I’m sharing these blending frozen fruit tips with hopes to save you from broken blender blades and chunky smoothies. I know, a lot of smoothie recipes include “1 cup frozen fruit”. But then you follow it and it will not blend or it leaves you with a drink full of fruit chunks which aren’t exactly what you can call a “SMOOTH-ie”. It’s important that you use the best blender for frozen fruit.
When you’re learning how to make acai bowls, one of the first things you will know is that the secret to a thick smoothie bowl is using frozen fruits. A good acai bowl is super thick and can hold different fruit toppings which makes them more delectable.
Another thing you’ll find yourself asking when making a smoothie is “are smoothies better with milk or water?”. If you’re using frozen fruits, it’s best to use plant-based milk, this makes your smoothie perfectly creamy and it will have the best consistency.
Why Use Frozen Fruits For Your Smoothies?
Freezing the fruits preserve them without making them into a jam or using additives. One of the reasons one would skip adding fruits on smoothies is because they don’t have access to fresh fruits daily. It’s either there’s no fresh market or grocery store nearby or you don’t have the time and energy to drop by every day to pick your smoothie supply.
There’s also the worry of buying a week’s worth of fruits then they just go bad before you can use them. Freezing the fruits not only give them a longer life span, but they also make for thicker and creamier smoothies. If the fruits are frozen, you will not need to add ice to your smoothies, therefore avoiding watering it down. This also prevents the need for additional sweetener.
Frozen fruits save you a lot of time prepping the actual smoothie. Deciding what smoothie to make is a whole different process. Having the fruits already frozen, chopped and decided, leaves you with just putting them together in your trusty blender.
Speaking of blenders, when it comes to making smoothies, not all blenders are made equal. It involves crushing ice, crunchy leafy greens, and of course, frozen fruit. You need to invest in a blender that is spacious and powerful enough to handle all that.
So, I came up with the best blender for smoothies list. The goal is to help you find the perfect blender that you can use to make your everyday smoothie without any trouble. I’ve compiled the best blenders in every price range to cover all bases, no matter what your need and budget is.
What Fruits Can Be Frozen?
There’s a whole bunch of fruits that can be frozen for smoothies. Although not all of them retain good texture and flavor when frozen. I find that the best fruits to freeze are:
- Kiwi
- Apples
- Grapes
- Melons
- Peaches
- Bananas
- Pineapples
- Ripe Mangoes
- Mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)
How Should You Freeze Fruits For Smoothies?
- Thoroughly rinse the fruits. Some fruits have some kind of waxy coating on them, wash them until this is gone.
- Then dry them down with a paper towel, aiming to remove as much moisture as you can.
- Start peeling the fruits. Use a paring knife to remove any bruises or bad spots on the fruits.
- Chop and slice the fruits as necessary. You want them to be in a size that is small enough to easily blend even once they’re frozen.
- Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
- Arrange the cut-up fruits in a single layer then cover the tray with cling wrap.
- Place in the freezer and leave overnight.
- The next day, take the fruit tray out of the freezer. Distribute the fruits in separate resealable freezer bags. Make sure to put a label indicating the date.
- Try to squeeze as much air as you can out of the bags. You can use a vacuum sealer or insert a straw to suck all the air out then quickly pull it out and seal the bag.
- Put the sealed bags in the freezer and they can last for up to 6 months.
Things To Note When Blending Frozen Fruits:
- Let the fruits partially thaw before blending especially if you are using a less powerful blender. This also applies to those whose blender has sharp blades. Fully frozen fruits can chip of break sharp blades.
- Blend the smoothie in stages. Start with the greens and liquid base before moving on to the frozen fruits. This ensures your smoothie will not have leafy chunks.
And there you go! Note that frozen fruits can also be used for overnight oats, pies, or cakes. This is a good practice that lets you enjoy fruits even when they’re not in season. Do you have other fruit freezing tips that you want to share? Leave them in the comments below. 😉
