seed powder, spirulina, collagen, protein powders, etc)
Frozen and fresh bulky fruits and vegetables, except for...
Leafy greens go in last
Do NOT add the liquids until you are ready to blend and enjoy your smoothie.
When everything has been added, squeeze out all the air you can and seal the bag.
PRO TIP: To save space in the freezer and reduce the food's exposure to air, close the Ziploc almost all the way and then use a straw to suck the last little bit of air out of the bag before sealing completely.
Add dry ingredients to freezer smoothie packs first.
Next, add bulky fruits and veggies.
Last, add leafy greens to the frozen smoothie packs.
Dry ingredients on the bottom and leafy greens on top. Everything else in the middle.
Smoothie packs are ready to freeze!
Step 5
Add your prepped smoothie packs to the freezer for those days when you need a quick but healthy breakfast on the go. These also work well for busy moms getting kids from one activity to another. You can quickly blend up a smoothie and throw it in a to-go container for your afternoon of chauffeuring. (These containers are my favorite because they are so easy to use in the car, the smoothie doesn't get stuck anywhere, and they keep everything cold!)
When it is time to blend your frozen smoothie pack
Dump everything from the Ziploc into a blender. You might "smash" it on the counter one or two times to break it up a bit!
Next, take a small amount of water and use it to rinse out the bag and get all the last bits of dry ingredients, dump this into the blender.
Finally, add the rest of your liquid (usually about 1-1.5 cups) and blend.
PRO TIP: When all of your blender ingredients are frozen, it helps A LOT to add warm or hot water instead of cold water to the blender.
Tips for making the best frozen smoothie packs
Cut everything small (1-inch pieces) to make blending easier.
Always label EVERYTHING!
You can use fresh or frozen produce - either one works. I often make freezer smoothie packs when I notice a lot of fresh fruit or produce isn't getting eaten fast enough. I whip up these packs so none of the food goes to waste.
Reuse your Ziplocs to be more eco-friendly and save money. They wash easily.
FAQs
Q: How long will these smoothie packs last in the freezer?
About 3 months.
Q: Can I freeze dairy?
Yes. Although, generally dairy freezes well for less time - about 2 months. The best way to use frozen dairy in a smoothie pack is to use an ice cube tray and freeze the yogurt or milk as individual cubes before adding with the rest of the smoothie pack ingredients.
Q: Can I freeze nut butter?
Yes. Basically, you can freeze any nut butter the same way as I outlined for dairy and then add it to any smoothie pack. Nut butter is a great way to add some delicious fats and creaminess to your smoothie.
Q: Can I freeze avocado?
Yes. Simply cut it up into small pieces, add it to a Ziploc and squeeze some lemon over it before sealing the bag. You can also mash up avocado and freeze it just like the dairy method (in ice cube trays). I would still add lemon to prevent browning after you transfer to the Ziploc.
Q: What is your favorite protein powder to add?
I use and love Vital Proteins collagen peptides. You can buy directly from the company here or on Amazon. Vital Proteins offers a better price than Amazon when you set up a subscription!
Q: Do I have to use a Vitamix blender?
No, but...I strongly urge you to invest in one! I have used less expensive blenders and frequently been frustrated with their inability to handle frozen foods like this (in addition to non-frozen foods). If you trying to get healthier and it isn't as easy as it could be, what is the likelihood that you will continue? Yeah, thought so.
We have owned our Vitamix blender for more than 6 years now. As of today, that investment works out to be around $0.18/day and it still works great. If you buy one green smoothie at some fancy health cafe per week, that averages our to be about $1.00/day. That is more than 5 times as expensive for 1/7 of the nutrition you would be getting by making a daily green smoothie at home.
Just sayin'. Click here to learn more about what Vitamix blender might work for you. (There is a big blender sale going on through 12/31/18!) Or, just buy the same exact model I use, the 5200. You can also buy on Amazon. (this one also is on sale as of today - 12/10/18!)
Kid-approved smoothies
Lately, I've been negligent on making smoothies for my kids too. Why? yeah, you guessed it...no time. No more excuses for me, I can make frozen smoothie packs for my kids too!
Their favorite smoothie is No Fail Chocolate Kale. I'm going to whip some of those up right now.
PRO TIP: The No Fail Chocolate Kale smoothie recipe makes great popsicles in the summer time!
Stock up and get healthy
Can you see now why I love my frozen smoothie packs? They are sure to transform your mornings by saving you time and they are sure to transform your life by getting you to drink your greens!
What is your favorite smoothie recipe? Have you tried it as a frozen smoothie pack? Leave a comment below and share with the rest of us.
Cheers (I'm virtually clinking with my smoothie filled travel container!),
Leah
