One of the fun parts of what I do is getting to sample lots of new stuff.  My friends at McDonald’s are aware that I have some dietary restrictions and so when I asked about the smoothie ingredients I was disappointed to hear that they were made with yogurt.  Why?  Simply put, many of the yogurts here in Quebec are made with gelatin which is a non-kosher ingredient that I cannot consume.  Imagine my surprise when my contact emailed me the label…it contains “kosher gelatin!” how fun is that?  Now for those who are extremely observant this may not be certification enough, but for my gang, we were good to go!

The first trial  was with my 2 girls, we all opted for the Strawberry-Banana.  It was enjoyed as much by the 5 year old as her 11-year old sister and just as much by Mommy 🙂

The proof that they really enjoyed it was there when a few days later, given the option of ice cream or “McSmoothies”, both girls opted for the smoothies.

Both took Strawberry-Banana and thoroughly enjoyed for the second time, which is testament to the fact that it wasn’t just the novelty. One of their brothers tried the Mango- Pineapple & loved it as did his sister who tried a sip. Daddy, on the other hand really enjoyed the Strawberry-Banana but did not like the Mango-Pineapple.  No one from our gang went for the Blueberry-Pomegranate, so we can’t speak to that one.

I know you’re all wondering…how does this measure up…calorically speaking?

It depends of course on the size.  We had smalls (345-347g), which apparently include 1 full serving of fruit.  These will also run you 200-210 calories, 0.5-1g of fat & 44-52g of sugar.  Should you prefer a snack size (223-232g) you can et away with 150 calories or less, 0-0.5g of fat and 29-35g of sugar. You can get full nutritional info at http://www.mcdonalds.ca/ca/en/food/nutrition_calculator.html

You can actually get smoothies without yogurt as well and the Strawberry Banana without Yogurt would be your “trimmest” choice of all. We tried both with & without yogurt, everyone enjoyed both but the majority preferred without. Just make sure to specify when you order whether or not you wish to have your smoothie with yogurt. They don’t always ask.

So, does our family recommend the smoothies at McCafé?  Absolutely.  And at the $1.99 price point for a snack size (perfect for the kids), they are an affordable option and a great way to beat the heat!

Have you tried the smoothies?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Wishing you a flavourful day,

Tanya