Smoothies – refreshingly cool, delicious and nutritious. These popular drinks are a fun and easy way to eat fruit and vegetables – with a straw. Usually made with healthy ingredients like soy milk, fresh or frozen fruit, greens like spinach or kale, skim milk or yogurt, it all goes into a blender for a few minutes and voila – healthy snack on the go.
When you don’t have the time or ingredients on hand to make a smoothie, a smoothie mix is a great option. Instead of making sure all the ingredients you need are on hand in the kitchen, a smoothie mix has everything in one package for a satisfying drink.
Some smoothie mixes include simple ingredients while others add superfoods to boost the protein, vitamins and nutritional benefits. Smoothie mixes are available ready-made in bottles or a frozen mix that you blend with the liquid of your choice.
We feature five smoothie mixes you can buy online. Read on to choose the one that best suits your needs and taste.
Top Pick Best Portable: NOKA Superfood Pouches
When you just don’t have the time to cut up chunks of fruit, wash leaves of kale and spinach, measure out milk, yogurt or water, drag out the blender and mix up a smoothie, the next best thing is having one that’s already made.
Convenient smoothie squeeze packs from Noka are the next best thing to making it fresh yourself – without the fuss and cleanup. Suitable for all ages, these smoothie pouches are an easy and delicious way to add more fruit and vegetables to your diet.
This smoothie six-pack of different flavors contains only organic fruit and vegetables with an added five grams of plant protein, 600mg of Omega-3 and anti-oxidant-rich superfoods like camu camu, goji berry and maqui berry. Flavors include: strawberry/ pineapple, blueberry/beet, mango/coconut, blackberry/vanilla, cherry/acai and sweet potato /goji.
Delicious and refreshing, these convenient 4.2-ounce squeeze snack-on-the-go packs are the perfect size to toss in a purse or lunchbox, and do not need to be refrigerated. Contains no artificial ingredients or colors and is non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free and kosher.
Pros:
- Handy ready to use squeeze packs
- Made from organic fruit and vegetables
- Contains plant protein and superfoods
- Does not need to be refrigerated
- Variety pack of six different flavor combinations
Cons:
- Small 4.2-ounce portion size
- Cost per unit more expensive than other brands
Top Pick Best for Kids: Feel Great 365 USDA Organic Green Superfood Kid’s Protein Powder
Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to get our kids to eat healthy, they are not receptive to the idea. How many picky eaters do you have in your family, right? Yet, we know that in order for them to develop strong immune systems to protect them throughout life, they need daily essentials found in fruit, vegetables and protein.
This organic green superfood protein powder is the perfect solution to ensure your child starts off the day in a healthy way, with a smile on their face. Few kids can resist the deliciousness of a chocolate-flavored drink, even when it’s packed with vitamins, pre- and probiotics and antioxidants.
Designed specifically for girls and boys, this vegan protein powder promotes full-body wellness that mixes in well in a smoothie. Formulated with vegan pea protein and infused with iron, arginine, and nine essential amino acids, this protein powder aids in muscle growth, balanced blood pressure, strong bones and heart health. It also contains healthy digestive enzymes, prebiotic fiber, and probiotics vital for maintaining good bacteria in the gut, essential for immune system health.
Each serving also contains a powerful blend of organic sea kelp, spirulina, broccoli, spinach, and green tea extract to help support daily health and wellness, focus, natural physical energy levels, and overall balance. Simply add ½ scoop to your child’s favorite smoothie or beverage and you know they will have all the nutrients they need to start the day off right.
Pros:
- Kid-safe formula
- Cocoa flavor
- Packed with alkalizing greens, probiotics and digestive enzymes
- Contains yellow pea protein for iron, arginine and nine essential amino acids
- Sweetened with stevia and monk fruit
Cons:
- Smoothie booster; need to make smoothie and add powder
Top Pick Best Overall: Rollin’ n Bowlin’ Smoothie Mix
For those days when you’re low on fresh fruit and vegetables to make your daily smoothie, having ready-to-use frozen options to pop into a blender with some liquid can be a game-changer.
These mixes with cute names like Super Monkey, Train your Dragon, Cold Brewski, Coco Loco, The Banana Stand and Guac My World are packed with delicious, nutritious and healthy ingredients that are ready to be blended when needed.
The flavors come in pouches to make a 16-ounce smoothie, or two eight-ounce portions. Just add the liquid of choice to the bag, pour it into a blender and enjoy.
