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Can You Freeze Smoothies? 6 Steps to Freeze Smoothies Easily

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My wife and I love drinking smoothies every morning! But we don’t always have time so we try to make a new batch every few days.

We love to freeze smoothies as well because it’ll last longer and it’s great to come home to a batch after vacation.

You might be wondering “Can you freeze smoothies?”

Fortunately, there is an answer. You can freeze smoothies and defrost them overnight, so they are ready to go in the morning.

In this article, I’m going to explain the six steps to freezing a smoothie, plus three alternative methods, and answer all your questions about freezing smoothies.

can you freeze smoothies

Can you Freeze Smoothies?

Yes, you can freeze smoothies! Smoothies can be frozen for up to three months. To avoid contaminating your smoothie with the flavor of other items in the freezer, it’s best to freeze your smoothie in an airtight container.

A smoothie will only keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, so if you have a lot of leftovers or batch-cook enough smoothie to last days or even weeks, freezing your smoothie is a good option. 


How to Freeze Smoothies in 6 Easy Steps

These are the six easy steps that I follow when I want to freeze smoothies to enjoy later.

1. Make the smoothie

It doesn’t matter whether you plan to drink your smoothie straight away or freeze it for later, the process of making your smoothie is exactly the same. 

All the ingredients you normally include in your smoothie will be suitable for freezing, so simply follow your favorite smoothie recipes as normal.

2. Pour into containers

Once you’ve made your smoothie, you need to pour it into one or more airtight containers that are suitable for freezing. I recommend using plastic tubs, zip-lock bags, a cup with a lid, or even a mason jar. 

Whichever container you use, be sure to leave some room for the liquid to expand as it freezes. This is particularly important when using mason jars, as filling the jar to the top would leave no room for the smoothie to expand, which could cause the jar to crack.

If you plan to make several drinks out of your smoothie mixture, then be sure to separate each drink into its own container. This will allow you to defrost one smoothie at a time.

pour smoothie into container

3. Put the containers in the freezer

Next, take your sealed containers and place them in the freezer. 

Take care to stand the containers upright if you think there is any risk of the smoothie spilling or leaking before it is frozen.

I strongly recommend using an airtight container, as otherwise, your smoothie could pick up smells and flavors from other unsealed foods in the freezer. If you don’t have a sealable container, then take extra care not to store your smoothie near strong-smelling foods like curry.

4. Defrost in the fridge

It will take some time for your smoothie to thaw, so you’ll need to think about when you want to drink it and plan ahead. 

Defrosting a smoothie usually takes around eight hours, so you may want to get into the habit of thawing your smoothie overnight. Simply move the smoothie to the fridge before going to bed and you should have a perfect cool smoothie when you wake up in the morning.

smoothies thawing out in the fridge

5. Shake the smoothie if it has separated

Separation occurs when a smoothie is left for a long time, and heavy ingredients sink to the bottom. 

After eight hours in the fridge, your smoothie shouldn’t have separated too much. However, if it has, you can shake the container to mix the ingredients back together again.

Sometimes smoothies can get foamy if you shake it too much! Using milk in your smoothies can help prevent that.

6. Enjoy your smoothie!

Your smoothie should now be ready to drink as normal. It should be refreshingly cool, and you may find that partially defrosted ice creates a thick, slushy texture.


2 More Ways to Freeze a Smoothie

My preferred method of freezing a smoothie is to make it as normal and then put it in the freezer inside airtight containers. However, there are a few other ways to freezer a smoothie too.

1. Make smoothie cubes in an ice cube tray

If you want to batch-cook lots of smoothies to enjoy later – and defrost your smoothie quickly – then freezing your smoothie as ice cubes is a great little trick!

  1. Make the smoothie as normal.
  2. Pour the smoothie into an ice cube tray instead of using large containers. Silicone trays are best as they make it easier to remove the frozen smoothie cubes.
  3. When you want a smoothie, remove some of the frozen smoothie cubes and put them into a cup or jar in the fridge.
  4. Leave the cubes to defrost in the fridge for a couple of hours, then shake the jar to help melt the ice cubes.
  5. Your smoothie should be ready to drink!

2. Freeze before blending

So far, we’ve focused on methods of freezing a smoothie that involve making the smoothie first.

However, an alternative method is to freeze all the unblended smoothie ingredients in one container, then take the frozen ingredients and blend them when you’re ready to drink your smoothie.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Place all the ingredients you would normally blend in your smoothie into a freezer bag and put the bag in the freezer. 
  2. When you’re ready to drink, take the bag out of the freezer and put the frozen ingredients into your blender.
  3. Add a splash of your chosen smoothie base liquid (such as milk or fruit juice). 
  4. Blend everything together and drink immediately.

The advantages of this method are that you don’t have to wait for anything to defrost, and frozen ingredients make creamier smoothies.

frozen fruit prepped in plastic baggies

Common Questions About Freezing Smoothies

How long can you store frozen smoothies?

You can store frozen smoothies for up to 3 months. This is much longer than you can store smoothies in the fridge, where they usually only keep for two days.

How long does it take a frozen smoothie to thaw?

A container full of smoothie will take around eight hours to thaw in the fridge. However, the exact defrosting time will depend on the quantity. Smaller blocks of smoothie – such as smoothie cubes, frozen in an ice cube tray – can be defrosted in one or two hours.

Does freezing smoothies lose nutrients?

No, freezing smoothies does not lose nutrients. In fact, a frozen smoothie will retain more nutrients than a smoothie that is kept in the fridge.

How do you keep a smoothie frozen?

Keep your smoothie frozen by storing it in an airtight container in the freezer. If you want to keep your smoothie frozen, or partially frozen, after removing it from the freezer, then the best way is to store it in a thermos flask.

Is it better to put a smoothie in the fridge or freezer?

Whether it’s better to put a smoothie in the fridge or freezer depends on when you plan to drink it. If you plan to drink your smoothie within two days, store it in the fridge. If you want to keep your smoothie fresh for longer (up to three months) then storing it in the freezer would be best.

Does freezing a smoothie make it thicker?

Freezing a smoothie and then drinking it when partially defrosted will make it thicker due to the ice remaining in the smoothie. Once the smoothie fully thaws, it will be the same thickness as when you first made it. Adding frozen ingredients to a smoothie helps to increase its thickness.

Can you freeze fresh fruit for smoothies?

Yes, you can freeze fresh fruit for smoothies. In fact, this is a great way to make your smoothie thicker. Cut the fresh fruit into pieces, store in an airtight bag in the freezer, then blend the pieces into your smoothie from frozen.


Our Verdict: Should You Freeze Your Smoothies?

I highly recommend freezing your smoothies whenever you don’t plan to consume them within a day or two. Freezing a smoothie is a great way to avoid wasting leftovers, and it gives you the option of batch-cooking lots of smoothies to enjoy days, weeks, or even months later.

Finally, freezing your smoothies locks in all the nutrients. So you can make and freeze a smoothie today, defrost and drink it several weeks from now, and enjoy all the nutritional benefit as drinking it fresh!

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Richmond Howard

Richmond Howard started World of Blenders in 2022 to help people solve all their blender issues and buy the best blender for their kitchen! He's tested dozens of blenders and on his other site, Meal Prepify, he's helped over 3 million people learn how to meal prep.

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