These Premade Smoothies Kept Me Full Till Lunch — & Might Make Me A ‘Smoothie Person’

During these lazy, hazy days of summer when I can't so much cook anything or think of eating anything that requires heat to make, I often dream of how refreshing and hydrating my life would be if only I were a "smoothie person." Alas, I am not. The mere thought of going to a farmer's market at the beginning of the week to stock up on fruits and veggies? Then to come home to slice, dice, and prep everything in rationed-out mason jars? To plan ahead as though I'd know what my body would possibly crave four days from now? Listen, I am not Emily Mariko and I know I will never be (though I admire the lifestyle). When I returned home from a rather indulgent weeklong trip from Chicago, my body needed a reset which I usually accomplish by eating more natural foods and drinking lots of tea. But, since it's too hot to be brewin', I had to pivot to a chiller option.

Earlier this year, I became a believer in plant-based meal delivery services — I had tried and loved the totally-vegan, freezer-to-microwave, farm-to-table dishes from Mosaic Foods. Complete gourmet meals from just the push of a microwave button? That's as far as my kitchen skills go, so I was infatuated by the ease with which I can nourish my body with fresh, locally-grown ingredients with these pre-packaged meal kits. For summertime, Mosaic Foods has expanded into a new food category: Smoothies. They're filling, they're healthy, and they're refreshing as heck. And, if you'd like to give any of the delectable nine flavors a sip, you can get four free smoothies in your first box with the code SUMMER.

Let's get into it: Each smoothie is $7.99, and they're packed with flavors I would never come across on my own (or even at a juice bar, to be honest). You've got smoothie options like Mango Lassi, which blends chunks of mango with creamy coconut yogurt (rather than dairy yogurt), rosewater, and cardamon. There's a PB&J smoothie that tastes like an after-school dessert but also includes wholesome, grown-up ingredients like spinach and chia seeds. A personal fave of mine is the medley of Yuzu Greens (pictured above), which is packed with reliable fruits and veggies like kale and pineapple proportioned to a taste level that isn't too overly sweet. (You can also drizzle maple syrup into smoothies that could use more sweetness.)

Each cup is about 2/3 full of ingredients, and all you have to do is supply the rest with water or your milk of choice — each smoothie specifies which liquid it recommends (Mosaic calls out almond milk as a good option, but I used oat). After filling the cup to the brim with liquid, you then dump all the contents into a blender. Finally, pour the final smoothie mixture back into the original cup. No overflow in sight. The smoothie lids even have a hole you can stick a reusable straw through, which is a great move if you plan to sip on the go.

Back when I reviewed Mosaic Foods' frozen meals, my main complaint was that the portions were way too small for a normal-level-hungry adult — I often ate two meals back-to-back just to feel satiated. So I'm thrilled to report that these smoothies are actually decently-sized and each one satiated me fully. I could have a smoothie for breakfast and feel absolutely energized till lunch. They also served me well as pick-me-ups in between lunch and dinner or when I knew I had a long day ahead of me and didn't have time to drop everything to make an elaborate midday meal. All I had to do was pull one of these cups out of the freezer, pour whatever liquid in, then get everything blended in less than 20 seconds, and — voila! — I'd have a delightfully chill, naturally sweet drink sloshing around my dehydrated mouth. The only snag I'll mention is that I often made a mess when the frozen smoothie contents would plop into the blender and splash back liquid onto my counter and appliance — but that's not so much a fault of Mosaic Foods and more of a reality when dealing with gravity.

I had one smoothie every morning for four days during my post-vacation week, and that was exactly what I needed to get my body back into my New York home life groove, especially when the heat wave rolled in and I couldn't be bothered with "hot" foods. But, that all said, I don't think this product is for actual "smoothie people" — I know smoothie people would say something along the lines of how this is a scam, considering how if you sourced all the ingredients yourself at a market, everything would likely come to less than $10 and it'll last you a whole week. To that, I'd say that these smoothies are for people like me. They are for people who don't enjoy cooking or don't enjoy buying groceries but still want the ease and convenience of eating delicious, good food that make you feel good, too. Personally speaking, I now see the virtues of being a "smoothie person" and I've fully leaned into the smoothie culture of it all — but I'm pleased to do it my way, even if it's via ready-to-blend $8 smoothie cups.