How To Store Smoothies 11 Ways (Fridge, Freezer, How Long) (2024)

Here’s exactly how to store smoothies correctly, where, for how long and in what containers. You can choose the fridge, freezer or more portable options.

Sometimes, in our rush to fulfill our day-to-day obligations and errands, we tend to forget the proper ways to store smoothies.

While the mostrecommended way to consume these beverages is while they are still fresh offthe blender, we usually feel the need to save some for later to avoid having togo through all the hassle of preparing them all over again.

Indeed, storing your smoothies until the next consumption has become a trend not only among athletes and gym regulars, but also among average dieters who have made the switch from unhealthy foods to a nutrient-dense meal replacement shakes.

That’s entirely becausethese beverages comprise the bulk of their newfound diet—meaning, you can havethese drinks any time of the day, every day.

In case you’rewondering, that’s how tumblers and liquid containers have become necessitiesfor this kind of diet.

I actually find themuseful for my daily nourishment, wherein I only have to reach into my fridge orfreezer for my next smoothie fix.

They’re handy and can keepyour smoothies for longer especially if you have intentionally made a batch ofsmoothie glasses in one go.

Today, I’m going to showyou how exactly you can store your green smoothies so you can save time,ingredients, and effort (and electricity!) while indulging on your blendeddrinks whenever you please.

How to Store Smoothies 11 Ways

1) How To Store Smoothies In The Fridge

If you want to have your smoothies chilled before the next consumption, you can simply refrigerate them in food storage containers with tight lids.

Store Single Serve Smoothies In Mason Jars

I prefer using BPA-free mason jars, meaning, the glass and the lid do not have the same toxic elements commonly found in cheap plastic containers. This is to prevent toxins from leaching into your smoothies for a safe and worry-free drinking experience.

Most mason jars that are ideal for storing smoothies come in 16 oz. capacity, which translates into a pint size—perfect for space-saving and accurate calorie counting.

These mason jars are great value for money.

Store Large Batches Of Smoothies In Juice Jugs

However, if you make really large batches of smoothies for your whole family like I do and prepare it the night before to save time in the morning, you’ll need a much larger container that stores around 2 litres or 70 oz of liquid.

These are the jugs that I use every single day, and throw them in the dishwasher after use.They fit really well in my fridge door too.

However, if you prefer large glass juice jugs with lids, these are a great alternative.

2) How To Store Smoothies In The Freezer

You need to invest in high-quality, freezer-safe containers that can hold and preserve your smoothies until your next craving.

Containers For Freezing Smoothies

Here are some of my favorite containers for freezing smoothies.

Freeze Smoothies In Ice Cube Trays

Most people have ice cube trays in their home already so this is a good solution for storing small amounts of smoothie.

The benefits of using ice cube trays are that they are much easier and quicker to defrost or even add back to your blender for a quick whizz again.

These ice cube trays are adorable.

Freeze Smoothies In Mason Jars

Be sure to leave out a little room when filling up these containers since the mixture expands slightly while being frozen.

A healthier option is to use glass containers, but these can be more expensive and more fragile. So I often still choose plastic containers to store my smoothies in the freezer.

These glass mason jars are great value for money.

I really like these plastic mason jars which are more sturdy for the freezer.

Freeze Smoothies In Food Storage Containers

You can just choose regular food storage containers to store smoothies in the fridge.

The disadvantage of this is that you usually end up with wasted space in your freezer.

The benefit is that most people already own food storage containers.

You can use glass food storage containers with leak proof lids. I like these ones the best.

Or, if you’re a bit wary of putting glass in your freezer, try some BPA free plastic containers.

These food storage containers with a leak proof lid do the job perfectly.

Freeze Smoothies In Ziplock Bags

Ziplock bags are one of the easiest ways to store your smoothie in the freezer. They are great because they will adjust to fit around things you already have in the freezer which saves space.

Ziplock bags are also really cheap.

Click here to see the price of ziplock bags.

The only problem with plastic bags is that they are not reusable so not good for the environment, and you have to keep buying them over and over again.

So if you’re ready to invest in something that will save you money and still has the flexibility of a ziplock bag, keep reading.

