The Best Deal In Town Was Costco
My goal was a month of smoothies, but I was actually able to prep 36 green smoothies with our Costco ingredients, and spent $48.33 total. That comes out to $1.34 per smoothie, and less than $50 a month!! Beat that price, smoothie bar!
Want to know the difference between shopping at Costco vs. other grocery stores for the same amount of supplies?
- $48 at Costco
Hippeas Vegan White Cheddar Puffs
HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs are made from the humble, but mighty legume baked into a light and crunchy puff. I love the Vegan White Cheddar flavor because they taste delicious and at just 130 calories, 4 grams of plant protein, and 3 grams of fiber per 1-ounce serving. The organic puffs are also vegan, gluten-free, and don’t contain peanuts, tree nuts or soy.
Lets Break Down The Math:
One months worth of smoothie subscriptions can cost you about $240! Yes, there is definitely a convenience factor, but if you make your own, you control the ingredients and sweetness and it is SO much more affordable. Our 30 days worth of smoothie packs came in at a minuscule: $46.33!!! Or about $1.50 per smoothie! And we timed ourselves making the smoothie packs and can confidently say it should take you no more than 1 hour, or less, to put them all together.
We wanted to use one shopping list interchanging the ingredients as much as possible when putting together these recipes. We came up with 5 smoothies that are all their own flavor, while still using some of the same ingredients. Weve made a SHOPPING LIST that you can find below, as well as in the notes of the recipe.
It was also important that we kept the ingredients as common as possible so theyre easy to find. Weve offered a few substitutions in the recipe for ingredients that are less common, like cacao nibs. And while we tend to like a sweeter smoothie, we know some people would prefer to keep it as low sugar as possible, so sweetness is optional for most . You can use maple syrup, honey, or stevia to sweeten your smoothie.
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Diy Frozen Smoothie Packs On A Budget
Ever wonder if it is possible to prep a month of green smoothies on a budget, using mostly organic produce? Well, I did… so I tried, conquered and am now going to share all my tips with you. Frozen smoothie packs using Costco produce that now give you no excuse to having a daily smoothie.
Why Choose Smoothiebox As Your Smoothie Delivery Service
We are a smoothie delivery service committed to making it easy to get nutritious pre-made smoothies shipped straight to your door. Our smoothie packs, frozen at the peak of freshness, are a delicious balance of organic fruits, vegetables, and seeds for maximum health benefits.
- Maximum nutrition
- No prep, mess or waste
- Super healthy
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Deebees Organics Fruit Freezies Ice Pops
Take a look around, and youll discover these pops are hard to find. A quick check of Amazon and Kroger yielded that this product is unavailable at this time. But Walmart has them for $3.98 for a 10-pack.
These organic, juice bars are made from 100% fruit juice plus added puree. They contain no added sugars, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Plus, the flavors are far from ordinary. Each pack contains Strawberry Lemon, Mango Orange, and Blueberry Pomegranate. And because you buy them unfrozen, you can stock up and store them in your pantry until youre ready to freeze and eat all summer long.
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Suja Vibrant Probiotic Smoothie
“It’s organic and with only 40 calories , it is sweet and delicious and won’t break the calorie bank. This smoothie also contains 2 billion CFUs of probiotics per serving for a healthy gut. And with only eight grams of sugar per serving, it’s far lower in sugar than most other smoothies,” say Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, The Nutrition Twins, co-founders of Nutrition Twins.
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Four Sigmatic Peanut Butter Superfood Protein
This is not your average protein powder. Four Sigmatic’s plant-based protein powder packetsperfect for on-the-go breakfasts when paired with a shaker bottleare hiding health-boosting ingredients in addition to protein: functional mushrooms. With an impressive 1,500 milligrams of adaptogenic mushrooms, your body will benefit from curbed hunger pangs, stronger muscles, and stress and inflammatory relief when you add this supplement to your morning routine.
Smoothie Shopping At Costco
There are so many reasons we love to shop at Costco. They strive to offer organic options, they have a great produce section, and its possible to get all the smoothie ingredients in one place! Costco stores can be found all over the world, yet each location has slightly different food selections.
No, we did not get endorsed/sponsored by Costco to do this experiment. Quite the opposite. We actually had to be sneaky in the store so we didnt get kicked out for recording without permission. I felt like I was 15 again.
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Odwalla’s Original Superfood Fruit Smoothie
Think twice before you pick up this tempting bottle. “One that I find particularly misleading is Odwalla’s Original Superfood Fruit Smoothie, which is green and covered in imagery of whole fruits and vegetables,” says Moon. “The first ingredient is a filler juice filler juices refer to juices like clarified apple and grape juice. They dilute the more expensive ingredients, and they don’t offer much positive nutrition. Plus, anything that makes it green, when all combined, makes up less than 1% of the smoothie. It’s fat-free, and has minimal protein or fiberso it’s not going to be very satisfying. For all these reasons, I’d avoid this smoothie brand’s bottle, even though it’s high in potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C .”
