Want to know the best way to save a smoothie or juice for later?
"Cook once, eat 2 or 3 times" is one of my favorite kitchen mantras.
Fresh is always best, but I also love the idea of making a double batch of a smoothie to save time. Saving a fresh smoothie or juice for later is possible if you follow these easy steps!
It's far better to have a smoothie or juice that you've saved and stored in the refrigerator overnight than a bagel or afternoon coffee break.
Need some smoothie inspiration? Check out over 30 healthy smoothie recipes here.
To Save a Smoothie for Later, The Most Important Step Is To Prevent Oxidation
The main thing that will make your smoothie for fresh juice go bad in the refrigerator is oxidation. Oxidation occurs when the nutrients in your smoothie are exposed to air.
To prevent oxidation, it's important to minimize the amount of surface area that is exposed to air. Do not allow a lot of extra air in the container when you store or save a smoothie for later.
Also, use the proper sized container to ensure that half of your smoothie isn't exposed to air. Follow the steps below and you'll be set!
How To Store Smoothies (& Juices) For Later:
- Always make a double batch of your smoothie or juice so you have a quick and healthy option in the refrigerator. You'll have one for now and one for later.
- Store your juice or smoothie in a glass container with an airtight lid. (I don't mind using plastic lids since the food doesn't come in contact with them.)
- Fill the container to the very top to prevent air from being trapped in the container.
- Air trapped inside the container will oxidize the nutrients in your smoothie (oxidizing degrades the nutrients in your smoothie, making it less nutritious.)
- Seal the container tightly and store it in the refrigerator. Pictured at the top of this page: A Ball mason jar with a Ball BPA-free plastic reusable lid that I got at the hardware store for about two dollars.
- Bonus: Add lemon juice to your smoothie or juice. The extra vitamin C will also help prevent oxidation.
How Long Will a Smoothie Keep in the Refrigerator?
In general, smoothies keep longer than juice. My rule of thumb is that juice will keep for about 12 hours using this method, while a smoothie will keep up to 24 hours if stored properly in the refrigerator.
Just use your eyes and nose to tell - if it smells off or looks dark brown don't drink it.
Top Smoothie Recipes to Save for Later
In no particular order:
Nancy harical
I want to say thank you for creating this blog, it’s so interesting, I was just browsing the web to help my boyfriend on how to store his smoothie and how long he should store it. And now after reading your blog and all the comments here really helps, God bless everyone
Sycrido
Great advice. Little concerned about that first comment though... a smooth bomb...
Crystal
When fruits begin to break down in the ripening process, they release ethylene gases. Fruits will rotten very fast when chopped, diced or in this case, liquified. If you put them in a plastic container without any means for those gases to escape, you have created a veggie bomb!
You also lose desired nutrients quickly after creating a veggie liquid. To ingest all the nutrients before excessive gas takes over your treat, drink your smoothie immediately after making it.
Vivian
I made some smothies and it got bad the same day and bursted from the plastic bottle when opened. What could be the cause?
Michael Mertke
I have read fruit loses its vitamins and nutrients when frozen
Natasha Ally
Hi there
I make smoothies at night for the next morning but they seem to go flat or something. Like the next morning, there's usually half the amount in the jar then what we poured. Any ideas why?
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Natasha, the blender whips air into the smoothie, so as they settle they may look less dense. In this case, if it looks like half the volume, it may be because you're blending longer than needed and whipping a lot of extra air into it. Blend until smooth and try not to blend extra time. However, it's still all good, you can enjoy the smoothie the same. ~E
Bell
When I try to save a smoothie, it always tastes bad even if I've only made it a few hours before. I tried keeping it in an airtight lid in the fridge but it just becomes very chunky with a weird aftertaste. Could it be one of the ingredients I'm using? I use dairy milk as a base.
