By Cook Once. Eat Later. • Updated September 4, 2026
Freezing smoothies for freezer meal prep is one of the easiest ways to have a nutritious breakfast or quick pick-me-up ready to go. It’s a simple process that adds some variety to your day and makes it easy to get the nutrients you need when you’re on the go.
We’ve been doing this for years, and I couldn’t imagine our day-to-day routine without it. Once you see how easy it is, you’re going to love it.
How Do You Freeze Smoothies in Cubes? (Quick Guide)
- Blend your smoothie ingredients into a thick, concentrated mixture.
- Portion the mixture into an ice cube tray or silicone mold.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container.
- Add 5–6 smoothie cubes to 500 mL (17 oz) of water when you’re ready for a smoothie.
- Let the cubes thaw, shake well, and enjoy.
Can You Freeze Smoothies in Cubes for Freezer Meal Prep?
Yes, you can freeze smoothies in cubes for freezer meal prep, and it’s an easy process that’s highly customizable. The key is knowing which ingredients to freeze and which ones are better added later.
By following a few simple guidelines, you can make smoothie cubes that freeze well, thaw properly, and still taste great when you’re ready to enjoy them.
What Is the Best Way to Freeze Smoothies for Meal Prep?
The best way to freeze smoothies for easy freezer meal prep is to freeze the smoothie ingredients into cubes. This allows you to use almost any container that can fit the cubes, making your smoothies easy to portion, store, and take on the go.
Simply add a few frozen smoothie cubes to your bottle, add water, and let them thaw and mix together into a smoothie.
Other methods can be bulky because they freeze the smoothie with the liquid already added, taking up more freezer space and making the smoothie harder to portion and transport.
Instead of freezing an entire prepared smoothie in a large container, we freeze the concentrated ingredients into individual cubes. This is our tried-and-tested method for maximum flavor, easy portioning, and portability.
How Does the Smoothie Cube Method Work?
The smoothie cube method is simple and only takes a few steps. The goal is to create a concentrated smoothie mixture that you can freeze, portion, and combine with water later when you’re ready to drink it.
1. Choose your smoothie ingredients
Pick your favorite combination of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. You can use fresh or frozen ingredients depending on the recipe.
2. Blend the ingredients with a small amount of water
Blend everything together with just enough water to help the ingredients move through your blender. You want a thick, concentrated mixture rather than a fully prepared smoothie.
3. Portion the mixture into trays
Pour the blended mixture into an ice cube tray or silicone mold. This gives you individual portions that are easy to grab later.
4. Freeze until solid
Place the tray in the freezer and allow the smoothie mixture to freeze completely.
5. Transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or container
Once frozen, remove the cubes from the tray and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Label and date them before putting them back in the freezer.
6. Make your smoothie when you’re ready
When you want a smoothie, grab the amount of cubes you need, add them to your bottle with water, and let them thaw and mix together. Give it a shake, and you’re ready to go.
This method is simple, time-tested, and makes freezer meal prep incredibly convenient. You can prepare multiple smoothies at once without filling your freezer with bulky containers of frozen liquid.
What You Need to Make Frozen Smoothie Cubes
Making frozen smoothie cubes is simple. You only need a few basic items:
- A blender
- An ice cube tray or silicone mold
- A freezer
- Your smoothie ingredients
From there, the process is completely customizable. You can use whatever ingredients you like, as long as they’re suitable for freezing and will hold up well when thawed.
How to Make Frozen Smoothie Cubes
1. Choose your ingredients
Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables both work well for this method. You can also add seeds, superfood powders, or other ingredients to boost flavor and nutrients.
Avoid dairy; if using a liquid, almond or coconut milk tend to work better.
2. Blend your ingredients into a thick mixture
Add your ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until you have a thick, dense mixture, almost like soft ice cream.
You want to use little to no liquid here. If your ingredients aren’t blending properly, add only a very small amount of liquid to help everything move.
The goal is to create a concentrated mixture that can be frozen into cubes, not a fully prepared smoothie.
3. Portion into an ice cube tray
Spoon or pour the mixture into a standard ice cube tray or silicone mold.
Try to keep the portions relatively consistent so you know how many cubes to use when you’re making your smoothie later.
4. Freeze the smoothie cubes
Place the tray in the freezer and freeze the smoothie mixture until completely solid.
This will usually take at least 4 hours, but I prefer freezing them overnight.
5. Transfer to freezer storage
Once the cubes are frozen solid, remove them from the tray and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or tightly sealed freezer bag.
Label and date the container so you know what flavor you have and when you made it.
6. Make your smoothie
When you’re ready to make your smoothie, add approximately 5–6 standard ice-cube-sized smoothie cubes to a bottle with 500 mL (17 oz) of water.
Let the cubes soften and thaw for a few minutes.
7. Shake and enjoy
Once the cubes have started to soften, give the bottle a good shake.
You may need to shake it again as the cubes continue to thaw, but once everything is mixed together, you’re ready to go.
Prep once, freeze your portions, add water when you’re ready, and enjoy.
Stop guessing. Get the freezer meal blueprint and build your own freezer meals.
How Many Frozen Smoothie Cubes Do You Need for a Smoothie?
For a standard smoothie, I typically use 5–6 frozen smoothie cubes in 500 mL (17 oz) of water. This assumes each cube is approximately 1 fluid ounce.
You can always adjust the amount depending on the consistency and flavor you want. Use more cubes for a thicker, more concentrated smoothie, or fewer cubes for a lighter smoothie.
If you’re using a silicone tray, keep the size of your cubes in mind and use this as a general rule of thumb: about 5–6 fluid ounces of frozen smoothie mixture per 500 mL of water.
