It’s not always easy to find drinks that are flavorful yet not loaded with added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or a laundry list of chemicals.
Enter the sparkling juice beverages from Trader Joe’s, Aldi’s cousin. These come in two different flavors: strawberry and watermelon.
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Strawberry Juice Beverage or Sparkling Watermelon Juice cost $3.99 at the time of publication for a box of four 8.45-oz. cans, which comes out to $1 per serving.
These are made with real fruit juice plus some other ingredients, and they can be drunk chilled and straight from the can, or you can use them in cocktails, mocktails, or in ice cream sodas or fruity floats.
These are sold at room temperature, but I recommend chilling them before serving. Also, the box recommends that once a can is opened, it should be kept refrigerated and should be consumed within one day.
They are pasteurized and are a product of Vietnam.
I appreciate how these are made with real fruit juice with no added sugar, no natural flavors, no artificial sweeteners, and fewer chemicals than some flavored drinks. My family likes these drinks better than the popular La Croix sparkling water, which we often find tastes too bitter for our preferences.
I’m not sure if these are available at Trader Joe’s year round or if they’re a seasonal item on shelves during the warmer months.
Read on for more information about the two flavors.
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Strawberry Juice Beverage:
This contains 80% fruit juice.
The box states that these are great for packing for picnics or lunches. The box also suggests, “Add to a cocktail or mocktail garnished with fresh strawberries and basil.”
Ingredients are strawberry juice, water, carbon dioxide, citric acid (acidifier), and ascorbic acid (to maintain color).
One 8.45-oz. can has 60 calories, 16 grams of total carbohydrates (6% DV), 15 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of added sugar.
Ingredients and nutrition. (Click to enlarge.)
My family enjoyed this drink. One of the first things I noticed after popping a can open is how fragrant it is, smelling of sweet strawberries. It is not bitter like some sparkling water drinks. Instead, it is lightly sweet and not overly sweet.
I’ll definitely purchase this strawberry flavor again, and I’m intrigued by the idea of serving these with ice cream as a fancy float, so that will be happening sometime soon, too.
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Watermelon Juice:
This contains 100% juice.
The box calls this the “beverage of your warm-weather dreams” and suggests adding it to a cocktail garnished with slices of fresh cucumber or a sprig of rosemary.
Ingredients are watermelon juice, carbon dioxide, citric acid (acidifier), and ascorbic acid (to maintain color).
One 8.45-oz. can has 60 calories, 16 grams of total carbohydrates (6% DV), 2 grams of dietary fiber (7% DV), 12 grams of total sugars, and no added sugar.
Nutrition and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
This tastes like watermelon, not surprisingly. It’s all the juiciness of a summer watermelon, with fizz added. One family member said it tastes like watermelon-flavored chewing gum. My family prefers the strawberry flavor overall, but if you’re a fan of watermelon, this is good, too.
The Verdict:
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Strawberry Juice Beverage and Trader Joe’s Sparkling Watermelon Juice are fizzy, lightly sweet, and have no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. They taste great as is, or they can be used in cocktails, mocktails, or in ice cream soda or floats. We especially like the strawberry flavor.
I give it a 20. I don’t care if it’s a fife point scale. I love strawberry lemonade and this is the best I have ever had.