This pack includes six flavors and each blend offers up a different nutrition boost: Super Monkey for antioxidants; Train Your Dragon for vitamin C; Cold Brewski for energy; Coco Loco for fiber and protein; The Banana Stand for potassium; and Guac My World for vitamins A+K+C. These smoothie mixes are vegan, dairy, gluten, soy, GMO free with no added sugar.
Super Monkey contains bananas, açai, pineapple and mixed berries; Train Your Dragon contains pitaya, pineapple, bananas and strawberry; Cold Brewski is for coffee lovers with cold brew, cinnamon, banana and dates; Coco Loco contains açai, peanut butter, bananas, mixed berries and cacao; The Banana Stand ingredients are strawberry, banana and cinnamon; and Guac My World contains avocado, spinach, kale, pineapple and banana.
Easy to stack in your freezer, these smoothie blends are a convenient alternative for when you don’t have the right ingredients on hand.
Pros:
- Ready-to-use blends
- Each blend has a different nutritional boost
- Easy to use
- Compact to store in the freezer
- Non-GMO, vegan, free of dairy, gluten and soy
Cons:
- More expensive than other blends
Top Pick Best Ready-Made Small Portion: Daily Superfood Variety Pack – Green Smoothie
These ready-made smoothie ‘shots’ are ideal for busy people on the go who are looking to fulfill their daily fruit and vegetable requirements but don’t want a large portion. These smoothie ‘shots’ are conveniently packed in two-ounce bottles, offering a half-day’s serving of organic fruit and vegetables.
Not everyone has the time or appetite to drink an eight or 16-ounce smoothie. Having a delicious tasting shot is a good compromise on quantity, without giving up quality. Shelf stable, these little bottles do not have to be refrigerated, so you can pop one or two in your purse and drink at your convenience. No mess, just twist off the cap and enjoy.
The pack includes three blends: Superfood Greens, a two-ounce green nutrient-dense veggie shot of 15 superfoods and contains organic pineapple, lemon, carrot, cranberry, blueberry, acai, spinach, kale, goji berry, turmeric and more; The Immunity Blend gives your body the vitamins and antioxidants it needs to stay well and contains elderberry, acerola cherry, orange, concord grape, carrot, beet, blueberry, pomegranate, spinach and broccoli; and Tumeric Recovery, with 1,500 mg of Turmeric and antioxidant superstars such as tart cherry, pineapple, ginger, and black pepper for curcumin absorption to fight soreness after a workout, general aches and pains, and support joint health.
Pros:
- Small two-ounce shots ideal for small appetites
- Portable
- No refrigeration needed
- Three different blends
- 100 percent organic, vegan, non-GMO and gluten-free
- Soy and dairy-free
Cons:
- More expensive than other smoothie blends
- Small portion
Things to look out for:
Consider these things when looking for a smoothie mix so you will choose one that best suits your taste and needs:
Types: The idea of using a smoothie mix is to allow you to enjoy the health benefits of this delicious beverage, without buying the individual ingredients or even owning a blender. There are different types and forms of smoothie mixes available on the market and which mix you choose will depend upon your need.
Ready-made: If you don’t have a blender and don’t intend on purchasing one, then a ready-made smoothie mix is the best choice for you. These come in various sizes, from large 52-ounce family sizes to small two-ounce shots and everything in between.
Large bottles are generally more economical, but have to be refrigerated and have an expiry date. If you don’t mind drinking a room-temperature smoothie instead of a cold one, then consider a ready-made blend in a pouch or package that has a long shelf life and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. These mixes are also convenient if you want to take one with you while you’re out all day for an easy and healthy snack.
Frozen blend: If you like to use fresh ingredients but want a go-to if you run out of fresh fruit and vegetables, these mixes are super convenient to keep in the freezer. They usually contain real chunks of fruit and veggies and all you have to do is put them in your blender, add the liquid of your choice and blend.
Powder: Some smoothie mixes come in a powder form and are used as a nutritional boost to a smoothie you make from scratch. Often they have added protein, vitamins, greens and pre- or probiotics to aid in immunity and digestion. Some are flavored while others are not, and you can choose the mix that best suits your taste and needs.
Ingredients: While smoothies are considered a healthy snack alternative, it’s not a given that every mix is good for you. A smoothie’s ingredients are vital to ensure that what you are consuming is beneficial. For the healthiest and most nutrient-dense mix, always read the ingredients and try to avoid those with preservatives, artificial color and flavors and sugar.