How to Use Frozen Smoothie Cubes With a Bottle of Water
Using frozen smoothie cubes with a bottle of water is easy. I typically use 500 mL (17 oz) of water and add 5–6 smoothie cubes to my bottle in the morning before work.
Within minutes, the cubes begin to melt into the water. Give the bottle a good shake, and your smoothie is ready to go.
If you want to keep the smoothie cold for longer, you can add the frozen cubes to your bottle first and add the water when you’re ready to drink it. Just make sure the bottle stays properly chilled.
You can also use the cubes in other ways. Blend them at home for a thicker smoothie, or mix different smoothie cube combinations together to create new flavors.
The method is completely customizable, so you can change it up depending on what you’re in the mood for.
How Long Do Frozen Smoothie Cubes Last?
Frozen smoothie cubes typically last 2–3 months in the freezer when they’re properly frozen and stored. This is a general guideline for maintaining the best quality.
After 2–3 months, your smoothie cubes may still be safe to use, but you may start to notice freezer burn, changes in texture, or a loss of flavor and quality.
The exact storage time can also depend on the ingredients you use. If you’re adding ingredients that have different storage recommendations, check their specific freezer guidelines before storing them long-term.
For the best flavor and quality, I recommend labeling and dating your smoothie cubes and using them within 2–3 months.
What Ingredients Work Best for Frozen Smoothie Cubes?
When making frozen smoothie cubes, the best ingredients are going to be the ones that hold up well during the freezing and thawing process. As long as you follow the proper techniques we mentioned above, most smoothie ingredients should hold up pretty well.
Our favorite ingredients are different varieties of fruit, as most fruits freeze very well. Vegetables can work too, especially when used in smaller quantities.
For leafy greens, we love using spinach and kale in our smoothies.
You can also substitute leafy greens with a superfood powder or green powder and add it directly to your smoothie mixture.
One thing I typically recommend avoiding is dairy, since some dairy products can separate during freezing and thawing. Ingredients like celery also don’t hold up as well and can negatively affect the texture of your smoothie.
The best part about this method is that you can experiment with different combinations until you find the flavors and textures you like best.
Can You Freeze Strawberries, Bananas, and Kale Together?
Yes, strawberries, bananas, and kale can be combined and frozen together as smoothie cubes.
This is actually a great combination because the fruit provides sweetness while the kale adds some extra nutrients without overpowering the flavor.
You can adjust the amounts depending on what you like and add a small amount of liquid if necessary to get everything blended into a thick mixture.
Once frozen, simply add the cubes to your bottle with water and shake when you’re ready to make your smoothie.
Can You Add Yogurt or Protein Powder to Smoothie Cubes?
Protein powder can easily be added to your smoothie cube mixture. It’s a simple way to add extra protein without needing to measure it out every morning.
Yogurt is a little different. Since dairy can change texture or separate during freezing and thawing, I generally prefer to leave it out of the frozen cubes.
Instead, you can add yogurt or another fresh ingredient when you’re making the smoothie at home.
This also gives you more flexibility because the same frozen smoothie cubes can be used with different ingredients depending on what you want that day.
How to Store Frozen Smoothie Cubes
Once your smoothie cubes are completely frozen, transfer them from the ice cube tray or silicone mold into a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
Try to remove as much excess air as possible before sealing the bag. This helps protect the cubes from freezer burn and helps maintain their quality.
I also recommend labeling the container with the smoothie flavor and the date you made it.
If you make several different flavors, keeping them separated and clearly labeled makes your morning routine much easier.
Conclusion
Frozen smoothie cubes are one of the easiest ways to get a boost at the start of your day or anytime you need one. They’re easy to make, last a long time, are refreshing to have, and are highly customizable.
We use them every single day in our household, and once you start using them, I’m sure you will too.
Cook once. Eat later.
About the Author
Here at Cook Once Eat Later we share freezer meal recipes, meal prep systems, and practical freezing guides designed to help busy people save time without sacrificing flavor. Our focus is helping meals retain their texture, moisture, and quality long after they’ve been frozen.
Follow Cook Once Eat Later on Instagram for freezer meal tips, recipes, and meal prep inspiration.
FAQ
Can you freeze smoothies in ice cube trays?
Yes. Ice cube trays and silicone molds are both great options for freezing smoothie mixtures into individual portions.
How many smoothie cubes should I use?
I typically use 5–6 standard ice-cube-sized smoothie cubes with 500 mL (17 oz) of water. You can adjust this depending on how thick or concentrated you like your smoothie.
Can I use frozen fruit to make smoothie cubes?
Yes. Frozen fruit works very well and can make the process even easier because you don’t have to wait for fresh fruit to freeze before blending.
Can I freeze leafy greens in smoothie cubes?
Yes. Spinach and kale are two of our favorites to use in smoothie cubes.
Do I have to add water before freezing the smoothie cubes?
No. The goal is to keep the mixture as concentrated as possible. Use little to no liquid when blending, adding only enough to help your blender process the ingredients if necessary.
Can I blend the frozen smoothie cubes instead of adding water?
Absolutely. You can blend the cubes with water or another liquid at home if you want a thicker smoothie. The bottle method is simply a convenient way to take them with you.
How long do smoothie cubes last in the freezer?
For the best quality, I recommend using them within 2–3 months. Proper storage and minimizing exposure to air will help maintain their quality and reduce freezer burn.
Can I mix different smoothie cubes together?
Yes. You can mix different flavors together to create new combinations. This is one of my favorite things about the method because you’re not locked into one smoothie flavor.
