The best greens for smoothies are the ones that you actually use and enjoy drinking—which is where this smart freezer storage hack comes into play! It’s one of the best ways I’ve found to get everyone in the family on the green smoothie train…and avoid letting the greens go bad!
Greens for Smoothies
Green smoothies are a nutritious and easy family meal option for all ages. The classic options for green smoothies are kale and spinach, which are my go-tos as well. I like that they are easy to find and packed with iron, fiber, and Vitamin C. The downside? Greens can go bad quickly in the fridge and they can often make a smoothie actually taste like a salad. Which no one wants!
The solution? Storing them in the freezer! I love to store them in the freezer to prolong their life AND to always have a stash of greens on hand for green smoothies…no matter how long it’s been since I was last at the grocery store. And BONUS: This method totally knocks down the “green” flavor to virtually guarantee that your kale smoothie won’t actually taste like kale.
Which greens are best for smoothies?
I prefer kale, either curly or the flat kind, or spinach, baby or full size. Both work well with this method so you can try both and see if you have a preference.
How to Freeze Greens for Smoothies Step-by-Step
Here’s a look at the process involved in storing greens for smoothies. This maintains the nutrition in your greens, prevents food waste, and helps you keep a stash of greens on hand for whenever the smoothie urge strikes.
- Wash, dry, and remove kale leaves from the stems. Place into a zip top freezer bag.
- Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze!
- Remove frozen kale from the freezer.
- Crush the leaves to make them easy to measure for smoothies and to help the bag take up less space in the freezer.
- Measure out some for your green smoothie.
TIP: Find my go-to Simple Green Smoothie here.
How to Make Green Smoothies Taste Good
This is often hard because so many of us get overenthusiastic about both the amount of ingredients in our smoothies AND the amount of greens we add. But limiting what you add to a smoothie is really the best way to ensure that it tastes good. Here’s my plan that will ensure that your green smoothies taste good to you and your kids:
- Don’t over do it because a smoothie that actually tastes like kale is one that no one will drink.
- Keep fresh kale to no more than 1 cup for a single serving portion of smoothie. And when you use my handy freezer storage tip, you can measure out 1/2 cup of crushed kale.
- Plus (and this is a giant plus) freezing the greens knocks down the “green” flavor making them much more likely to taste like whichever kind of fruit you add. The health benefits are maintained, but it tastes SO better and you won’t waste greens in the fridge. Win, win, win!
Best Spinach Banana Muffins and Pancakes
Best Spinach Banana Muffins and PancakesYou can use these frozen greens in my Spinach Banana Muffins or in my Spinach Banana Pancakes. Spinach or kale both work great!
Have you tried this freezer hack? I’d love to know in the comments below!
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You can do as little or as much at a time as you like. I like to do enough to fill a gallon size freezer bag, or just freeze as many greens as I happen to have—even if it’s just a small amount lingering in the fridge. Doing this also helpfully knocks down the “green” flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale or bag of spinach
Instructions
- Wash, dry, and remove kale leaves from the stems. Place into a zip top freezer bag.
- Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze!
- Remove frozen kale from the freezer.
- Crush the leaves to make them easy to measure for smoothies and to help the bag take up less space in the freezer.
- Measure out 1/2 cup for your green smoothie.
Notes
Crush the frozen greens for a more compact bag in the freezer and for easier measuring.
Blend the smoothie very well to incorporate all of the greens.
You can experiment with adding more to a smoothie, but taste it before you give it to the kids to make sure it’s sweet enough.
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