One of the few perks of being a food blogger (an e-mail box that gets flooded and zero/low pay aren’t perks) is that occasionally companies will provide you with some samples of a product to review. Such was the case recently, when Yoplait and KitchenAid, through MyBlogSpark, sent me a KitchenAid blender and some coupons to try the new Yoplait Smoothie packages that are available in your frozen food section.

This is the latest in a long line of many, many, many “products of convenience” that no one is really asking for or needs, but that manufacturers hope will succeed because Americans are lazy.  Here’s the deal (and I use that term loosely): for $3.75 (price at my local grocery store) you can buy a 7.6 oz package of Yoplait frozen fruit and yogurt pieces. Add one cup of milk, throw in the blender, and you get two 8 oz smoothies. Poof. You have a smoothie.  It tasted good, like pretty much any smoothie does when you combine frozen or fruit, milk and yogurt.

Like any product of convenience, you are going to pay a mark-up for the time-saving factors involved, but I had a suspicion that this product was even more of a kick-you-in-the-balls-and-take-your-money rip-off than normal.  Let’s review the costs involved.

For $3.75 and a cup of milk (aprox. $.25 at $4 per gallon) you get two, 8 oz smoothies. Based on the Jamba Juice menu prices you can see that you will save money by using this Yoplait at home, but not as much as one might think.Jamba Juice menu prices you can see that you will save money by using this Yoplait at home, but not as much as one might think.

  • Cost per 8 oz of Yoplait smoothie: $2.00

Now lets say instead you bought a 16 oz bag of frozen strawberries at $2.50, a 32 oz container of yogurt at $2.50 and 4 bananas for $1

Homemade 8 oz smoothie (2 oz strawberries, 1/2 banana, 1 cup milk, 1 oz yogurt).

  • Cost per 8 oz of homemade smoothie: $.54

Wow. Wow. Wow. That’s a mark-up of almost 300%.

Translation: you are a lazy slob (albeit one who loves smoothies) who is willing to pay extra for a time savings of 30-45 seconds when assembling a smoothie.

Now you could argue that a pre-packaged smoothie allows you to make smoothies more elaborate than strawberry banana, such as the blueberry pomegranate one you see pictured above. And that would be correct. Surely there is some value to the convenience of making a flavor combination at home that would normally be difficult if buying all the other ingredients in bulk.

But product of convenience or not, isn’t one of the points of making food at home that it is pretty much ALWAYS cheaper than buying something at a restaurant? Again, let’s review.

  • Cost per 8 oz of Yoplait smoothie: $2.00

What if, instead of making a smoothie with this product, you instead bought one at McDonald’s or Jamba Juice?

McDonald’s 12 oz Wild Berry smoothie: $2.29

  • Cost per 8 oz of McDonald’s smoothie: $1.53

Jamba Juice Berry Yumberry Smoothie (Yumberry juice, blueberries, mangoes, and peaches): $3.89

  • Cost per 8 oz of Jamba Juice smoothie: $1.94

All together now:

  • Cost per 8 oz of homemade smoothie: $.54
  • Cost per 8 oz of McDonald’s smoothie: $1.53
  • Cost per 8 oz of Jamba Juice smoothie: $1.94
  • Cost per 8 oz of Yoplait smoothie: $2.00

A homemade smoothie will cost about 1/3rd of a YoPlait smoothie. The Yoplait smoothie, which, I might add, you still have to make YOURSELF at HOME, is about 30% more than one someone else makes for you at McDonald’s. Even if you want to purchase the Mercedes of the smoothie world and go to a Jamba Juice, you can do so for LESS than than a YoPlait smoothie! Unbelievable! Oh, and I’m pretty sure Jamba Juice is using 100% fresh, not frozen fruit.

Verdict: Don’t be lazy and waste your money. If you are going to be lazy, you might as well go to McDonald’s, save a little money and enjoy the laziness of someone else making your smoothie for you. Or go to Jamba Juice, get a smoothie that actually has fresh fruit, while watching someone else make it for you and still pay slightly less than for a YoPlait smoothie.

17 Responses

  1. Phillip

    This is the first time going to your site and I really dont appreciate you calling names like a child! I have an autistic son who loves the 8oz yoplait smoothies. That’s why I buy them. I am no lazy slob! Taking care of a child with autism is a full time and difficult job. Stop being so judgemental. You are a JERK!

    Reply
  2. Dennis Allen

    Great taste and flavor, a super treat. My wife and I split a smoothie every night

    Reply
  3. Betty R

    Phillip, there may be cases like you that have special things going on that make it better to do the convenience of prepared items. HOWEVER on a whole in the US there is a big up swing of prepared foods mostly because people as a whole are lazy. That is also why as a whole in the US we have such a huge over weight issue. People do not want to exercise. I think you need to stop taking things so personally. words and comments on any blog or review is NOT aimed at you personally, so don’t take it that way!

