Anyone freeze fruits for smoothies?

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Mommy_Time
Mommy_Time Posts: 256 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am a smoothie virgin if anyone can believe that :) I bought some almond milk, plain and vanilla yogurt, frozen strawberries and frozen raspberries and will be trying some recipes today that I found on allrecipes.com

My question is does anyone freeze your own fruits as they cost an arm and a leg buying them already frozen and having 5 kids I really need to budget things at times.

I know you can freeze them so I really want to know how to go about it. Do you wash, cut and just put them in a cookie sheet or something to freeze than bag or do you just bag and throw in the fridge?
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Replies

  • Charlottejogs
    Charlottejogs Posts: 351 Member
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    I do- I don't generally buy fruit to freeze it but freeze if I am not getting to it. Except bananas, I always buy extra bananas so that I can freeze some. Yummy smoothies!
  • jj3120
    jj3120 Posts: 358
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    I freeze banana's when I have too many and they are getting too ripe, just peel, chop and freeze in an old ice-cream tub. (frozen bananas blended on their own have an amazing 'ice-cream' consistency and are delish!!)

    I have also frozen raspberries and strawberies when I've been able to get them cheap, I usually freeze them on a tray then put into a bag or container after - this keeps them from sticking together.
  • brk_1982
    brk_1982 Posts: 125 Member
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    I wash, cut and put them in the freezer, then go back and shake the bag a fee times as it's freezing. I much prefer using frozen fruit and skipping ice cubes. Smoothies taste so much better this way. :)
  • Mommy_Time
    Mommy_Time Posts: 256 Member
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    Great thanks for the replies :)
  • FitBunnyEm
    FitBunnyEm Posts: 320
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    agree with the above...i also buy frozen mixed berries they are lovely for a smootie
  • loulou2006
    loulou2006 Posts: 32 Member
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    Frozen bananas are the bomb and you don't even have to add much ice when you use them. I don't know if you are near a Costco but they have an awesome selection of frozen fruits and fruit mixes that are natural with nothing added. I get my strawberries and a 3 berry mix (marion, blue and rasberries) and also a mix of pineapple, mango and strawberries... so yummy and you get a lot for a little....big bags for around $10-$13. When you get brave try throwing some spinach or kale in your smoothies its so good and adds to the nutrient value of your smoothie. When i first started with my smoothies i watched a lot of youtube vids on making green smoothies and it was very helpful......good luck and happy smoothie drinking!!
  • Mommy_Time
    Mommy_Time Posts: 256 Member
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    ty all :) I love spinach and don't need to add it in a smoothie. I eat spinach instead of lettuce for my salads and love cooked spinach as well. but kale might be one to add to one :)
  • flechero
    flechero Posts: 260 Member
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    Every couple days... I only like bananas and strawberries at a certain "ripeness" so I eat a bunch of them fresh over the good 2 day period and cut the rest up and freeze for my smoothies before it turns. It's cheaper, assures me the good fruit is used and I cut it into smaller chunks for better blending. (I think pre frozen fruit is the beat up ones they couldn't use for other stuff.)


    The only frozen I buy is a berry medley, since I don't use enough to justify buying all the different berries and putting them up myself. I use the bananas and strawberries everyday.

    I also don't like using ice in my smoothies and the frozen fruit gets you to a good consistency w/o ice.
  • MariaMariaM
    MariaMariaM Posts: 1,322 Member
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    Frozen bananas are the bomb and you don't even have to add much ice when you use them. I don't know if you are near a Costco but they have an awesome selection of frozen fruits and fruit mixes that are natural with nothing added. I get my strawberries and a 3 berry mix (marion, blue and rasberries) and also a mix of pineapple, mango and strawberries... so yummy and you get a lot for a little....big bags for around $10-$13. When you get brave try throwing some spinach or kale in your smoothies its so good and adds to the nutrient value of your smoothie. When i first started with my smoothies i watched a lot of youtube vids on making green smoothies and it was very helpful......good luck and happy smoothie drinking!!

    Love Costco. I get the 3 berry mix, the kirkland frozen straweberries, the blueberries, and not long ago they had the anti-oxidant blend that had pomegranate in oit.
    I also freeze any fruit that is getting too ripe so that I don't waste it. Frozen fruit = less or no ice.
  • listabit
    listabit Posts: 28 Member
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    I freeze bananas, and I buy other fruit frozen. Aldi's has the best prices for frozen fruit.
  • stella_julia
    stella_julia Posts: 27
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    Fresh fruit is very expensive here so buying it frozen usually comes out better for me. However, I do buy bananas and spinach and freeze both of them.
  • SirBen81
    SirBen81 Posts: 396 Member
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    I wash, cut and put them in the freezer, then go back and shake the bag a fee times as it's freezing. I much prefer using frozen fruit and skipping ice cubes. Smoothies taste so much better this way. :)

    Well said. This is how it is done. Frozen fruit is best for smoothies since you don't have to water the smoothie down with more ice to make it cold.
  • volleypc
    volleypc Posts: 134 Member
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    I usually keep blueberries and strawberries in the freezer. After a long run I will grab a few strawberries and put them in my mouth just as I would ice cubes to cool down.
  • AndiPandi687
    AndiPandi687 Posts: 48
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    Hmm everywhere I've been frozen fruit is always cheaper then fresh but you can freeze any fruit you want. Chop them up and but them in single serving freezer bags. Also add some veggies like spinach or cucumber for more nutriance!
  • Mommy_Time
    Mommy_Time Posts: 256 Member
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    thanks all. the frozen was about 3.30 a bag for just 12oz and most here or at a farmers market are less than that and I can cut them smaller like suggested to blend better :)
  • arykh24
    arykh24 Posts: 64
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    bump
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
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    I freeze my own. I wash and cut them put pre-measured servings in little snack bags I get at the dollar store and put all the snack bags in a freezer bag. This way I can just pull out a baggie and I already know how much is in it and I don't have to worry about it all freezing together in a clump. It is much cheaper than buying it frozen.
  • modernmom70
    modernmom70 Posts: 373 Member
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    Yes, every season I buy 100lbs of blueberries direct from the farm and freeze them costs about $1 a pound and they are organic. I don't do smoothies but I put them in my yogurt every day. I also freeze alot of veggies in season.
  • Seminolegirl97
    Seminolegirl97 Posts: 307 Member
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    BUMP

    Love this thread, I just starting making smoothies myself. Never ever considered freezing my own fresh fruit! Thanks everyone for your posts!! Awesome!
  • Seminolegirl97
    Seminolegirl97 Posts: 307 Member
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    I freeze my own. I wash and cut them put pre-measured servings in little snack bags I get at the dollar store and put all the snack bags in a freezer bag. This way I can just pull out a baggie and I already know how much is in it and I don't have to worry about it all freezing together in a clump. It is much cheaper than buying it frozen.

    OMG super great idea!!!

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