Reusable Silicone Bags

These are perfect for the freezer as they fit in tight spaces and are much sturdier than ziplock bags.

You can pour hot or cold liquid into them and seal them tight.

Best of all you can reuse them over and over again which saves the environment and saves you money.

I adore these reusable silicone bags.

Make Smoothie Popsicles

Another way to store green smoothies—and also a fun way to enjoy them afterwards—is to turn them into popsicles using a dedicated frozen treat mold.

Your whole family will enjoy eating these on a sunny day and they won’t even know how healthy their treat really is.

These popsicle molds are so cute.

How Long To Defrost Frozen Smoothie

If you’re planning to have a smoothie for breakfast, you only need to thaw it for 8 hours in the fridge so it would be perfectly chilled and liquefied by the time you drink it.

Just put your frozen smoothie in the fridge and wake up to a thawed smoothie in the morning.

However, the smoothies will thaw a lot faster if you leave them out of the fridge.

The length of time frozen smoothies take to defrost will depend on the temperature of your room. They will take anywhere from 5 minutes in the sunshine to 3 hours if a fairly cold house.

3) How To Store Smoothies For The Week

Adjust your usual serving size to an amount that is equivalent to a week’s worth of smoothies. You can do this by adding more quantities of your ingredients but with the right ratios.

Since smoothies can only last 48 hours in the fridge, the way to go is to freeze them.

Just take out one glass serving of the smoothie from the freezer when ready to consume. You can simply defrost them in the fridge the night before.

{RELATED POST: How To Make A Month’s Worth Of Green Smoothies From Just One Shopping Trip}

4) How To Keep Smoothies Cold For Lunch

The trick is to use a thermos cup and freeze it for at least 2 hours until it is ready to be filled with a fresh smoothie. It will stay chilled until lunchtime, and even longer if you put it inside an insulated lunchbox.

This is my favorite thermos cup as it’s just so cute.

I also really like this insulated lunchbox for myself.

This is the lunch box I prefer for my kids.

And this is the large insulated cool bag that I use when we go on trips as a family.

I almost always take lots of smoothies with me when we go on day trips.

Also, it helps if you have prepped your smoothie with ice. Otherwise, you can simply freeze the smoothie in a secured plastic jar and let it thaw in a spill-proof lunchbox.

5) Best Container To Store A Smoothie In The Fridge

Mason jars are ideal for storing batches of smoothies in the fridge.

You can refrigerate the mixture in this container without fear of chemicals leaching into your drink. Besides, its clear vessel can help you see easily if the juice has settled at the bottom and separates from the rest of the mixture, or when the smoothie has turned brown.

The shoulders of the jars will allow you to hold them easily and their pint size is ideal for saving fridge space and maintaining accurate quantities throughout the batch. Plus the lids are leak proof.

Click here take a look at these mason jars.

6) Best Container To Store A Smoothie In The Freezer

Since glass jars can break during expansion of the liquid if you don’t leave enough space at the top of the container, I prefer to opt for plastic containers when freezing smoothies.

These stackable freezer jars from are the ultimate answer to your storage needs for two reasons:

(1) They help save space.

(2) They are freezer-safe.

You can avoid the hassles of storing a batch of smoothies, and at the same time you can be confident that they can withstand breaking point.

Click here to check out these stackable freezer jars.

7) How To Stop Your Smoothie Oxidising In The Fridge

Fill the mason jars almost to the rim to prevent air from getting trapped into the containers which can cause oxidation of the nutrients in your smoothies. Once done, seal your jars tightly with lids and refrigerate.

Another way to prevent oxidation is to squeeze a little lemon in your smoothies.

The citric acid from lemon juice has high acidity level which inhibits the development of polyphenol oxidase responsible for the browning and oxidation in smoothies.

Blending a smoothie can cause a lot of oxidation, but thankfully blenders are now overcoming this problem with some clever technology.

For example, check out how this blender stops smoothies from oxidising.

8) How To Stop Your Smoothie Separating In The Fridge

Smoothies separate because the ingredients you used have different densities, making the heaviest settle at the top and separate from the actual juice.

