As a kid, I loved Costco berry smoothies. Sure, I liked the free samples, the famous food court hot dogs, and the pizza, too. But the best part of any trip was when my mom handed me $1.
45 to buy a smoothie while she waited in the checkout line. Sometimes, though, I'd get hit with the dreaded, "We can make smoothies at home." Mom's smoothies weren't the same.
They lacked the sweetness, the rich berry flavor, the specific icy texture! Plus, Mom tried to make them . Once, she even added . Unfortunately, did not extend to smoothie recipes.
The retailer phased out the smoothie in 2017 and replaced it with a different recipe. Some people preferred the replacement's tart taste. I was not one of them.
The newer version nixed the added sugar, and with it, the rich berry flavor I loved. While many fans still know the new version as the berry smoothie, it's officially called the fruit smoothie. In 2023, the retailer tried to replace it with a mango smoothie — but the subsequent uproar brought it back.
The moral of the story? Appreciate your smoothies: They can disappear forever. I still think Mom was wrong — no homemade smoothie can top that food court magic. But, if you and use Costco's ingredients as a guideline, it might be the next best thing.
What's in Costco's fruit smoothie? True to its name, Costco's fruit smoothie is lighter on the berries than the older version. While I couldn't find an official ingredient list online, came to the rescue. On the r/Costco subreddit, one foo.