Learn everything you need to know about make ahead smoothies, including how to freeze them for later, how to make healthy smoothies, and how long they last. Plus, enjoy these 7 easy make ahead smoothie recipes that are healthy, nutritious, and packed with Fall flavors.
Smoothies. Let’s discuss them.
Dustin and I love smoothies. Once we realized how easy it is to add fruits, veggies, and (probably most importantly) protein into our diets by making smoothies, we were hooked. We particularly love smoothies in the morning because they make a quick and easy breakfast. Not to mention a healthy and nutritious one, too!
Over time, I have experimented with various smoothie flavors and I have shared numerous smoothie recipes here on the blog. That’s because I wanted you to try all my easy smoothie recipes that make healthy smoothies for yourself. And you know I love to have options and to make healthy eating fun and yummy so, naturally, my smoothies had to have different flavors, textures, and colors to keep things interesting. And fun.
After a while, I discovered that make ahead smoothie recipes are a thing and that just sealed the deal for me. That’s when my freezer smoothie packs post was born. Not that it’s hard to prep a smoothie from scratch cause it definitely isn’t, but I just prefer to sleep in a little longer in the morning and to make sure I have everything on hand for a particular recipe. Also, I like my mornings easy and stress-free. That’s why I always have freezer smoothie packs in my freezer all the time. Turns out you can make things EVEN easier and I am super excited to share this with you.
And, since I’m a firm believer that you can never have enough make ahead smoothie recipes, I have 7 healthy smoothie recipes for you that are tasty and filled with cozy and comforting Fall flavors. These healthy smoothies are a huge hits in my house.
The best part about these smoothies? Actually, there are many best parts (duh!), but my favorite one is that you don’t have to do anything in the morning besides enjoying your smoothie. Nope, not even blending the ingredients. Just grab and drink. The only thing you gotta do is grab a smoothie of your choice from the freezer and place it in the fridge the night before. When you’re ready to wake up and go, your smoothie will be waiting for you.
Yes, for realz.
Prep these healthy smoothies on Sunday and you’ll have a week worth of breakfast smoothies and, every morning, you’ll get to try a new flavor.
HOW TO MEAL PREP MAKE AHEAD SMOOTHIES
When it comes to smoothie meal prep, you have 2 options:
- Smoothie Packs. To make the smoothie freezer packs, add all the ingredients except the milk to Ziploc bags and place the bags into the freezer. When you want to make a smoothie, transfer the ingredients from the frozen smoothie pack to a blender, add milk, and blend. It’s super easy.
- Make Ahead Smoothies. Remember how I told you that I want to make things even easier for you? Make ahead smoothies can be ready to grab in the morning. Literally. No blending, no extra ingredients required. Nothing. Just grab them from the fridge and enjoy.
Here’s how to prep make ahead smoothies:
- Add all the ingredients needed for the smoothies to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the smoothie into a glass mason jar or another freezer-safe container and freeze.
- Remove the freezer smoothie pack jar from the freezer and place it into the fridge the night before you want to enjoy it.
- In the morning, just open the fridge and enjoy your Fall-flavored Make Ahead Smoothie.
Wait! Can you freeze smoothies? For real? Yes, for real. You can do this with all the make ahead smoothie recipes included here. Told you that you can make your smoothie meal prep easier.
ARE SMOOTHIES HEALTHY?
Smoothies are very popular these days. They are served everywhere – at restaurants, at coffee places, and you can buy ready-to-drink smoothies from the grocery store. You can even buy frozen smoothie packs from the grocery store. But the most important question is – are smoothies healthy? The answer? It depends. Some are, some aren’t.
The store-bought smoothies can be high in calories and, despite the “no added sugar” label, they can be very high in sugars and not very healthy. That’s because instead of using only whole fruits to make the smoothie, stores add processed fruit juice. And, while a healthy smoothie is high in fiber and nutrients, those ones aren’t. Instead, you’re mostly getting empty calories from all the sugar and without any of the benefits of the fruit or vegetable.
