Smoothie King has long been the busy person's answer to a quickie bagel or English muffin for breakfast on the go. Although not perfect (and many of the smoothies are packed with sugar), it's a better way to start the day than, say, a trip to the doughnut shop.
This week, however, Smoothie King announced a new line of beverages that allow you to drink your vegetables. The new veggie smoothies come in three flavors.
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A 20 oz. Berry Carrot Dream (made with carrots, strawberries, orange juice, bananas, and apple juice) contains 278 calories and 58 grams of sugar; the Apple Kiwi Kale (kale with apple juice, kiwi juice blend, and bananas) contains 277 calories and 62 grams of sugar; and Carrot Kale Dream (carrots and kale blended with orange juice, bananas, apple juice, and vanilla protein) has 222 calories and 40 grams of sugar. Each costs $4.59 for a small. Smoothie fanatics also have the option of adding sweet carrots or leafy kale to any other menu item.
According to Smoothie King, "nearly three-quarters of adults are not eating enough vegetables, and Smoothie King's new veggie smoothies encourage guests to incorporate more vegetables into their diet in a way that tastes great." So how do they taste?
I walked to the Smoothie King near my house and ordered a small Carrot Kale Dream. I asked the smoothie maker if he was using real kale, since I didn't see any, and he said the veggies were puréed and then frozen to make them last longer. Indeed, he scooped out what looked to be green and orange sorbets and plopped them into the blender, along with some juices, a banana, and the powder.
The beverage was martian green and tasted mostly like bananas. It was lighter than some smoothies, probably because it contained no dairy products.
Next time around, I'll skip the protein powder (I don't think the beverage needs it), but for a quick meal replacement, Smoothie King's new options are a good way to grab veggies on the go. Because eating a kale salad just doesn't work while you're navigating traffic on I-95.
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