Value: 15/20
Functionality: 20/20
Quality: 20/20
Aesthetics: 20/20
Taste: 19/20
Total: 94/100
Getting myself to eat my daily fruits and veggies can feel like pulling teeth. I know they’re good for me, and it’s not even that I don’t like how they taste. I’d just always rather eat…well, something else (read: meat, cheese, potatoes and lots of chocolate). Instead of trying (and likely failing) to jumpstart a whole new healthy lifestyle, I made it my mission to incorporate more greens and fruits into my meals as often as possible: a breakfast smoothie here, a fancy salad there. But as always, life got in the way, and many days it felt like I simply didn’t have the time to prepare a healthy meal or snack the way I wanted to.
Then I heard about Raw Generation. What first caught my interest (besides the raw juices, protein smoothies and supplements, that is) was that all their beverages ship frozen solid in an impressively-packaged box so you can keep ’em on ice until you’re ready to use them (yup, that means they won’t go bad in two seconds, and you won’t have to drink every single juice in three days to get your money’s worth). That took some of the pressure off, personally. As I did more research, I learned the company only uses raw, unpasteurized, preservative-free ingredients, unlike some other cold-pressed juice brands. Considering I was a total newbie to the ever-popular juice world, that was enough to convince me.
Once I received the drinks, I packed them away into my freezer. Anytime I planned to sip one, I’d let the bottle thaw in the fridge a day or so in advance, so it’d be ready to chug in the morning. I leaned on the juices for energy-boosting (and last-minute) breakfasts, while the protein smoothies worked great as meal replacements (though I hear people who actually exercise like to have them after a workout).
To my total and utter surprise, every juice and protein smoothie was shockingly delicious and so easy to sip. The juices are cold-pressed, not blended; this gives them a fluid consistency by removing most of the fibers in the produce. I was surprised how easy they were to drink both in terms of flavor and texture, having been a bit wary of the juices tasting too “healthy” to stomach.
All I wanted to do was find an easy, quick way to get my greens more frequently. But there are tons of ways Raw Generation’s offerings could possibly help you reach your wellness goals. Raw juice and smoothies can be a wonderful addition to an already plant-based diet, or they can be a nutritious on-the-go meal or snack—no matter what you eat. Raw Generation also has cleanses, celery juice, immunity shots and even better-for-you lemonade to try, all free of artificial ingredients.
As undeniably solid as the juices and smoothies are, they’re definitely on the pricey side. But if hectic mornings (or in my case, occasional laziness) keep you from getting a healthy breakfast far too often, it could be worth it. And if you’re like me, you’ve probably wasted more money on fresh produce that rotted to death in your fridge than what you’d spend on these juices and smoothies anyway. After all, they won’t expire as long as you keep them frozen.
An 18-pack of protein smoothies or juices will currently cost you $110 (they’re normally $220, so about $12 per 12-ounce bottle instead of $6). You can also get a mix of juices and protein smoothies for the same price if you’d like to try both. While the cost may seem like a tough bullet to bite, now may be the best time to do it since there’s a sitewide 50 percent off sale. Just sayin’. While you mull it over, here are my favorite juice and smoothie flavors of the bunch.