Smoothies made of whole fruits and/or whole veggies are nutritious and packed with vitamins and minerals, on the other hand. If you want to be sure you buy a healthy smoothie, check the ingredients list. Fruits, veggies, milk, and spices should be the only main ingredients.
Better yet, make healthy smoothies at home. You saw how easy it is to make smoothie packs so go for it! You have control over the ingredients and flavors if you make your very own freezer smoothie packs at home. You get to control all the flavors that way, too!
THE BENEFITS OF ALMOND MILK
Like I mentioned earlier, I like unsweetened almond milk in my smoothies because I love the nutty flavor and smooth texture of almond milk but, for these freezer smoothie packs, you can use any milk you prefer. Just make sure the milk is unsweetened to make the smoothies healthy.
If you’re curious about the benefits of almond milk, here they are:
Unsweetened almond milk is…
- low in calories;
- rich in minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin E;
- contains healthy fats;
- dairy free;
- vegan.
CAN YOU FREEZE SMOOTHIES?
How awesome is it that you can freeze smoothies? Super awesome, am I right?!?
Here’s how to freeze smoothies and how to store smoothies in the freezer:
- After you made the smoothie, transfer it to a glass mason jar;
- Make sure you don’t fill the mason jars all the way to the top because the smoothies will expand as they freeze.
- Place them into the freezer to freeze.
That’s it. That’s all you have to do.
HOW LONG DO SMOOTHIES LAST?
If you’re wondering how long do smoothies last in the freezer, the answer is up to 3 months.
In the fridge, smoothies last for approximately 24 hours. They can last for 2 days but to ensure maximum nutrition, flavor, and freshness, I recommend enjoying the smoothie during the first 24 hours after you remove it from the freezer.
FALL SMOOTHIES INGREDIENTS
Alright, I hope you’re convinced now that prepping smoothies at home and testing easy smoothie recipes is the way to go. Glad to hear it. If you don’t know where to start, take a look at this smoothie ingredients list.
To make healthy smoothies, you’ll need:
- milk of choice (I prefer unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will do)
- spices for added flavor
- fruits, veggies and/or nuts
- protein powder (optional, but a great way to add in extra protein)
I like to use seasonal ingredients in my smoothies so here’s my list of Fall smoothie ingredients:
- pumpkin
- apple
- cranberry
- cinnamon
- sweet potato
- butternut squash
- pecans
- walnuts
With these ingredients I made 7 delicious make ahead smoothie recipes you can enjoy throughout the whole season. Here they are!
7 MAKE AHEAD SMOOTHIES FOR FALL
Pumpkin Cheesecake Smoothie
This Pumpkin Cheesecake Smoothie has amazing pumpkin spice flavors combined with delicious cheesecake flavors. Get the recipe here!
Apple Crisp Smoothie
The best way to enjoy apple crisp this Fall? This Apple Crisp Smoothie that is healthy, filling, and nutritious.
- 1 apple, diced
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup rolled oats, uncooked
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 dates
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Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.
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Blend until smooth.
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Pour smoothie into a freezer-safe container or 16-oz. mason jar and seal tightly. Do not fill all the way to the top, as the contents will expand when they freeze.
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Place in the freezer and let freeze.
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When ready to enjoy, remove the smoothie from the freezer the night before you're wanting to enjoy it and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. It will be ready for you when you wake up.
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Will last in freezer for up to 3 months.
Cranberry Apple Pecan Smoothie
Another delicious apple smoothie you should try this Fall is this Cranberry Apple Pecan Smoothie made with apple, cranberries, and pecans. Plus a touch of maple syrup for sweetness and cinnamon and ginger for amazing Fall flavors.
- 3/4 cup fresh cranberries (1/2 cup frozen)
- 1/2 apple, diced
- 1 tbsp raw pecans
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp hemp hearts
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
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Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.
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Blend until smooth.
