Nothing is as refreshing in the morning as a fresh fruit smoothie. But how long can we keep a fruit smoothie in the fridge, because let’s face it, we all have to run around the house in the morning? So what if we make it a night before and there are still ways to keep it just as fresh and healthy?
So, How long can we keep a fruit smoothie in the fridge? Smoothies can be stored for about 24 hours, provided it’s kept in the fridge. Well actually, the freezer would work better to store your smoothies. You can actually store your fruit smoothie in the freezer for as long as 3 months. But, if at any point, you feel that the color or smell isn’t what normally it would be then don’t drink it at all, use your judgment.
If you want to keep your smoothies in the fridge, then you should store them in an airtight container. You can use freeze-proof, airtight mason jars to store them. These help to prevent bacteria formation. Make sure you leave a bit of room on the top of your container before freezing it because it will expand when it freezes.
Table of Contents
Some Benefits Of Fruit Smoothies
- Detoxes the Body
- Boosts Your Immunity
- Full of Antioxidants
- Fat Busting Benefits
- Boosts Calcium Intake
- Boosts Your Brain
- Hydrates You
- Better Sleep
- Get a Healthy Glow
- Better Digestion
- Fibrous
How Does It Work
As the smoothie ingredients oxidize, they start losing nutrients and vitamins start to degrade, because they are exposed to oxygen. They also start losing structure and color, so you will notice your smoothie going brown or off-color, it may also smell funny.
By keeping your smoothie in the fridge you are slowing its molecular activity, so they will oxidize slow, remember to use an airtight jar. The lower the temperature the slower the molecular activity and thus the degrading process will slow down, keeping your smoothie fresh for long.
Some Easy Fruit Smoothie Recipes
| Name | Ingredients |
| Blueberry-Banana Nutty Smoothie | Blend 1 cup unsweetened almond milk with 1 banana, ½ cup blueberries, and 2 ½ tablespoons almond butter until smooth. |
| Green Goodness Smoothie | Blend 1⁄2 cup unsweetened almond milk with 3 cups baby spinach, 1⁄2 cup honey yogurt, and 1 banana. |
| Pomegranate-Cherry | Blend 1 cup pitted cherries, ¾ cup pomegranate juice, ½ cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a pinch of cinnamon and salt, and 1 cup ice. |
| Pineapple-Coconut | Blend 2 cups chopped pineapple and 2 cups coconut ice cubes, 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, and ½ cup coconut water. |
| Mint-Jalapeno | Blend ⅓ cup fresh mint, 1 seeded jalapeno pepper, 2 ½ tablespoons honey, a pinch of salt and 2 cups plain yogurt, and some ice cubes. |
| Peanut Butter–Banana | Blend 1 banana, 1 cup vanilla yogurt, ½ cup peanut butter, ⅓ cup milk, 2 tablespoons milk powder, ½ teaspoon cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, and some ice cubes. |
| Very-Berry | Blend 1/2 cup Blackberries, 1/2 cup Strawberries, and 1/2 cup Raspberries with 1 cup Milk and ice add sugar to taste. |
Here Is How To Keep Smoothies Fresh For Longer
How To Make Your Smoothie Last Longer
You can keep your smoothies in the fridge or in the freezer, either way, there is a method to make them last even longer.
Add either lemon juice or lime juice to your smoothies. Vitamin C present in these fruits can prevent healthy smoothies from oxidizing. This process we mentioned above breaks down the fruit and veggies in your smoothies. Which means that they’ll stay fresh and tasty.
Can You Make Your Smoothie The Night Before
Yes, you can.
Because smoothies last about 24 hours, you can make your smoothie the night before to drink in the morning. Make sure to not carry it in your bag to work, as it will get warm and may cause trouble. If you want to add some protein powder and carry it to the gym, you can. Just make sure the locker room is not hot or you can always take it in a thermos and it will be fine for hours
How Long Can We Keep A Fruit Smoothie In The Fridge Before It Goes Bad
Generally, you can tell by the smell or taste if a smoothie has gone bad, as it may smell funny or have a funny taste, but you can usually tell because the color has started to go a little brown. The brownness you get in a blended smoothie is particularly present if you’ve made a banana smoothie.
