This $1.25 Dollar Tree Freezer Find Is a Game-Changer

As someone who writes about food and cooking for a living, you might think that I’d turn my nose up at shortcuts. But the truth is that I’m always looking for clever time-savers that don’t compromise on quality.

So, I was particularly excited when I discovered Dollar Tree’s smoothie starter packs. These convenient little bags of frozen fruit and spinach have been a godsend to my morning routine. They make healthy breakfasts (or snacks) more achievable on busy weekdays and help me hit one of my 2025 goals of eating more plants. 

Why I Love Dollar Tree’s Smoothie Starter Packs

The convenience factor is off the charts with these packs. There are three different varieties: strawberry, banana, kiwi, and spinach; blueberry, strawberry, mango, and spinach; and strawberry, banana, mango, and spinach. Each one is perfectly portioned and ready to dump straight into the blender with my liquid of choice. The smoothies are on the tart side, which I love. If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, consider adding more banana, a fresh date, a squeeze of honey, a splash of juice, or even some sweetened protein powder. 

The quality has honestly surprised me. Frozen produce is flash-frozen at peak quality, which helps it retain freshness and taste good. And so far, there’s been no ice crystal buildup in my packages that tends to water down a smoothie.

At $1.25 for an eight-ounce pack, they’re also significantly cheaper than other smoothie starter packs. For example, the Better Goods smoothie packs from Walmart retail for $3.12 for the same size. The Better Goods packs appear to offer “functional” supplements by including probiotics or spirulina, but you could easily add those separately at a more beneficial dose. 

The only downside of these packs is that the mixes don’t contain a lot of spinach (though some seem to have more than others). This isn’t a deal-breaker to me because it takes very little effort to add an extra handful of spinach.

How I Use the Smoothie Starter Packs

While these packs are fantastic on their own, I like to give them an upgrade. My go-to morning blend includes one pack, an occasional extra handful of spinach, a generous glug of plain kefir or a scoop of plain Greek yogurt (for protein), a splash of milk, and a pinch of salt. When I need more staying power, I’ll add a spoonful of almond butter, a handful of hemp seeds, or a scoop of protein powder to the mix. I also make it with yogurt for my kids, sometimes blending the mixture a little thicker and serving it as a smoothie bowl topped with granola. It’s like dessert for breakfast. 

Adding extra frozen bananas can easily turn it into a “nice cream.” And, with a bit of simple syrup, I could even see them used as a non-traditional cocktail mix (like for a daiquiri) or turned into popsicles. Most importantly, they’re a solid base for a good morning start. Thanks to these packs, I’m officially out of excuses for skipping breakfast in 2025.

^{To learn more about our approach to product recommendations, see HERE.}