Review: McDonald's Strawberry Banana Smoothie

The local McDonald's menu now includes real fruit smoothies and the product will soon be available across the country. Available in either berry or strawberry banana, the smoothies contain real fruit and low-fat yogurt. Can a fast food place known for its fries get a smoothie right?

I recently tried the strawberry banana smoothie and found both the price and flavor quite refreshing. McDonald's perfected its smoothie method, meaning even drive-through customers can get a fresh smoothie in no time.

McDonald's Strawberry Banana Smoothie Overview
Taste: Sweet and fruity
Price and Value: $2.29, very filling
Purchase Again?: Yes

Taste and Appearance
The light pink smoothie comes in a clear plastic cup. I thought the drink would melt while driving around in 100° F weather, but it survived long enough for me to sip it leisurely. Initially, the drink was too cold/solid to drink. After a few minutes, it was frosty and somewhat thick, though not quite as thick as a milkshake.

I immediately noticed strawberry seeds dispersed in the beverage. The aroma and flavor were very fruity. The strawberry and banana flavors blended nicely with some sips having a strong banana flavor. I did not detect the usual yogurt tang (as a regular yogurt eater, perhaps I am immune) and the drink was a little sweeter than expected.

Value
I cautiously ordered the small for $2.29. It turned out to be a generous size, about twelve ounces. Trendy or specialty drinks are often overpriced, but I thought this was a good value. (The McDonald's website currently has a $1 coupon available.)

McDonald's Small Strawberry Banana Smoothie Nutrition Content
People sometimes equate the word smoothie with healthy. This beverage is obviously not health food. McDonald's allows customers to choose whether they want to include the yogurt in their smoothies.

Here are the nutrition facts directly from the McDonald's website.

Serving size: 12.3 ounces
Calories: 210
Calories from fat: 5
Total fat: 0.5 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbohydrates: 49 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 44 g
Protein: 2 g

Based on a 2000 calorie diet, a small strawberry banana smoothie also contains 2% daily value of the Vitamin A, 70% daily value Vitamin C, 8% daily value calcium and 6% daily value iron. Please refer to the McDonald's website for the latest information.

Room for Improvement
Understandably, McDonald's probably will not offer an extensive lineup of smoothie flavors, but I would like to see the menu include a non-berry flavor. I think the smoothies would taste even better with a tad less sugar.

I will purchase McDonald's McCafe smoothies in the future. The filling beverages are a lighter alternative to milkshakes.

Sources:
"McDonald's USA Nutrition Facts for McCafe Coffees", McDonalds.com