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Pour smoothie into a freezer-safe container or 16-oz mason jar and seal tightly. Do not fill all the way to the top, as the contents will expand when they freeze.
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Place in the freezer and let freeze.
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When ready to enjoy, remove the smoothie from the freezer the night before you're wanting to enjoy it and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. It will be ready for you when you wake up.
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Will last in freezer for up to 3 months.
7 Easy Make Ahead Smoothies For Fall
Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Smoothie
Did you ever try a sweet potato smoothie? If you did, you know how good it is. If you didn’t, start with this Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Smoothie. It’s so YUMMY. GET THE RECIPE HERE!
Cinnamon Butternut Date Smoothie
Butternut squash is Fall-perfect. So I made a Cinnamon Butternut Date Smoothie. I would have this smoothie all day, every day during Fall.
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup cooked butternut squash, diced (fresh or frozen)
- 3 dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
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Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.
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Blend until smooth.
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Pour smoothie into a freezer-safe container or a 16-oz mason jar and seal tightly. Do not fill all the way to the top, as the contents will expand when they freeze.
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Place in the freezer and let freeze.
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When ready to enjoy, remove the smoothie from the freezer the night before you're wanting to enjoy it and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. It will be ready for you when you wake up.
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Will last in freezer for up to 3 months.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Smoothie
How to make oatmeal raisin cookies healthy? Transform them into a delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Smoothie and enjoy it guilt-free. Get the recipe here!
Banana Bread Smoothie
Made with banana, rolled oats, and walnuts, this Banana Bread Smoothie is filling, satisfying, and perfect for a Fall breakfast.
- 1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup rolled oats, uncooked
- 1 tbsp raw walnuts (or pecans, can also be left out if you don't like nuts)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
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Add all ingredients to a high speed blender.
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Blend until smooth.
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Pour smoothie into a freezer-safe container or a 16-oz mason jar and seal tightly. Do not fill all the way to the top, as the contents will expand when they freeze.
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Place in the freezer and let freeze.
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When ready to enjoy, remove the smoothie from the freezer the night before you're wanting to enjoy it and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight. It will be ready for you when you wake up.
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Will last in freezer for up to 3 months.
3 MORE HEALTHY SMOOTHIE RECIPES
How are you liking these easy smoothie recipes? I hope you like them a lot because I have more healthy smoothie recipes for you. As I said, you can ever have enough healthy smoothie recipes.
14 SMOOTHIE FREEZER PACKS
If you want to learn how to make smoothie packs, my Smoothie Freezer Packs post has all the answers and the tips you need.
Bonus – you get 14 fruit smoothie recipes including cherry vanilla, chocolate banana peanut butter, strawberry cheesecake, avocado kale, PB&J, coffee bean, orange creamsicle, kiwi kale, blueberry muffin, pink powder, spiced jar, caramel apple, mango green, blackberry coconut. Get the recipes.
PINK PROTEIN BEET SMOOTHIE
This Pink Power Protein Beet Smoothie makes the most gorgeous smoothie ever. This smoothie is pink and nutritious goodness.
This easy smoothie recipe makes a vibrant, satisfying, and sweet smoothie that is perfect for a quick breakfast or a quick snack. Get the recipe.
KIWI AND KALE SMOOTHIE
Another easy smoothie recipe is the recipe that makes this Kiwi And Kale Smoothie.
The smoothie is green, fresh, and vibrant. And, of course, healthy and nutritious. Get the recipe.
This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
I’m allergic to tree nuts what are my options. Almond milk is out of the question.
Do you have recipes like this for more spring/summer-based flavors?!
Hi LT – Thank you for your question! I’m Lacey’s blog moderator and can help you with this. Here’s a post that has 14 smoothie options (that you can also prep in advance). I think there are some great flavors for spring/ summer (especially the cherry/vanilla and Orange Dreamsicle). I hope this helps! -Jen
The calorie count for the apple crisp smoothie looks a bit high if the recipe is correct. Can you explain?