Açaí is an Amazonian fruit that Brazil has graciously exported to our northern shores, sparking widespread demand. As a fragile export, you’ll never find açaí berries in the fresh produce section of the grocery store. But a quick glance at the frozen section will reveal plenty of frozen açaí products, from whole berries to more convenient bowls. We tasted and ranked five açaí bowls based on price, açaí base flavor, texture, and whether the bowl included mix-ins.
We named Pitaya Foods’ frozen organic açaí and strawberry swirl smoothie bowl as the absolute best store-bought açaí bowl. These individually packaged snack bowls pack a powerful punch of flavors, a smooth, luscious texture, and contain the most unique combination of mix-ins we’ve ever seen. Açaí berries look like blueberries and taste like a cross between chocolate and fruit, with an irresistible sweet and tangy profile that most berries share. Pitaya Foods blended these frozen berries into the smoothest puree while also mixing in a swirl of pureed strawberries to bring a more complex flavor profile overall.
Pitaya means “dragonfruit” in Spanish, and true to its name, this bowl features swirls of refreshing dragon fruit. Along with dragon fruit and strawberry swirls, Pitaya enhances the chocolate notes inherent in açaí with fudgy chocolate ribbons. Where competitors used more well-known açaí bowl toppings like granola, seeds, and nuts, Pitaya Foods stood out with original mix-ins that really highlighted the taste of the açaí base.
More glowing reviews for Pitaya Foods
Reviews on the Pitaya Frozen Foods website were just as glowing as ours. Customers described the bowl as refreshing, flavorful, sweet, and creative. One customer said, “These smoothie bowls are the perfect balance between taste and nutrition. The vibrant colors and rich flavors, especially the dragon fruit and açaí blends, make each spoonful feel indulgent while still being health-conscious.” To that effect, Pitaya Foods markets the strawberry açaí bowl as a powerhouse of vitamins like the essential B vitamins and vitamin C. Customers enjoy these bowls for breakfast or as a pre-workout snack because they feel energized after eating them.
While the price of these small smoothie bowls is a source of contention, the taste and convenience more than compensate. You’ll need to thaw these bowls for around 10 to 15 minutes to allow the frozen bowls to soften into a creamier texture. One customer recommends popping them in the microwave for 15 seconds if you need them immediately. While the bowl has flavorful mix-ins, they’re all swirled in for a uniformly smooth texture. You can always add texture and even more flavor with toppings. For example, you could bring even more chocolate, crunch, and fiber to the mix with our favorite Purely Elizabeth granola flavor, chocolate chip cookie granola. Fresh cashews and almonds would likewise bring crunch, protein, and healthy fat without added sugar.