Elizabeth Rider
Hi Bell, Dairy milk goes bad quickly, so I would not use dairy in a smoothie that you're going to save for later. ~E
Katrina
Good afternoon 😃
I just request your ebook on smoothies! I’m recently diagnosed with stomach cancer and have had surgery to remove my appendix and colon right side! I’m trying to switch diet to organic plant based natural health eating! Need ideas and recipes for my fight for life! Do you have any suggestions or information?
valerie pierre
I put the smoothie in the mason jar - filled to the top - and stored it overnight. In the morning there was slightly less smoothie in the jar. What was originally at the very top had diminished to about 1/4 in from the top. It is not a big deal, but do you know what is causing the content to be less in the morning?
Elizabeth Rider
Hey Valerie! It's just that blending whips some air into the smoothie, it's totally normal for it to settle a little. Not a big deal at all. ~E
Smoothie blender
Thanks for taking the time to put this together. It’s really hard to find any information about blenders that are compatible.
Connie
How much and when is the best to drink
Sharonacles
Is it ok to use mason jars with the metal 2-piece lids to store juice?
JuiceoftheGinger
sooooo you put a lid on it.... thanks for the tip!!
ESara Oldroyd
Sorry I hit post to early. I'm looking for a plastic lid for my new plastic bpa free mason jars, Ive search every department at Wally's and no luck I see you said you gots yours at a hardware store, which department of the store? I'm on a hunt now to find them so I can take a spare smoothie for long days at work!! THANK YOU!!
ESara Oldroyd
I just tried my first green smoothie this morning! Thank you for this blog, I've found some very helpful info and great ideas!
unapologetictruth
I use the Thermos Thermocafe 0.8 Litre Stainless Steel Multi Purpose Food Flask.
Connie Klimek
I love your ideas & recipes, Elizabeth. Yesterday, I doubled the veggie smoothie recipe & put the 'remains' in ice cube trays. Today I used 5 cubes in my/your Chai Berry Protein Shake. Great tips! Thank you
Michelle
Most recipes are just enough for one quart correct? So do most of you just double?
Elizabeth Rider
Juice and smoothie recipe yield can vary, mostly because the size of the produce can vary so much. On my site, most recipes are for one large serving, or as indicated in the recipe. So, if you want to save one for later, just double it 🙂
blender dude
Excellent storage advice. I do the same things!
Adam
On your video blog on common mistakes of juicing....you describe types of juicers. Your information is incorrect. Centrifugal juicers are the high speed ones and the masticating are the slow speed more expensive but better juicer. You state the exact opposite. Otherwise all good advise. Please correct. Thank you.
Elizabeth Rider
Yes, it's already corrected, there is an annotation in the video and it's corrected in the comments, too.
Carolyn Clark
How do you feel about freezing jars of extra juice to thaw and drink at a later date?
Elizabeth Rider
Haven't ever tried it. In general I do think the fresher the better.
Rebecca
Works fine. Leave room for expansion and leave the top loose until it's frozen. Did 10qts. last week. They were yummy and fresh tasting all week. Not icky like when I put them in the fridge.
Carolyn Clark
Okay, I'm forging ahead with my frozen juices. Life is so much easier with a supply of juice in the freezer ready to grab on my way out the door! I was using any old jar until I saw on a box of canning jars that only the wide mouth pints and jam jars are considered safe for the freezer. Wouldn't you know that I had already purchased regular mouth pints and quarts. Oh well, I'll just use those for the juice I don't freeze! Always learning something..... :o)
Shaina Henry
If we don't have enough to fill the jar to the very top are we losing too many nutrients that it's not worth saving or will it be okay with a little lemon juice? Also, how long can you keep it in the fridge before it needs to be consumed?
Elizabeth Rider
It's really case by case. If it turns color or smells off don't drink it. Also, you can get a few of the smaller mason jars (made for jam) so store small leftovers. See above for storage time, but again, it's always case by case 🙂
Elizabeth Grant
You can also use plastic wrap and push it down in the jar so it is in contact with the top of the juice. It is sealed so no air touches the juice at all. That is good when the jar is not all the way full or even when it is.
Elizabeth Rider
Great tip!
Tracker1
I just push some plastic wrap down to seal on top of the juice/smoothie... Another option is a freezer baggie, and squeezing up so there is no air... I do that for storing/freezing stocks and broths.