To prevent this from happening when you store the smoothies in the fridge, you can give them a good shake to stir the juice and the denser mixture together.

Otherwise, you can just add more “fillers” or ingredients that thicken the smoothie while it is still blending prior to storage in the fridge.

As I always make Green Thickies which all include fillers, my smoothies never separate in the fridge.

Certain ingredients such as citrus and pineapple can cause more separation.

You may also want to do away with too much ice as it liquefies when you let the smoothie sit in the refrigerator.

{RELATED POST: 20 Green Thickie Fillers}

9) How To Store Smoothie Ingredients In The Fridge To Save Prep Time

If you’re planning to make smoothies early the next day, you can save time by chopping your ingredients ahead of time.

For each container or food bag, put in the right serving portion of each ingredient and store it in the fridge. Some ingredients can last up to a week in the refrigerator, while others have a shelf life of only 24 hours.

Berries often last longer in the fridge. Blueberries and strawberries can last for up to a week.

But chopped fruit doesn’t have its protective skin anymore so the ingredients quickly oxidise. Chopped fruit may only last for up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Pineapple lasts for a few days and so does citrus fruit when it is chopped.

But apples, bananas and avocados will go brown almost straight away unless you coat them with lemon juice.

Leafy greens will last up to one week in the fridge but if they come into contact with fruit juice, they may only last 24 hours.

Nuts, seeds, grains and other dried ingredients will last a long time in or out of the fridge.

This reusable bag is perfect for storing chopped fruit and smoothie ingredients in the fridge.

{RELATED POST: How To Prepare Your Smoothie Ingredients}

10) How To Store Smoothie Ingredients In The Freezer To Save Prep Time

If you’re making batches of smoothies every day, you might want to cut prep time by half by simply freezing your chopped ingredients in ziplock bags.

They are often called “freezer smoothie packs” because they contain most of the ingredients you’re going to use for blending drinks whenever you crave them.

You can store all the typical smoothie ingredients in the freezer such as fruit, leafy greens, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, maple syrup or date syrup.

The only thing I don’t suggest storing is the smoothie liquid. The liquid will take up much more room in your freezer and will take much longer to defrost.

Not only will freezing the ingredients preserve and keep them ready for blending, but it will also ensure thick smoothie consistency that may not need the addition of ice.

I recommend these reusable storage bags to keep your ingredients in.

When you are ready to make your smoothie, if your blender will allow it, you can just blend the frozen ingredients straight up with some liquid to make a nice cold refreshing smoothie.

Be careful with so many frozen ingredients though. Even hardy blenders like the Vitamix can struggle with too many frozen ingredients unless you use the tamper.

If you’re ready to invest in a more professional blender, check out my post to see the best blenders I recommend for all budgets.

11) How To Store Dry Ingredients To Save Prep Time

For each dry ingredient like seeds and grains, you may use a container with compartments to maintain the consistent ratio across the batch of smoothies you’re going to make.

If one serving of the smoothie calls for a few tablespoons of grains, seeds or nuts, you can simply scoop out the measured quantity from the compartment into the blender.

Keep the compartmental containers in cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

This is my favorite smoothie container with compartments.

Other Questions You Might Have About Make Ahead Smoothies

How Long Can You Keep A Smoothie In The Fridge?

Blended smoothies can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, but you may also want to check them out from time to time to see if they have oxidised or have turned brown.

If they smell unusual or the texture looks icky, it would be safe to discard them instead.

Thick smoothies like my Green Thickies keep fresh for much longer than fruit only smoothies.

How Long Can You Keep A Smoothie In The Freezer?

Frozen smoothies in freezer containers and molds can last up to 3 months. But I keep mine a lot longer than this and they’ve still be fine.

Can You Make Smoothies The Night Before?

You can make smoothies the night before and save them in the fridge in a covered container like a jug with a lid.

Not only is it safe and nutritious, but it will also save you the hassle of preparation in the morning.

{RELATED POST: Do smoothies lose nutrients if stored?}

Do Smoothies Lose Nutrients In The Fridge?

They do, but it’s negligible. As long as you consume the smoothies within 48 hours, you can be confident that they still retain most of the nutrients upon drinking.

