These Shake-&-Go Smoothies Helped Me Eat More Fruits & Veggies — And They’re 30% Off For Cyber Monday

Like most people, I’m always on the lookout for ways to pack extra fruits and veggies into my diet; likewise, I’m also searching for ways to make more sustainable choices when I grocery shop (I hate waste!). So when I learned about a company called kencko, I was all ears. A subscription-based service trying to make the health benefits of fruit and vegetables more accessible and sustainable, kencko offers three types of products: gumdrops, bowls, and single-serve, blender-free, organic smoothies. I was most intrigued by the latter. When it comes to a healthy diet, I aim for eating whole fruits and veggies, but having some individually (and sustainably) packaged, simple-to-prepare smoothies on hand seemed a sensible choice. And if you’re also intrigued, now is the perfect time to try them since kencko is having its biggest sale of the year: 30% off from now until December 4. Just use the promo code ELITEDAILY30.

How To Get Organic Smoothies Delivered Straight To Your Door

kencko’s shakeable smoothies are made with freeze-dried, non-GMO, USDA organic fruits and veggies, with no added color, refined sugar, or additives, and they contain 2.5 servings of fruits and veggies per pack. For someone like me, who’s looking for healthy ways to supplement my current eating plan, this sounded pretty ideal. Available in 13 flavors, labeled to indicate their color and respective health benefits, all I had to do was shake with the water or milk of my choice. It all sounded easy and delicious — a total win.

kencko offers a few different subscription plans designed to suit various health and lifestyle goals. You can choose from a box of 20, 30, or 60 smoothies to be delivered monthly, all of which can be canceled anytime, starting at $2.49 per smoothie. As a really thoughtful perk, each subscription comes with a free, 60-day nutrition counseling program with a Registered Dietician.

My Honest Review Of kencko’s Smoothies

As expected from a brand with certified B-corporation status, kencko’s individual smoothie packets arrived at my door in a compostable box (which also happens to be adorable), along with an equally cute bottle, all delivered via carbon-neutral shipping. Just like that, I was ready to get shaking. Here’s a rundown of five of kencko’s most popular offerings (and some of my favorites).

A Rich & Smooth Alternative To Your Morning Coffee

The first morning, I decided to try Mochas; while I’m not a huge coffee drinker (caffeine really affects me), I love the taste, and I hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. kencko’s Mochas is made with coffee, cacao beans, maqui berries, shiitake mushroom, chaga mushroom, and baobab powder, a blend that’s rich in toxin-fighting antioxidants, fiber, and polyphenols, which offer so many health benefits, including aiding cognitive function. It sounded like just the pick-me-up I needed in the morning. I blended it with ice and oat milk, ending up with a rich caramel-colored smoothie that smelled of coffee and chocolate. My first sip impressed me with nuanced notes of fruit, thanks to the addition of dates and strawberry, and the aforementioned chocolate and coffee. It tasted, just as kencko had advertised, like a sophisticated iced mocha. Without the addition of ice I may have found the texture a tad on the chalky side, but I slurped this smoothie up, making a mental note to try it blended with some almond or peanut butter for an extra hit of protein.

Major Health Benefit: Mental Focus | Key Ingredients: Coffee, Cacao Beans, Maqui Berries | Calories: 90 | Dietary Fiber: 3g | Protein: 2g | Total Sugars: 7g

This Fresh Berry Smoothie Packed With Antioxidants

A few hours later, I was ready for an afternoon snack. I opted for Purples, one of kencko’s most popular flavors, which contains anti-inflammatory and metabolism-boosting fruits like blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, dates, and bananas. I’ve never cared for bananas, so I was a little nervous to try this one. Shaken with ice water, Purples was a gorgeous plummy color; the taste was lightly sweet, and I was happy to find no overwhelming banana taste. kencko advertises Purples as tasting like a fresh berry smoothie, and since it’s made with real freeze-dried berries, I found that both the taste and texture really did match that description; it was perfectly seedy, and tasted of freshly blended berries. It would be delicious blended with oat or pistachio milk, as kencko recommends, but I’d also try this with peanut or almond butter for a heartier blend.

Major Health Benefit: Anti-Inflammatory | Key Ingredients: Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry | Calories: 80 | Dietary Fiber: 3g | Protein: 1g | Total Sugars: 13g

An Energy-Boosting Green Smoothie With A Hint Of Sweetness

I was extra excited to try Greens because it’s so packed with nourishing ingredients, like spinach (for energy-boosting vitamin B and iron), kale, and ginger, plus a handful of fruits for some sweetness. Mixed with ice water, Greens had a light pea-green shade; it tasted sweet, with a tiny, sophisticated kick of gingery spice. It would have been delicious mixed with coconut water as a post-workout snack per kencko’s suggestion, but it was balanced and delicious all on its own; it tasted like a $20 drink offered by one of those fancy, bespoke smoothie joints. And, like Purples, I was able to drink Greens without any offensive (for me) banana taste. While Greens needed no embellishment, I thought this one could make a delicious, healthy-ish cocktail with the addition of a little lemon and gin.

Major Health Benefit: Energy Surge | Key Ingredients: Spinach Leaves, Kale Leaves, Ginger | Calories: 80 | Dietary Fiber: 3g | Protein: 2g | Total Sugars: 13g

This Spicy Smoothie That Tastes Just Like A Bloody Mary

Speaking of cocktails, the next smoothie I tried was Spicy Tomatoes, which I found to be a deliciously healthy dupe for a virgin Bloody Mary. Packed with fiber to aid digestion, vitamin A for eye health, and glow-boosting vitamin C, shaken with ice water, this savory, gazpacho-like smoothie had the perfect spicy kick for a mid-afternoon snack; if it had been a little later in the day, I might have added a little vodka for a healthy happy hour treat. This contains cayenne, but since I really like spice, I added some extra hot sauce. But like Greens, Purples, and Mochas, I found the flavor tasty and balanced precisely as mixed, and not chalky in the slightest.

Major Health Benefit: Get Glowing | Key Ingredients: Tomato, Celery Root, Red Bell Pepper | Calories: 70 | Dietary Fiber: 4g | Protein: 3g | Total Sugars: 8g

A Super-Green Smoothie Packed With Plant Protein

I’ve never been the best at getting enough leafy greens into my diet, but packed with with kale, spinach, broccoli, green peas, and spirulina, Ultra Greens promised to make up the difference. The perfect pre- or post-workout smoothie, the blend is rich in iron and protein to battle fatigue, while vitamins A and C can help boost immunity. The brand recommends mixing it with plant-based banana milk to sweeten up this deep green smoothie, but instead, I added some hot sauce, and enjoyed the extra kick of spice. While the texture was a bit on the chunkier side, thanks to the leafy ingredients, I was still impressed by kencko’s ability to produce easily mixable smoothies without a chalky mouth-feel.

Major Health Benefit: Power Up | Key Ingredients: Apple, Green Peas, Broccoli | Calories: 70 | Dietary Fiber: 4g | Protein: 5g | Total Sugars: 5g

Pack More Plants Into Your Diet With kencko

kencko’s smoothies are tasty and simple, but that’s not all they have to offer. If you’re looking for quick and easy weeknight meals, they have just-add-water bowls, like the meatless Chile Non Carne, the hearty Souper Fast minestrone, or the West African-inspired Curry Up. And for those with a sweet tooth, they also have fruit and vegetable gumdrops.

The takeaway? Healthy eating is worth the effort, but kencko sure makes that effort a little easier — and delicious.