    Reply
  4. alexix

    i totally agree with everything you have to say, the yoplait are super expensive. i bought them on a whim and LOVED them but then realized how ridiculous it was to pay so much for frozen fruit. But heres the catch……. i cut up strawberries and bananas and froze them and added milk and blended them….. and it tasted NOT even close to as good as the yoplait. so riddle me that?!

    Reply
  5. Heather

    phillip, are you seriously going to play the “I have an autistic child” card? That has nothing to do with this article. And saying your offended about them using the word “lazy”, well whose the “child” that used the word “jerk”? Grow up yourself.

    Reply
  6. Matthew

    I have to disagree with your review. I buy them at Costco, so they come out a bit cheaper than you say.

    I can prepare a smoothie in about 90 seconds with minimal clean up. This is well worth a little extra money as I can prepare one after my workout and then hop in the shower before work without spending a whole lot of time prepping food and cleaning my kitchen.

    Even if they are a bit pricy, it’s nice to keep quick and healthy stuff on hand for those times when time is of the essence to prevent bad eating habits.

    While I still keep frozen fruit around to make truly homemade smoothies, the convenience of the prepackaged ingredients is hard to beat. My only complaint is that they are not organic.

    Reply
  7. Kristen

    I think that these smoothies are delicious. I too have tried to make my own from frozen fruit and yogurt( by the way …the fruit has to be frozen so it has that thick icy consistency ) and it was not nearly as good. The product goes on sale so I stock up…it saves time (time is money )and and tastes better!

    Reply
  8. Robert

    I just bought 5 packs at Costco for $11 which make 2 drinks – factor in hassle factor for going to whatever store and buying fruit, yougart and figure this out – much better to make Youplait at home for a quarter more and have smoothie at home, think about it – driving down to Jamba, parking, getting out and oredering smoothie, waiting — then getting back in your car and hoping you do not spill in your car or hit another car while sipping vs. making one at home for a quarter more and watching CNN or listening to music and then be on your way, hmmm? this is why this product is so good for people on the go – got an hour to blow driving to Jamba? great – if you need a good smoothie before you go out and deal with life, this is a good way to go

    Reply
  9. Karen

    It is full of sugar which is why it tastes good. Totally unhealthy. Make it yourself. Save money and healthier

    Reply
  10. Greg

    The high sugar/carb content relative to the low protein content, all costs aside, is the main reason I would not buy the yoplait smoothies, even at Costco. I keep strawberries, blueberries and bananas frozen, and it is a whiz to make my own smoothies with, gulp, another brand of yogurt, and added protein powder. And I make the choco-banana version by adding unsweetened cocoa powder.

    Reply
  11. Michele

    Actually, I purchased the Yoplait Smoothie in Chocolate since they were on sale. And, honestly, I like them !! Easy to make, low in calories, and tasty !! I plan on buying more while they’re on sale.

    Reply
  12. Mike

    Wow where are you shopping? I grab those yoplait smoothies for 2.70, milk is about 2.15, but I use half milk half water to save on milk. These yoplaits are easy, delicious, and at the price I get them well worth the money.

    Reply
  13. Karen

    Even worse than the price is the ingredient list. I have Crohns disease. I keep myself healthy by watching my diet and staying away from artificial ingrediants. I bought a couple of these on sale to try. I just went to blend it up, but checked the ingredients first. It has sucralose in it, which will make my abdomen cramp up within a half hour. Companies are sneaking this garbage into everything lately, without any label on the front of the package. They are making people think a product is natural, when it isn’t. Sucralose is sugar that has been chlorinated so that your body cannot digest it. With the huge increase in digestive disorders in this country, I have a real problem with this practice. Your much better off making your own smoothies with real ingredients, preferably organic, since alot of yogurts and protein powders have artificial ingredients added to them also. I’m calling the company for a refund next!

    Reply
  14. Wendy [mapsgirl]

    Thank you for this review! Your post came up when I googled this product after seeing it on TV last night. I just saved myself a bunch of time and money 🙂

    Reply
  15. Fred Menis

    If you do what you suggest as I have it does not taste the same as a yoplait smoothie. It’s not as tasty as the yoplait – not even close. Also u should mix it with water not milk and add 2 scoops of protein powder. Use it as a meal replacement. They sell 5 count bags of these products for $10.00 at BJ’s wholesale clubs. Do your homework food blogger and u should return the blender to kitchen aid u don’t deserve it.

    Reply

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