Frozen Mixed Berry Smoothie

In our house, smoothies are a breakfast staple.  I’m talking about 6 days a week, our Vitamix is chugging away in the morning.  This frozen mixed berry smoothie is in heavy rotation, especially for my littlest one who calls it a "pink" smoothie.

As a busy mom of three, I’m so grateful that my kiddo’s love smoothie’s as much as they do.  I feel as good making them as they do drinking them.  From pumpkin smoothies to mango smoothies, cherry smoothies to chocolate peanut butter smoothies, the varieties are endless and they are so easy to make.

The secret to this smoothie is using frozen berries.  You can use any combination you want from the frozen fruit sections, or freeze them yourself when the fruit is ripe and in season.  

Ingredients

• Frozen Berries:  I like to buy it at Costco because we go through so much frozen fruit in our house, but any grocery store will have a variety of frozen berries to choose from.  
• Milk:  You can use any milk you like in this recipe.  When I make a dairy free smoothie I typically use almond or coconut milk.
• Greek Yogurt:  Use any Greek yogurt you like here.  If you only have flavored Greek yogurt in the house, no problem, toss in any complementary flavor and you’ll be fine.  Dairy free yogurt works well too.
• Bananas:  I keep peeled frozen bananas stored in my freezer at all times, but you can use any ripe banana you have laying around.

How to make a frozen mixed berry smoothie

Before you get started, pull all of your ingredients out of the fridge and freezer and grab your Vitamix or other high speed blender.

Add the frozen mixed berries, bananas, Greek yogurt and milk to the blender in that order. 

Cover and start with the blender on low, and then as things start breaking down, turn it to high speed and let it run about one minute.  

You are looking for a smooth, slightly thick consistency when you are done blending.  Pour the smoothie into cups, glasses, or jars (whatever suits your fancy) and enjoy!  

Freezing Fresh Fruit

We go fruit picking every year and end up with LOTS of berries even after I bake blueberry muffins, prep blueberry overnight oats, and make cherry puree.  So I freeze the rest. Here's how:

• Wash and sort through the fruit being sure to take off the stems and get rid of any under ripe, bruised or moldy ones.
• Lay them out on a parchment covered baking sheet and pop the whole tray into the freezer.
• Once the berries are totally frozen, transfer them to a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Then you can use the berries as you would frozen ones from the store.

Variations

• Dairy Free: Use your favorite dairy free yogurt and plant based milk as direct swaps for a dairy free smoothie.
• Single Berry: If you only have one type of frozen berry on hand, no problem.  Simply use that one fruit and the smoothie will still be delicious. If you have cherry puree or strawberry puree on hand that will work too.
• Add in veggies: I like to add in a handful of frozen riced cauliflower or frozen spinach.  Helps me get veggies into my kiddos without a battle.
• Add avocado: Using either frozen avocado chunks or frozen avocado puree, drop a small bit into the blender container for an added depth of flavor.
• Add protein: Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to the blender before mixing.

Best Smoothie Cups for Kids

We have been loving three different smoothie cups.  They are both inexpensive, dishwasher safe and have been proven (by my 3 little test subjects) to be spill free.

Mason jars with Boon silicone lids: We use the 8 oz mason jar for everything at our house.  They are the perfect size smoothie for my youngest or as a snack for my big kids.  The silicone lids have lasted for years and really fit on most jars and glasses.

Maars cups: I bought them as a birthday party giveaway last year, and even decorated with stickers, they have held up perfectly through dozens of cycles in the dishwasher.  They are the perfect size for the adults and fit perfectly in a cup holder.

Freezing Leftovers

I like to freeze our leftover frozen mixed berry smoothies directly in mason jars.  This makes it super simple to serve when we want to use it. 

• Pour the leftovers directly into the jar (this canning funnel helps reduce the mess), leaving a little space at the top.  Place the lid on top, tighten, but not too much and pop it into the freezer.
• To defrost, take off the metal lid and microwave for 1 minute.  Give the smoothie a stir, pop on a silicone lid and enjoy.
• Alternatively, you can let the frozen smoothie defrost on the counter or in a lunch bag.

Make Ahead Tips

To make things even simpler, make mixed berry smoothie “packs” in zip top bags so all of your ingredients are in one place and you can just dump, add milk and go. 

Start by freezing the Greek yogurt in silicone ice cube trays. Then, pop a few cubes of the yogurt, the frozen berries and frozen banana into a zip top bag and lay flat in the freezer. 

When I’m batch making overnight oatmeal, I’ll also make bunch of these at a the same time and then I have quick and easy breakfasts ready for the entire week!

Other Easy Breakfast Ideas

📖 Recipe