It’s still way healthier than munching on calorie-laden breakfast meals.

Does Freezing Smoothies Lose Nutrients?

While freezing the smoothies may change their taste, appearance and consistency, the good news is that it doesn’t make the beverages lose their nutrients.

In fact, studies have shown that freezing smoothies can even preserve water-soluble vitamins.

How Can You Tell When Your Smoothie Has Gone Bad?

If you noticed the smoothie you left sitting in the fridge has turned color to dark brown, it’s a telltale sign that it is already stale.

Don’t drink it, especially if it also smells off.

If you made a chocolate smoothie, it will already be brown so it won’t change colour.

But then again if you made a chocolate smoothie, I very much doubt you will be able to resist drinking it straight away!

{RELATED POST: Indulgent Chocolate Smoothie Recipe For Dinner}

Do Green Smoothies Keep As Long As Fruit Smoothies?

Yes. As long as you have stored them properly, you can enjoy your green smoothies for up to 3 days when refrigerated, and almost 3 months when frozen.

How To Pour A Smoothie Into A Food Bag Without Spilling It

There are two ways to do this:

1. Pour the smoothie mixture into a food bag that is lined in a deep container to avoid any mess. Once done, remove the food bag from the container to prepare for transfer into the freezer.
2. Invest in one of these handy bag stand devices. I use this for smoothies and soup and just couldn’t live without it now.

If you’ve used a Ziploc bag, ensure its closure is secured.

You may also want to invest in a heat sealer for plastic bags to ensure spill-proof storage of your smoothies. This is recommended if you have limited freezer space.

But as you know, I think the best option is to use reusable bags that save you a fortune like these.

Summary

Here is a summary of the main points to help remind you what you’ve learned today.

How to Store Smoothies 11 Ways

1. Store smoothies in the fridge in mason jars for single serve smoothies. Store large batches of smoothies in juice jugs.
2. Store smoothies in the freezer in freezer-safe containers, ice cube trays, mason jars, ziplock bags and reusable silicone bags. Or freeze them as smoothie popsicles. It takes around 8 hours to thaw a frozen smoothie in the fridge and between 5 minutes to 3 hours outside depending on your room temperature.
3. Store smoothies for the week by freezing them.
4. To keep a smoothie chilled until lunch, freeze a thermos cup 2 hours ahead before filling with your smoothie, prepare your smoothie with ice or freeze your smoothie and let it thaw in a spill-proof lunch box.
5. The best container to store a smoothie in the fridge is in a mason jar.
6. The best container to store a smoothie in the freezer is in a freezer jar.
7. Prevent your smoothies from oxidising by filling the container close to the rim or adding some lemon juice to the smoothie.
8. Stop your smoothie from separating in the fridge by giving it a good shake before refrigerating, adding more filler ingredients or using less ice.
9. To save time, store ingredients in the fridge by chopping your ingredients ahead of time and storing them in reusable bags.
10. To save time, store ingredients in the freezer by freezing your chopped fruit in ziplock bags.
11. Store dry ingredients in compartmental containers.

Banana Peanut Butter Green Thickie

Here is the perfect thick green smoothie recipe to store in the fridge or freezer. You can either blend it and store it as a smoothie or just store the ingredients in the fridge or freezer.

Conclusion

Learning the art of storing smoothies is a skill that will keep you sane throughout your journey to a healthy diet.

Instead of rummaging around the kitchen, you can try these time-saving hacks I have provided so you can have more time and energy to do your everyday routine minus meal preparation.

You only need to get the right tools and the right knowledge to make your smoothie-making tasks worthwhile.

{RELATED POST: 25 Green Smoothie Hacks}

Related Resources You Will Love

Here are all the most popular resources that will help you take things to the next level:

• Over 200 Smoothie Recipes: The Complete Guide To Smoothies
• How To Make A Smoothie Bowl: 100 Of The Most Beautiful Smoothie Bowl Toppings
• How To Make A Green Smoothie: 5 Expert Hacks Revealed
• 10 Ways To Make Luxury Smoothies (That Make People Say WOW!)
• 19 Smoothies To Lose Belly Fat Fast
• FREE Weight Loss Green Smoothie Recipe Card

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