Smoothies have long been a part of my regular breakfast lineup, no matter what time of year. These cool drinks are a satisfying way to refuel after working out, a great quick breakfast when you're on the go, and a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up.

I've been freezing fresh fruit for smoothies for a while, and recently I took it one step further. Rather than freezing each type of fruit in separate bags, I started creating individual-serving smoothie bags. It's so convenient and such a time saver — here's how I do it.

With these smoothie kits, you're not exactly reaching in your freezer and pulling out a ready-made smoothie (although, boy, wouldn't that be nice!). It's more along the lines of having all the fruit your smoothie recipe calls for, prepared and stored in one convenient bag. No more fumbling through the freezer for three different bags of fruit! If your smoothie recipe uses greens, like spinach or kale, you can include that in the bags, as well.

The best way to freeze fresh fruit: How to Freeze Fresh Summer Fruit

How to Build a Smoothie Pack

• Prepare the fruit: If you're starting with bags of store-bought frozen fruit, you can jump down to prepping the bag. For fresh, start by cutting the fruit into small chunks, then arrange it in a single layer, without touching, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Freeze the fruit: Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least four hours.
• Prepare your bags: Label each bag with the name of the smoothie you plan to make, like Strawberry-Banana or Tropical Smoothie, and the date you packaged the fruit. You'll also want to label the bag with the additional liquid ingredients you'll need for your smoothie, like nut milk, coconut water, or yogurt.
• Fill the bags: Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Measure out the fruit according to the smoothie recipe, and transfer the appropriate amount of fruit (and greens, if you're including them) into each bag.
• Store the individual bags in the freezer: Seal the bags and place them in the freezer. Then, pull them out one by one as you need them!