The Costco Food Court Beverage That's Better Left Unordered - Tasting Table

"According to Costco's menu board, the smoothie has no added sugar, contains an impressive six servings of fruit, and boasts just 230 calories, all for the low price of $2.99. We did a deep dive into what's in a Costco food court fruit smoothie and found that frozen fruit like strawberries, aç, and blackberries are the main characters that give it that lovely, deep maroon hue."

"While this smoothie is dairy free, you can definitely tell it lacks the creaminess even plant-based milk would provide. We tasted the berry forward flavor, but the fruit notes were a little artificial and certainly not fresh. But, what really landed the smoothie low on our ranking was its consistency. We were looking for a smooth and creamy, almost custard-like texture, but what we got instead was more like a runny slushie."

Costco's fruit smoothie is advertised as no added sugar, containing six servings of fruit and just 230 calories for $2.99. The blend relies on frozen berries such as strawberries, aç, and blackberries for color and flavor, alongside significant amounts of pureed apple, pear, and pineapple juice concentrates. The beverage is dairy free and lacks creaminess, producing a runny, slushie texture rather than a smooth, custard-like mouthfeel. The flavor is berry-forward but can taste slightly artificial and not fresh. Online reactions are mixed, with some praising its refreshment and others criticizing texture and additives.

Read at Tasting Table