If you use frozen fruit, soy milk, or almond milk your smoothie will still start going off about 24 hours later. As you check, make sure you shake it first, sometimes the smell can be trapped and gets released when you shake it, this is true with milk too coincidentally.
Some Mistakes To Avoid To Make Your Smoothies Last Longer
- Make sure to store your drinks properly. Many people don’t use the techniques properly while storing them. Which results in them facing problems with the stored smoothies after some days.
- Try not to add too much fruit to the drink. Fruits hold a variety of health benefits, but they also come full of sugars and calories. Having too much or more than the necessary amount of sugar can destroy them within a few days. It is also very bad for your health in the long run because you consume a few hundred extra calories unconsciously if you add too much fruit to your drinks.
- Take your time to blend the fruits properly. Know that there are no shortcuts to success. Hence, don’t be lazy while preparing the drink. To make good, nutritious, and long-lasting drinks, you have to blend them properly.
- Don’t add fruit juice to the smoothies. Fruit juice contains lesser nutrients than real fruits. It is basically a combination of water and sugar. If you wish to, you can use water or a different type of healthy liquid as per your choice. Remember that fruit juice reduces the durability of your drink. So, make sure to avoid it.
- Try to not add too much sweetener to the smoothies. If you mix too much sweetener along with flavor, they will not last as long. It is also quite harmful to our health. Very often, you may catch yourself trying to add a little more sweetener than necessary as you can to make it tastier. But be very careful about using sweeteners- from honey to coconut sugar. Always think about how to make the drink healthier and long-lasting.
Do Smoothies Last Longer Than Juices
Blending and juicing are very similar, but their products can feel and taste very different. Blending generally uses more foods that get mixed into a thicker smoothie. Juicing is usually smoother and doesn’t have that thickness.
Juicing doesn’t break up the fruits and veggies in the same way, and it’s a totally different process than blending, juice doesn’t oxidize as much, which means juices last longer than smoothies. But smoothies are better when they are fresh. If you can, then drink your smoothies as soon as you’ve made them, so that you can enjoy the best taste and nutrition.
Ways To Make Your Smoothie Healthier
- Always start with liquid. Water, juice, milk, non-dairy milk, green tea, or coconut water are all good low-calorie, low-sugar options.
- You can add protein or fat for power. Nut butter, beans, yogurt, silken tofu, and avocado are all great choices for texture and flavor.
- Add in loads of veggies. Adding vegetables like kale, spinach, parsley, or beet greens and maybe a cucumber and some celery are the best ways to add some flavor.
- Add in fresh or frozen fruit. Almost all fruits are delicious, be it fresh or frozen. If you are using fresh fruit, use ice cubes while blending to give it a better texture which can be achieved by using frozen fruit.
- Add a flavor booster. Adding herbs, spices or other flavors like mint, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, or cocoa powder can make you get the exact flavor that you desire. For a blast of extra nutrients, add ground flax seeds, chia seeds, or wheat germ.
- Blend well. Make sure you blend well enough until everything is smooth. To make cleaning up easy rinse out the blender immediately after use and blend some cups of water with a few drops of dish soap to clean it out thoroughly.
Add-ons To Give Your Smoothie A Healthy Twist
| Ingredient | Benefits |
| Ginger | High in anti-inflammatory properties. |
| Almonds | High in antioxidants and vitamin E. |
| Oats | High insoluble fiber, iron, antioxidants. |
| Turmeric | High in anti-inflammatory properties. |
| Matcha | High in EGCG which is thought to promote heart health, brain health, and weight loss. |
| Chia Seeds | High in protein, antioxidants, omega-3, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. |
| Hemp Hearts | High in protein, omega-3, and 6. |
