Smoothie Storage Guide | Can You Refrigerate A Smoothie? (Answered)

Can You Refrigerate A Smoothie

Everyone has at least one or two smoothies that they particularly like. Whether you’re making them at home or preparing them to be taken to the gym for a post-workout boost, we all have our favorites.

Even though smoothies are delicious, we sometimes cannot finish the entire smoothie and are left with a dilemma – toss it out or save it?

Normally we just throw things into the fridge or freezer to make them last longer. However, we want to make sure that the smoothie is stored correctly so bacteria and other things don’t grow in it which can make us sick.

So can you refrigerate a smoothie?

Smoothies can be refrigerated for up to one or two days. To prolong the time an opened smoothie can be enjoyed, place the smoothie into an airtight container in the fridge. After one or two days, the smoothie may experience a little separation, but simply stir the smoothie before drinking.

Now that we know smoothies can be placed in the fridge, let’s cover the best ways to store smoothies.

Best Ways To Store Smoothies

First, let’s cover storing a smoothie in the refrigerator since that’s the easiest and best way to make a partially consumed smoothie last longer.

1. Storing Smoothies In The Refrigerator

Smoothies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one or two days. However, you want to make sure that you place the smoothie in an airtight container.

The airtight container will ensure that the smoothie stays as fresh for as long as possible. If smoothies are exposed to external oxygen then it can start to turn quickly and, worse, absorb some flavors from other food items in the fridge. So hopefully you’re not storing an opened smoothie next to some fish… yuck!

2. Freezing Smoothies

There are two ways of storing smoothies in the freezer depending on if the smoothie has already been made or not.

First, we’ll cover how to freeze a whole smoothie if you have leftovers.

Freezing A Whole Smoothie

The next method for storing a smoothie is by freezing the smoothie after its been mixed. As with all water-based liquids, smoothies will expand when placed in the freezer so ensure that there’s room in your container for your drink to expand.

The best way to freeze a whole smoothie involves a little bit of planning.

Ideally, you should freeze a smoothie immediately after blending it. So make sure there’s room in the freezer for a smoothie to be stored before making your drink.

Next, after you blend the smoothie, or purchase a smoothie from a store, make sure to place it into an airtight container.

Leave room near the top for the liquid to expand as it freezes.

Write a label on the drink stating what it is and the expiration date which is 3 months from today.

Freezing Smoothie Ingredients

Freezing the smoothie ingredients is the best method I have seen for preserving smoothies for the long term. This method is exactly as it sounds, you prepare your smoothie ingredients and freeze it in a bag un-mixed.

  1. Rinse and chop up the fruit to your desired size
  2. Add other smoothie ingredients such as protein power, vegetables, etc
  3. DO NOT include any liquid into this mixture
  4. Place all ingredients into air tight or resealable bag
  5. Store bag in the freezer

This method is great since you can portion your smoothies out to the size you want whether that be individual or group size.

Smoothie ingredients

When ready to use, simply take out a bag, dump the contents into your blender, add water, juice, or milk and blend. You’ll end up with a freshly made smoothie with little to no prep.

Make sure to research in advance how long your fruit can be stored in the freezer. Typically chopped fruit will last up to six months in the freezer. So you can meal-prep well in advance and create a fresh smoothie over different weeks.

If you are including greens in your smoothie then you’d better stick with a 3-month maximum to ensure the food you’re eating will be safe.

Best Method For Thawing Frozen Smoothies

There are four common methods for thawing a frozen smoothie.

1. Thawing Smoothies Overnight in Fridge

First the smoothie can be placed in the fridge overnight so that it thawed slowly and safely.

This is the safest method to prevent any bacteria growth but it does take the longest. However, if you plan ahead you can have a freshly thawed smoothie in the morning.

2. Thawing Smoothies At Room Temperature

Next you can thaw a smoothie on the countertop at room temperature. Although you want to make sure you do not leave your smoothie out for more than 2 hours at room temperature otherwise you risk bacteria developing.

If the smoothie is not thawing out fast enough at room temperature then you can accelerate the thawing by using a bowl of cool water.

Simply place the frozen smoothie into a bowl, fill it with cool water and change the water every 30 minutes. The smoothie will thaw out to a drinkable or eatable state within 2 hours.

3. Thawing Smoothies With A Blender

Finally the fastest way to thaw a smoothie is by throwing it in the blender. Just re-blend your frozen smoothie and add a little water if it’s too icy. This is the best method I use to thaw frozen smoothies since they’ll be ready in seconds.

4. Thawing Smoothies In A Lunchbox

Another great method for thawing smoothies is by using it as an ice pack in your lunch box.

Simply place the smoothie in the lunchbox and take it to work or school. By the time lunch time rolls around the smoothie will have thawed out and the rest of the food will remain cool. This is the best method if you’re taking the smoothie to go.

Imaginative Grab-n-Go smoothies

When I was a kid, my parents would pack me a little tube of yogurt in my lunchbox. I really liked them! Essentially, they were a small sachet of flavored yogurt which you ripped the top off ready to have as part of your lunch. If I remember correctly, I think mine used to have jokes on them too, as well as a little cartoon animal.

If you love the idea of taking a tube to the office with you or even sending your child to school with one, but you don’t love the idea of processed food, then I completely understand.

As an alternative to that, you can make up a large batch of smoothies, and then freeze small portions of it. You can buy small zip-lock type bags that are the perfect size and shape for this purpose, or you could use popsicle molds instead.

The idea behind this concept is that you could give yourself or someone else a little burst of nutrients in the day that’s sure to help them out. Simply pack one or two of the frozen smoothie packs in the morning, and allow them to hang out with your lunch throughout the day. At lunchtime, they’ll be ready to eat!

The only drawback is that the frozen smoothie may cause condensation in a lunchbox. Obviously, this isn’t ideal, so perhaps a good option could be to wrap the ‘smooth-icle’ in some paper towel which will absorb the moisture and insulate the rest of the food a little from the cold.

Final Thoughts

Smoothies are a fantastic drink that can be saved for later.

Whether you place your excess smoothie in the fridge to be consumed in the next one to two days or you store your smoothie in the freezer to be enjoyed up to six months later – there are options.

Just make sure not to let any delicious smoothie go to waste and properly store your smoothie before placing it in the fridge or freezer. Your future self will thank you.

Steven

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