Doing double duty during the holidays makes it easy to blow your diet by skipping meals and treating every party like it’s an invitation to indulge. To get things back in gear for the new year, try one of these healthy smoothies at local spots around town.
1. Superfood Bar, located at 4113 Magazine Street, notably offers a diverse menu of smoothies. The top two contenders for most popular smoothie are the Green Avocado—avocado, coconut kefir and dates—and the Green Superfoods—lemon and granola, which perhaps is the most nutritious and original smoothie created by chef/owner Amie Havens. Superfood Bar’s smoothies are characterized by an exclusive selection of healthy sweeteners such as whole dates and bananas, while their base is whole coconut, nuts, avocado or banana. They also ferment their own vegan cheeses, kombucha, kimchi and kefir, all in-house. Superfood Bar features meal replacement alternatives such as Muscle Mealk and Protein Purity smoothies. Smoothies are either 16- or 24-ounce servings for an average price of $6.50.
2. Smoothie King has more than 50 locations around the city and surrounding parishes, from LaPlace and Slidell to Ponchatoula and Harahan. Traditionally known for their vast array of tasty combinations, the most popular smoothie at Smoothie King is Angel Food, although Muscle Punch is a close second in New Orleans. While their classic smoothies mix fruit and fruit juice with nutrients and protein powder, Smoothie King recently introduced Veggie Blends and Vegan smoothies. This new Vegan line incorporates Sunwarrior plant-based protein and mango, banana, kale and/or dark chocolate, which can make for a hearty and healthy meal. Smoothie King has almost 20 smoothies that could serve as a meal replacement. They are available in 20-, 32- and 40-ounce sizes that range from $2.99 to $8. They also offer 12-ounce kids’ cups.
3. Jamba Juice has three locations at 3341 Magazine Street, 930 Poydras Street, Suite #102 and in Metairie at 730 Veterans Boulevard, Unit C. Surprisingly, their most popular smoothie, Apple n’ Greens—with kale, apple, mango, peach and banana—is both delicious and nutritious since Jamba Juice found a way to mask the kale flavor. They have a variety of fruits and vegetables that can be mixed in with your smoothie, including beets, spinach, chia seeds, cucumber, ginger, kale, pineapple, apple and carrots. Other all-natural additions include the Lean Advantage Boost, chia seeds, 3G Charger Boost for caffeine, antioxidants, Quaker oats, daily vitamins, whey and soy protein, and Energy Boost (B vitamins). The smoothie sizes are 16, 22 and 28 ounces, and 9 ounces for kids. If you’re looking for a fresh squeezed juice, one recommendation is Great Greens, made with lemon, cucumber, spinach and apple and generally refreshing, especially with ginger added to it!
4. Lemonade Parade Smoothie Café is in the heart of Mid-City at 4709 S. Carrollton Avenue, one block from the Canal Street streetcar line. All smoothies are vegan and are included in the “Eat Fit NOLA” program. Their green smoothies are increasingly becoming the most popular, since customers can create their own smoothie by adding their choice of greens to any fruit smoothie. For example, Dancing in the Streets Strawberry is made with kale, spinach and hemp protein. This 20-ounce smoothie has 5 servings of fruit and 4 servings of vegetables, 11 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber, as well as NO added sugar. Now that’s a healthy way to skip a meal. With an extensive line of nutritional supplements, Lemonade Parade Smoothie Café’s menu has 20-ounce smoothies starting at $5. The larger size of 32 ounces is priced at $8.
5. Back to the Garden, located at 833 Howard Avenue, Suite 100 in the Lafayette Square Historic District, offers a variety of all-natural fruit smoothies in a single serving size for $3.25. For a healthy snack or meal, try the protein drink, a blend of apple juice, banana, soy protein powder, brewer’s yeast, honey and molasses.
6. d’Juice Fresh Juice, located at 8237 Oak Street, has a unique smoothie called It’s Not Easy Being Green. It’s made with fresh juiced kale, spinach, green apple and cucumber, blended with frozen mangoes, bananas and peaches. Considered the most popular smoothie because it tastes so good, this mix has the tasty greens with the high nutritional value. Some people do use it as a meal replacement, or as a healthy snack. Their smoothies come in different sizes: 16 ounces for $7.40, 20 ounces for $8.35 and 32 ounces for $10. In addition, there are smoothies like The Rainbow Connection that kids love to drink. This delicious treat is fruit juice combined with frozen peaches, mangoes, bananas, strawberries and blueberries.
7. Green Fork (two locations at 1400 Prytania Street and 200 Metairie Road) uses fresh fruits and vegetables such as kale, coconut, mango and banana for their sensational smoothies. Select a mood or expression for your smoothie, such as Peaceful, made with cucumber, ginger, apple, lime, cranberries and agave. Sizes and prices of smoothies vary. A complete menu is available on their website.
8. Smoothie Time, located at 3908 Veterans Boulevard adjacent to the French Riviera Fitness Center, serves a wide array of smoothies, including meal replacements and additional supplements.
9. Beaucoup Juice is located at 4719 Freret Street. The smoothie called Tipitina, named after the famous local music venue, has been voted as the most popular item on their menu. However, the Açaí Bowl, recognized as a Brazilian classic, has gained more recognition as a smoothie in a bowl. Beaucoup Juice incorporates local fruits and veggies into different types of Açaí Bowls and smoothies, including green and açaí smoothies. Customers can ask to have veggies added to any smoothie on the menu. Sizes range from 16 to 20 ounces and smoothies are priced between $6 and $10.
10. Whole Foods Market has three locations around the city at 3420 Veterans Boulevard, 300 North Broad Street, Suite 103 and 5600 Magazine Street. Recognized as a fresh and organic whole food source, Whole Foods’ website offers an assortment of delicious fruit and vegetable smoothie recipes. The Baton Rouge Whole Foods Market is the closest location, at 7529 Corporate Boulevard, that has an actual smoothie bar inside the store. Smoothie ideas like Strawberry Almond Butter, a creamy smoothie recipe listed on the Whole Foods Market website, will tempt your taste buds without taking a lot of time. Another recipe to substitute for a quick breakfast is the Double Green Smoothie, packed with the nutrients of hearty greens and a simple blend of fruits. A list of ingredients with instructions are found on the website, accompanied by a video featuring this delicious recipe.
So, if you’re looking for a meal, a snack or even a thirst-quenching treat, pick up and enjoy a healthy smoothie made with the freshest fruits and vegetables from one of these hot spots around town.