Preparing smoothies ahead of time can help you make healthier choices on a consistent basis. Having your ingredients prepared in advance makes it easier to blend a quick smoothie when you’re tired or busy. It’s a time-efficient way to incorporate nutritious fruits and vegetables into your diet.
In this article – we outline quick and easy ways to prep smoothies ahead of time, whether you’re batching for the week or a single portion.
Why Prep Smoothies In Advance?
There are loads of great reasons to prep your smoothies in advance. From saving you time to helping you build healthy habits, preparing them ahead has plenty of perks. A few of the key benefits include…
- Time-saving – By prepping your smoothies beforehand, you save time on washing, peeling, and chopping ingredients every time you want a smoothie. It’s especially useful during busy mornings when you’re short on time.
- Convenience – Having pre-portioned smoothie ingredients readily available in your fridge or freezer means you’ll always have healthy options on hand.
- Nutritional value – Freezing fruits and vegetables preserves their nutritional content, so you can benefit from maximum vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants levels.
- Reduces waste – Prepping ahead of time allows you to use up ripe produce that might otherwise go to waste.
- Variety – When you prepare in advance, you can experiment with different ingredients and flavour combinations (instead of just using up whatever needs eating first).
So, by prepping your smoothies ahead of time, whether that’s batching them weekly or just the night before work, you’ll save time, improve convenience, increase nutritional value, reduce waste, and boost variety. No bad eh?!
How To Prepare Smoothies In Advance
Here’s how to prep your smoothies ahead of time so you’ve always got a healthy option to hand…
- Plan your recipes
- Ingredient selection
- Portion, label and date
- Refrigerate or freeze the ingredients
- Blend as needed
Let’s explore each of these steps in more detail…
1 – Plan your recipes
The first step to batch preparing smoothies is decide which recipes you want to make in advance. You can either make the same recipe multiple times or mix and match ingredients so you have varied recipes. Whichever option you prefer, aim to use a variety of fruits, vegetables, liquids, and nutritious add-ins like nut butters, seeds, or protein powder.
2 – Ingredient prep
Choose fresh, seasonal, and ripe produce for optimal taste and nutrition. Wash, peel, and chop the fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces so that they’re ready to blend easily.
3 – Portion, label & date
Divide the prepared ingredients into individual serving sizes and store them in freezer-safe containers or zip-lock bags. This way, you can grab a single serving when needed. Label the containers with the date of preparation so you know how long ago you made them and ensure they’re consumed in a reasonable timeframe.
4 – Refrigerate or freeze the ingredients
Place the containers in the fridge or freezer, ensuring they have space around for the air to circulate. This will ensure they cool or freeze quickly. Both options help to preserve the freshness of the ingredients and extend their shelf life. Smoothie ingredients will last several days in the fridge or three months in the freezer.
5 – Blend as needed
When you’re ready to enjoy a smoothie, remove a pre-portioned container from the fridge or freezer. If it’s a frozen portion, let it thaw for a few minutes. Transfer the ingredients into a blender and add any additional liquids or supplements you prefer. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Top Tips Preparing Smoothies For Work
Smoothies also make the perfect on-the-go breakfast and can be ideal for taking to work. If you’re preparing a smoothie the night before, then you don’t need to label or freeze your ingredients. You can just prep a single portion in the evening and then blend it just before leaving in the morning.
Here are some top tips for preparing your smoothies to take to work…
Layering Technique
If you want to prepare a smoothie the night before, but still want it to be fresh and vibrant in the morning, try the layering technique. Layer the ingredients in a mason jar or airtight container, starting with the hard or frozen ingredients at the bottom (such as frozen fruits or ice cubes), followed by the softer ingredients, and finally the leafy greens or delicate items on top. This way, you can blend the smoothie in the morning without the ingredients becoming too soggy or losing their freshness.
Overnight Oats Base
Consider using overnight oats as a base for your work smoothies. Combine oats with your preferred liquid (such as plant-based milk or yogurt) and let them soak in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, blend the soaked oats with the rest of the smoothie ingredients for a nutritious and filling breakfast.
Quick Blending in the Morning
To save time in the morning, you can choose to pre-blend some ingredients the night before. For example, you can blitz leafy greens, herbs, or softer fruits, and store them in a separate container. In the morning, combine the pre-blended mixture with the remaining ingredients, such as frozen fruits or liquids, and quickly blend for a fresh smoothie.
Portable Containers
Use leak-proof and portable containers for your smoothies when taking them to work. Mason jars with screw-on lids or insulated tumblers with built-in straws are great options. They will keep your smoothie fresh and prevent any spills during transportation.
Pack Additional Toppings
To add texture and variety to your smoothies or smoothie bowls, pack additional toppings separately. This can include items like granola, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, or dried fruits. Sprinkle them on top of your smoothie just before enjoying to add a satisfying crunch and extra flavour.
Keep it Cool
If you’re taking the smoothie to work or on-the-go, keep it cool by placing it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. This will help to keep it at a low temperature and maintain freshness until you’re ready to consume it.
Smoothie Prep = Sorted
Preparing your ingredients ahead will mean you’ve always got a nutritious and delicious smoothie ready to enjoy. Whether you’re batch-prepping for the week ahead or simply want something for work in the morning, it’ll make your life easier. With ready-made smoothies at your finger tips, you’ll be more likely to stay on track with your healthy eating goals too.
You might also like… What Can I Use Instead of Yogurt In Smoothies? 7 Tasty Alternatives.