Grocery List For Smoothie Packs
I’m all about fueling my body with whole foods, yet I also have to watch my family’s monthly budget. To do this successfully, I used our Simple 7 Guidebook for our free 7-Day Green Smoothie Challenge. This includes a shopping list which makes 7 green smoothie recipes using only 7 ingredients!
I invited my friend Erin along for some shopping at Costco, a member-only, bulk-grocery store. We purchased as much organic produce as we could afford, then attempted to make at least a month’s worth of smoothies.
Did we succeed? Check out this video below, or read on to see our results!
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Pom Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
POM Wonderful 100-percent pomegranate juice is a healthy fridge staple and a simple, delicious way to fuel your body with antioxidants. In fact, there are 700 milligrams of polyphenol antioxidants in every 8 ounces of POM Wonderful 100-percent pomegranate juice that’s a lot of antioxidants! I like to use POM wonderful 100-percent pomegranate juice in my mocktail recipes, my smoothie concoctions, and as an ingredient in homemade sauces.
Probar Base Protein Bar Coffee Crunch
Yes, there are other caffeinated energy bars, but they’re more suitable for a pick-me-up rather than a meal replacement for a grab-and-go breakfast. For that, you need something that’s more substantial. That’s why we recommend ProBar Coffee Crunch. If you spent your morning at the gym and need to get to the office fastno time for a stop at your local coffee shop and breakfast spotthis bar will fit the bill for both. With 55 milligrams of caffeine, about half of what you’d find in a cup of coffee, this plant-based protein bar with energize you with its caffeine as well as its digestion-slowing protein and fiber that will keep you full all morning.
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Noka Organic Sweet Potato/goji Superfood Smoothie
“These 4.2-ounce Noka pouches have wholesome ingredients like actual sweet potato, dates, flaxseed, goji and cinnamon, to name a few. You get an excellent source of iron , a good source of potassium , a respectable two grams of fiber and five grams of plant protein, all for 110 calories, 11 grams of total sugars and zero added sugars,” says Moon. “These don’t need refrigeration, so they’re great to keep on hand for when I’m rushing from work straight to a dance class and need a small snack that won’t weigh me down or ruin dinner.”
Tips For Making Organic Frozen Smoothie Packs On A Budget
The best guide for knowing what produce to buy organically is The EWG List, published annually. When shopping for green smoothies on a budget, use this guide to keep my produce clean, yet still doable.
The produce on the Clean 15 list can be more safely purchased as non-organic, though its great if you can find these organically grown as well.
These foods either have a shell or skin that protects the fruit underneath, or the farming practices do not genetically modify or use the same chemicals used on the first list. If buying all organic is not an option for your budget, use these lists as your guide to the safest, most delicious smoothie ingredients.
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Great Value Tomato Ketchup
Speaking of summer cookouts, having an extra bottle or two of ketchup on hand would likely be wise. Walmarts Great Value brand ketchup in the 64-ounce size is the best value at 3.9 cents per ounce or $2.52.
When you compare that price to Heinz Tomato Ketchup in the same size, which retails for 9.3 cents per ounce or $5.98, youll know youre getting a great deal by stocking up on Walmarts house brand.
Tips For Using Organic Produce With Smoothie Packs
The best guide for knowing what produce to buy organically is The EWG List, published annually. When shopping for green smoothies on a budget, use this guide to keep my produce clean, yet still doable.
The produce on the Clean 15 list can be more safely purchased as non-organic, though feel free to purchase these ingredients organically grown as well.
The foods on the Fresh 15 list either have a shell or skin that protects the fruit underneath, or the farming practices do not genetically modify or use the same chemicals as the first list. If buying all organic is not an option for your budget, use these lists as your guide to the safest, most delicious smoothie ingredients.
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Diy Frozen Smoothie Packs From Costco
There are so many reasons I love to shop at Costco. They strive to offer organic options, they have a great produce section, and its possible to get all the smoothie ingredients in one place! Costco stores can be found all over the world, yet each location has slightly different food selections.
No, we did not get endorsed/sponsored by Costco to do this experiment. Quite the opposite. We actually had to be sneaky in the store so we didn’t get kicked out for recording without permission. I felt like I was 15 again.
Core Foods Overnight Oat Bar Peanut Butter
Looking to mend your gut? An imbalance in the bacterial profile of your gut can cause all issues from inflammation to weight gain, to clouded thinking. Instead of taking a probiotic supplement, just pick a better bar . CORE’s Overnight Oat bar features both the probiotics that can boost the good bacteria in your gut as well as the prebiotics that give those probiotics the fuel to do so.
