I had never really pegged Dollar General as the type of place to carry anything but junk. I suppose that’s a terrible generalization, but just look at their stores and layouts: nothing about it screams “premium”. That’s why I was caught off guard when I saw their Good & Smart line of smoothies and juices. There are only two different varieties available, and one of which was their “7 Super Fruits” juice that I was rather impressed with.

Now we turn our attention to the other variation in that line: The Green Super Smoothie.

Despite my enthusiasm for the “super fruit” beverage, I still had some reservations going into this one. Not to invalidate the deliciousness of the “super fruit” version, but six out of the seven juices in that one consist of fruits. Black carrots – the only vegetable in the mix – are one of the sweeter vegetables, and are frequently contained in fruit and veggie mixtures. I would venture to guess it’s much easier to make a delicious, sweet beverage out of fruits than it would be other ingredients.

The Green Super Smoothie goes in the opposite direction. It has its fair share of sweet fruits – apple, pineapple and lemon – but also offers up some potentially flavor-altering veggies and even a “spice”. The veggies, namely, are spinach, which typically has an “earthy” flavor, and cucumber, which is light and semi-sweet. But the one that really had me feeling nervous is the final ingredient: ginger.

Ginger is generally used as a spice in foods. It’s also prevalent in a lot of gross-tasting “healthy” juices. It has a strong, distinct flavor that can easily overwhelm the most delicious of flavors, if overused. And considering a little bit generally goes a long way, it doesn’t take much to “overuse” it. 

One thing that will disappoint some potential consumers is its inexplicable labeling as a “smoothie”. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that the line can be somewhat vague in pre-packaged goods. Many are fairly thin and not nearly the consistency of what one would get from a “freshly” made smoothie. That being said, even the ones I would consider to have a “disappointing” consistency were at least somewhat thick. It looked like they were attempting to make a smoothie, even if they failed.

This, however, doesn’t even make an effort to be anything more than “juice”. There’s no thickness in it at all. There aren’t even any thickening agents in the ingredients: just straight-up liquids. The only thing that could add some kind of added texture – spinach puree – clearly doesn’t. It looks like a juice, it moves like a juice, and it feels like a juice going down.

But that’s somewhat a moot point that shouldn’t alienate too many people. I mean, if something tastes good, should its label really prevent someone from trying it? Sure, I would expect something a lot thicker judging from the label. I’d even go so far as to say I’d expect it. But the fact is, it tastes good. Darn good, and for a price anyone can afford. Who am I to avoid recommending a product simply because the texture is too thin? 

Speaking of its affordable price: Each 8.12 oz. bottle (240 mL) is just $1. Sure, 8 oz. is pretty small. But even multiplying it by four – to get closer to the 33.8 oz. size of most similar beverages – would only run you $4. That’sless than the typical $5+ price tags of other brands. And that price includes many other store brands. It even comes in a glass bottle, something that gives it a more “premium” appearance, and makes the value feel even greater.

This is something that I never would have expected to find within the walls of a Dollar General. I guess that’s further proof you can’t judge a store by its drab appearance and depressing atmosphere.

Overall: 8.5/10. This is a drink that is better than it has any right to be. This potentially awkward combination of apple, spinach, cucumber, pineapple, lemon and ginger, delivers an unexpectedly sweet, perfectly balanced taste that’s way too easily drinkable. There are no bitter notes, nor is the ginger really all that noticeable. That’s a good thing, as that has the potential to singlehandedly derail deliciousness if overused. Combine the 100% juice content with the $1 price tag (per 8.12 oz. glass bottle) and you have the makings of a classic beverage. Who knew such gems could be found within the walls of a Dollar General?