Pre-preparing smoothies - a bad idea?

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innerfashionista
innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I love the ideas of smoothies for breakfast, but due to time constraints (read: I stay in bed until the last possible moment) I don't have time to make them fresh. I have some smoothie mix that makes 3 servings. The only ingredients are ice, the mix, and a banana, no extra protein powders or anything like that. I know I can freeze the left over, but my question is - is this something I can prepare the night before, keep in an air-tight container overnight, then have in the morning with no consequence? I don't think I'll die from it, but what happens to the consistency/taste, or if this is something I shouldn't do, WHY is it something I shouldn't do?
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Replies

  • derekj222
    derekj222 Posts: 370 Member
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    all the ice melts and turns to water...it's consumable, but definitely not the same...I too get up at the last minute, however you said all the mix is is ice, water, mix...a smoothie is ice, water, protein, some fruit...1 minute more?
  • therapyruns
    therapyruns Posts: 164 Member
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    it will melt. wake up 5 minutes earlier and make the damn smoothie my dear!
  • Jazzyjules71
    Jazzyjules71 Posts: 150 Member
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    Anxious to hear replies as I have the same problem as you! The "hit the snooze" problem! I too have wondered about preparing things ahead of time.

    Can you freeze a prepared smoothie mix?

    looking forward to answers......
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
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    Of course you can! Just blend it up the night before and leave it in the fridge. Just make sure you give it a shake before you drink it as it can separate. I used to make a weeks worth and just pour a glass out each morning. Time saved!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
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    You can essentially make your own version of that is you want. Smoothies literally come together in seconds. Just buy some frozen fruits (or freeze your own, if you like) and dump them in your blender in the morning. If you want, you can pre-portion them out in tubberware. Add some milk, maybe some ice or protein powder, and go. I literally make smoothies in a minute though after my long runs. Frozen fruit, milk, maybe protein powder. Blend.
  • candctaber
    candctaber Posts: 274
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    grab a slimfast shake on your way out the door
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    I make smoothes of juice every day for breakfast; however, I do NOT use mixes so this may not apply. I have found that I am able to make mine the day before, and they will keep for two days. Sometimes I may have to add some milk because the smoothies will thicken, and I also do not use ice in mine. I store them in a mason jar which makes them really portable and easy to shake up when they separate. Mine usually consist of:

    Today's:
    juiced 1.5 apples, 1 stalk celery, 12 grapes, 1/4 pineapple, put in blender to add a banana.

    Hubby's (he doesn't like fruits, so I am weaning him on to it, LOL):
    blended 2 bananas, 2 tbl peanut butter, milled flax seed, and milk to preferred consistency.

    Easy squeezy :bigsmile:

    ETfix typos:grumble:
  • oXGetFitBabeXo
    oXGetFitBabeXo Posts: 341 Member
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    they sell premade smoothies at the grocery store but they are more expensive than buying the ingredients on your own.. either you can add water, milk or juice to it.. depending on your preference which can be done on your way out the door.

    http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&productId=724587
  • M4H2012
    M4H2012 Posts: 1
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    cut the fruit you want and freeze it in the portions you like. Strawberries, bananas, grapes, ect. Then just blend, since fruit is frozen, no ice needed and its fresh. Premaking them and refreezing is not good.
  • skinnynerd
    skinnynerd Posts: 110
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    I make mine at night for the next morning. All you have to do to keep the smoothie consistency is stick in the door of the fridge. The door is the warmest part of the fridge. It has always been like I just made it.
  • TrinaJ11
    TrinaJ11 Posts: 159 Member
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    I make my smoothies with fresh everything so I have no idea about the mixes...but I do recall hearing that smoothies are most effective when consumed right after making because the fruits/veggies that are added will lose their nutritional value if you let the smoothie sit for a set amount of time..
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    I know the rule with juicing is that it has to be done the same day (unless you have a special high end type of juicer that only stores have) because it does go bad. I have made smoothies at breakfast and taken to work for lunch, but that is as far as I'm willing to go timewise. It really takes little time to mix things up in the morning.
  • TrinaJ11
    TrinaJ11 Posts: 159 Member
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    cut the fruit you want and freeze it in the portions you like. Strawberries, bananas, grapes, ect. Then just blend, since fruit is frozen, no ice needed and its fresh.

    I freeze my fruit too. Best decision ever versus spending $4 on a bag of mixed fruit with only a handful of fruit inside LOL
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    Get up 5 min earlier and drink it in the way. Seriously, I make smoothies every morning, and it takes 5 min. I have 4 to 6 ingredients.
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    I know the rule with juicing is that it has to be done the same day (unless you have a special high end type of juicer that only stores have) because it does go bad. I have made smoothies at breakfast and taken to work for lunch, but that is as far as I'm willing to go timewise. It really takes little time to mix things up in the morning.
    Not true. Juice is good for 72 hours, easy. Put it in 8 oz mason jars...
  • JordanSky26
    JordanSky26 Posts: 24 Member
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    Okay even though this wasn't my question I'm none convinced that I not only have the time it takes to make smoothies but can make better smoothies mine always and I mean always come out way too water and nothing at all like the Jamba Juice smoothies.
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    Jordan Sky, Jamba Juice uses sorbet or sherbert and ice… I never use ice, but only frozen fruit. I don't freeze my bananas… I use greek yogurt and kefir for the liquid… they turn out great. Right now I am adding a square of aloe flesh from my aloe vera plant (pre-frozen) for digestive reasons. I buy frozen berries, and freeze what other fruits I wish to use. If strawberries are in season and i live near fields, I pick the sweetest ones available and freeze them as well!
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    Your better off just getting up and making it.

    If you mix all ingredients except ice and refrigerate - you'll still have to spend a few minutes blending to get the smoothie texture and the flavors won't be as good (especially the banana).

    If you blend and freeze the night before you will have a giant smoothie cube the next morning...that will take an hour at least to be drinkable....and it won't really have a smoothie texture. It will be melted...so more like juice with a huge ice cube in it. lol

    You could freeze the already blended into ice cubed sized piece, put them in a baggy, in the morning add some extra juice and blend...but again...still taking time to throw it all in the blender.

    Really no matter what you end up having to blend it if you want the smoothie texture. To save time you could have everything already measured out and ready to grab. That way you can zombie walk to the fridge/freezer and just dump everything into the blender without thinking. lol
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    all the ice melts and turns to water...it's consumable, but definitely not the same...I too get up at the last minute, however you said all the mix is is ice, water, mix...a smoothie is ice, water, protein, some fruit...1 minute more?

    Exactly, its ½ the volume, not thick anymore like a milkshake and often your banana will taste way too ripe like it's been left out uncovered for the night. Shakes are worth the 5 less minutes of sleep ;)
  • jneis
    jneis Posts: 9 Member
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    Good morning - I came across this post searching for the answer myself - I have learned on my diet journey that the more convenient I can make my food the better. I make everything in 3's. 3 salads, 3 sandwiches, 3 snacks, 3 iced coffees, 3 oatmeals. This way my food is processed only by me, but I can literally grab and go.

    So I want to attempt my smoothies in 3's as well, I realize it only takes minutes but it only takes 5 seconds for me to make a bad choice instead of a good one.

    This morning I tried a green tea smoothie and I think that's the way I will go - my idea is to experiment with different smoothies and see how they keep. If they work great, if not, I'm only out a buck or two. I'm storing the in a mason jar in the frig.

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