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Carnation Breakfast Essentials Kellogg’s Fruit Loops Flavor
Sometimes, mornings can be hectic . And cooking up a traditional breakfast is just not happening. But I know I have to get some nutrition in my young daughter’s belly before she goes to school or else she will have a hard time focusing.
Carnation Breakfast Essentials Kellogg’s Fruit Loops Flavor is the perfect grab-and-go drink that my daughter loves to sip on before school, thanks to the classic flavor that she is already familiar with. I love that this nutritional drink has no artificial colors or flavors, contains 10 grams of protein per serving, and boasts 21 essential vitamins and minerals.
Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomatoes
Sun dried tomatoes are delicious and a great source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to protect against many diseases, including cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Dried tomatoes and cooked tomatoes are especially rich in lycopene and the perfect choice- especially when tomatoes are out of season. The reason I like this brand so much is because, unlike other brands, Bella Sun Luci packs their California made, sun-dried tomatoes in real olive oil, which adds an additional hit of nutrients. The tomatoes are incredibly versatile and then, I love using the olive oil in homemade salad dressings and pasta dishes!
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Birds Eye Sheet Pan Meals
As long as you have room in your freezer, you can stock up on Family-Size Birds Eye Sheet Pan Meals, which retail for $7.97 each at Walmart. Walmart sells two options: Chicken with Rosemary Brown Butter Potatoes and Chicken with Garlic Parmesan Potatoes.
These meals are chopped, seasoned and ready to roast with no prep plus, they take 25 minutes or less to cook. These quick and tasty ready-to-cook meals are perfect to add to your weekly summer meal rotations.
Why Take Our Word For It
This piece was written by Cindy Brzostowski, a freelance writer and avid home cook who previously worked in cookbook publishing. Her writing has been published in Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among others, and she used her background in the food space to steer her research. Cindy also consulted with Talia Koren, cookbook author and founder of the blog and digital meal plan subscription, Workweek Lunch.
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How To Pick A Healthy Smoothie At The Store
When perusing the grocery store, take the guidance of Maggie Moon, MS, RD, Los Angeles-based registered dietitian and best-selling author of The MIND Diet to choose the best bottled smoothies. She recommends prioritizing:
- whole ingredients
- balance of healthy carbohydrates, protein, and fat
- presence of micronutrients, like potassium or iron
What to avoid:
- filler juices
- added sugars
Other Healthy Smoothie Recipes To Prep
Since my family loves smoothies so much, Ive made a lot of fruit and vegetable smoothies over the years. You an use any of these smoothie recipes and make them into your own smoothie freezer pack.
When it comes time to blend your smoothie, I like to blend my greens with my liquid base first.
I then add the rest of the fruit and blend until smooth. If you have a high-powered blender, you might not have to add that extra step.
For my liquid base, I like to use 1 cup of coconut water and 1 cup of water. I always label my freezer packs with how much liquid I need to add, as a reminder in case Im not the one making the smoothie.
What kind of freezer smoothie pack will you make first?
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Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus Strawberry
“Make sure you always read the back where the label and ingredient list are located. For example, Bolthouse Farms’ ‘Protein Plus’ line, a well-known smoothie brand in the smoothie section of the pharmacy or grocery store, may seem like a smart choice,” says Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CDN, CEO of NY Nutrition Group. “Before you grab-and-go, stop and flip it over to the back. Your jaw will hit the floor. There may be strawberries and the word ‘protein’ on the front, but there are a whopping 39 grams of sugar per bottle. And 26 grams of which are purely added.” For reference, that’s basically the amount of sugar you’ll find in a 10-ounce chocolate milkshake. No thanks! In this case, it’s probably best to make your own high-protein smoothie recipe at home.
Wyman’s Just Fruit And Banana Bites
Wyman’s Just Fruit and Banana Bites are made with real frozen fruit, making for a satisfying frozen treat that is only 40 calories and is packed with antioxidants. The wild blueberries in this snack are especially rich in anthocyanin, a flavonoid with some major antioxidant capacity. And when compared with other blueberries, the wild variety provides 33% more anthocyanins.
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Naked Fruit And Veggie Smoothie Kale Blazer
“Naked Kale Blazer is more of a green juice, but without any added sugar, is a great way to pack in a punch of nutrition especially when on-the-go,” offers Fine. “I like that it gets in juices from both veggies and fruit, which helps to reduce the overall sugar content as compared to other competitive options.”
The 7 Best Bottled Smoothie Brands You Can Buy
Of course, you can’t beat the ease of picking up a bottled smoothie, since it can save you precious time in the kitchen whipping a smoothie up . “Convenience is a major plus when it comes to these smoothies. With many of us battling on-the-go schedules, it can be hard to get in a truly balanced meal or snack. These convenient smoothies make for reliable options on the busiest of days,” adds Fine.
Below, nutritionists share their favorite healthy bottled smoothie picks and some of the worst offenders in Smoothieville. Read on and gulp up.
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