Acai bowls are the newest health craze. From their aesthetically pleasing look, to celebrities posting about them, to those hipster juice places advertising the new trend, I knew it was about time that I discovered for myself what all the fuss was about. Luckily for me, a new juice place opened here in town, so my quest for an acai bowl was officially over. I was ready to hop on this trend...or so I thought. 

What are Acai Bowls?

Acai bowls essentially consist of a thick smoothie base with a variety of appealing toppings. The smoothie base is made of acai, a berry originating from Central and South America, with other fruits as well. The one I tried included acai, mango, banana, and strawberry, topped with granola, coconut, and peanut butter. 

The Taste Test

I'm not going to lie, after seeing these bowls all over Instagram and blogs, I had high expectations going into this. When I saw that the bowl cost $10, you could say my wallet was taking a hit. Yikes. Is this really going to be worth it? I bit the bullet and decided it was time to try. Let's dig in.

Was It Worth It?

Here's the thing, it wasn't bad, but was it out of this world A.K.A. worth the $10 spent? I don't think so. I get that there are a lot of great benefits to these smoothies. With the substantial amount of protein they provide, these bowls even fill you like a meal. They're healthy and delicious, but the price is a little over-the-top. I try to keep my meals around the $7 range, otherwise I'm living large and before I know it, my bank account's drained. 

Acai bowls are yummy, and not to mention aesthetically pleasing, but perhaps not in the college budget. For now, I think I'll stick to drinking smoothies from McDonald's and telling myself that I'm being healthy. Who knows, maybe I'll attempt to make my own acai bowl on a budget?