North Shore Smoothies: Taste, Calories, and Ingredient Freshness Compared Here! - The Results Will Surprise You...   

Posted: August 18, 2008
By: Joan Vesselinovitch

It's the middle of summer and what's more thirst quenching, refreshing, and delicious than a smoothie? Fortunately, smoothies have caught on around town and are now offered at many restaurants, coffee houses, and ice cream parlors.  

So who makes the best smoothie on the North Shore? Where you can find just the right mix of fruit, yogurt, and fiber– minus all the cavity-causing artificial sweeteners? MIBS sent our group of taste-testers out to find cool treats sure to delight even the most fastidious caloric-counters and health nuts. Keep reading as we compare nine local smoothies…

It's the middle of summer and what's more thirst quenching, refreshing, and delicious than a smoothie? Fortunately, smoothies have caught on around town and are now offered at many restaurants, coffee houses, and ice cream parlors.  

So who makes the best smoothie on the North Shore? Where you can find just the right mix of fruit, yogurt, and fiber– minus all the cavity-causing artificial sweeteners? MIBS sent our group of taste-testers out to find cool treats sure to delight even the most fastidious caloric-counters and health nuts. Keep reading as we compare nine local smoothies…

• Best Tasting: Via Gelato's Fancy Fruit Blast
• Worst Tasting: Dunkin' Donuts's Wild Berry Smoothie
• Fewest Calories: Jamba Juice's Berry Fulfilling Light Smoothie
• Most Calories: Potbelly's Strawberry Smoothie
• Least Expensive: Potbelly's Strawberry Smoothie
• Most Expensive: Via Gelato's Fancy Fruit Blast

The Complete Results:

• Bobtail Ice Cream Company (1114 Central St., Wilmette, 847-251-0174)

MIBS Pick: Raspberry Smoothie (also available in Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana, and Pineapple)
Primary Ingredient: Homemade vanilla yogurt
Taste Rating: * * Two stars
Tasters' Comments: "Taste too much like ice cream!"
Price: $4.96 (Smoothies are $2.50 on "Shake Day", every Tuesday and Thursday)
Ounces: 16
Calories: Unavailable

• Caribou Coffee (locations throughout the North Shore)

MIBS Pick: Wild Berry Smoothie (also available in Strawberry Banana, Pom-a-mango, and Passion Fruit)
Primary Ingredient: Smoothie Mix
Taste Rating: * * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Good and light, refreshing fruity taste."
Price: $4.09
Ounces: 16
Calories: 230  

• Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins (locations throughout the North Shore)

MIBS Pick: Wild Berry Smoothie (also available in Berry Pomegranate, Strawberry Banana, Mango, and Peach Passion)
Primary Ingredients: Non-fat frozen yogurt, fruit mix concentrate (which is made from high-fructose corn syrup and red, blue, and yellow dyes)
Taste: zero stars
Tasters' Comments: "Too sweet, too sugary, artificial taste, too icy."
Price: $4.30
Ounces: 16
Calories: 360

• Jamba Juice (locations throughout the North Shore)

MIBS Pick: Berry Fulfilling Light Smoothie (they offer many flavors of light smoothies, including Mango Mantra and Strawberry Nirvana). Also, we added a free "boost". Pick from: Daily Vitamin, Energy Boost, Immunity Boost, Calcium boost, Soy Protein, Green Caffeine.  
Primary Ingredients: Low-fat milk and Splenda base  
Taste: * * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Good tasting, light, and healthy!"
Price: $3.69
Ounces: 16
Calories: 150

• Potbelly Sandwich Works (locations throughout the North Shore)

Primary Ingredients: Frozen yogurt, whole milk, and fresh or frozen fruit
MIBS Pick: Strawberry Smoothie (also available in Pineapple-Coconut, Boysenberry, and Banana)
Taste: * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Too creamy. Good, but tastes more like a shake."
Calories: 481
Ounces: 16
Price: $2.66

• Leonidas Café Chocolaterie (1157 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette, 847 256 5250)

MIBS Pick: Mixed Berry (also available in Mango and Peach-Pear)
Primary Ingredient: 100% fruit juice in blended concentrate, water, and ice
Taste: * * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Very good and fruity. Not too filling."
Price: $3.52
Ounces: 16
Calories 160

• Loves Yogurt (122 Skokie Blvd., Wilmette, 847-256-9478)

MIBS Pick: Strawberry, Raspberry, and Peach Smoothie with apple or orange juice
Primary Ingredients: Low-fat vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit
Taste: * * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Refreshing, light, and fresh."
Price: $5.19
Ounces: 20
Calories: Unavailable

• Starbucks (locations throughout the North Shore)

MIBS Pick: Orange, Mango, and Banana Smoothie (also available in Chocolate Banana)
Primary Ingredients: Whole banana, juice, 2% milk             
Taste: * * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Nice, light, and delicious taste!"
Price: $4.10
Ounces: 16
Calories: 250

• Via Gelato (1853 Tower Dr., Glenview, 847-729-7088)

MIBS Pick: Fancy Fruit Blast (also available: Baba Berry Bash and Tropical Paradise)
Primary Ingredients: Sorbetto, fresh strawberries, low fat vanilla yogurt, apple juice.
Taste: * * * * stars
Tasters' Comments: "Yum! Fresh fruity light and great flavor!"
Price: $ 5.50
Ounces: 20
Calories: Unavailable 

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2008 Key Card Shopping Spree

Aug. 13–20

Purchase a Key Card with a $75 donation to a Jewish Child & Family Services North Shore Auxiliary and receive a 20 percent discount on merchandise at over 200 stores throughout Chicagoland. To order, call 312-357-4610, visit their website, or purchase Key Cards at one of the participating stores listed here
Discount does not include sale or discounted merchandise.  

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