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Kai F McNeil
Tahlia Köstenberger, Sophomore in Applied Nutrution, waits for her peach sunset smoothie at the opening of "Smoothie U" in the Atrium on April 20th. Köstenberger commented that she usually drinks about one smoothie a week from Port City Java and found out about "Smoothie U" from an email she recieved last week from University Dining. Upperclassman patrons compared it "Freshens", the previous smoothie store, with mixed reviews.
Smoothie U, a relatively new dining option for students, is located in the Atrium, overlooking the Brickyard. Right in the heart of campus, Smoothie U is a one-stop shop for students’ blendable needs that offers a wide array of fresh, fruity and protein-packed options.
Recently opened in April, Smoothie U is engineered with students in mind with its brightly colored and contemporary style.
“Some students are drawn to more tart, juice-based options, and others want more of a treat or dessert aspect,” said Jennifer Gilmore, the director of Marketing and Communications for Campus Enterprises.
She said the staff learned from previous ventures that students have a wide palate when it comes to smoothies. Some students agree that Smoothie U is indeed delicious, like Julia Lumbattis, a junior studying communication.
“I love having so many different smoothies to choose from,” she said. “It’s great to have some quick, healthy options for days when I am running from class to class. My favorite is the Raspberry Truffle- it’s the perfect combination of sweet and chocolaty.”
However, some students believe the smoothies are not worth the price, like Anna Shelton, a senior studying human biology.
“Smoothie U has nothing on Freshens, the old smoothie place,” she said. “The smoothies at Smoothie U are more like slushies.”
Whether or not students like what Smoothie U offers, students can slurp them without fear of high calories or other dietary restrictions. Options for students with gluten intolerance or allergies are plentiful, according to Gilmore. She said as much effort as possible has been put into providing information about all ingredients used at Smoothie U.
Catering to students with allergies as well as vegans and vegetarians is also a top priority for University Dining.
“If you tell students that their food is safe and healthy, you have to honor that,” Gilmore said. “At Smoothie U, we’ve made sure that a student can trust that every single time.”
Certain items, such as the Peanut Butter and Jelly and Banana Nut, can be used as a meal replacement due to their high protein content, while options such as the Hawaiian Sunrise and Mean Green smoothies are “guilt-free, low-calorie” refreshments full of fresh fruit and leafy greens.
Fresh produce, protein additions and almond milk substitutions are among the choices students can make when customizing their smoothies. Full nutritional information is available in-store on the menus as well as online.
Smoothies can be bought using meal plans, at a $6 meal equivalency. Smoothie U also accepts All Campus cards, dining dollars, credit cards and cash.
Campus Enterprises designed, branded and marketed Smoothie U and has stressed the importance of student input about Smoothie U as well as all University Dining venues. If you would like to make a suggestion, offer a compliment or complaint, or contact University dining via email, tweet to @ncstatedining.