Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl

I've always said that I like cold weather better than the heat, but maybe that was a lie. I miss sunshine and warm weather. The sun setting at 4 pm is completely deplorable. And while I do look forward to all the soups and comfort food ahead, it was nice to finally see this at my local Trader Joe's. Sure I could have used this three months ago but late is better than never. 

I have tried the frozen acai packets (4 for $4.49), which were pretty good. But I only used them for smoothies, never actual acai bowls. I've only ever had acai bowls in hipster cafes or smoothie bowl franchises. Yes, they taste good, they're "healthy," but they don't come cheap. 

 The ingredients aren't that bad. It's an acai puree sweetened with tapioca syrup, and there isn't as much sugar other things like froyo (like the acai froyo from Costco).

You read that right - microwave to force defrost (because in my case I didn't have the patience to let this defrost in the fridge overnight).

This bowl is about 6 inches across, which means it's larger than the small size at many Frutta Bowl/Playa bowl stores.

1) I overshot the microwave time, missed the frosty consistency I was aiming for, and effectively melted the acai puree into a soup. Whoops. So I stuck it back in the freezer and checked on it every 10 minutes until it was thicker.

2) A tasted it, made a face, and called it "berry meh." But he's also not the target demographic of the acai bowl...

3) This acai bowl is lightly sweetened, which does tone down the tartness but it is more tart than sweet. I thought the sweetness was fine, but you can always add more honey or stevia or whatever to your taste.

4) The berries were a bit mushy since they were frozen, but what did you expect?

5) It's not the best acai bowl ever, but it hits the spot for me. It's a solid amount of acai puree, and they didn't skimp on the berries. Would I have liked granola clusters instead of granola flakes? Of course, but this is a granola topping and not just-the-clusters cereal. I don't normally care for coconut chips but along with the granola it adds a nice crunchy textural contrast. I don't personally care for banana but it was subtle enough where once I got used to the flavor, I didn't notice it anymore. Also, you could definitely spruce this up even more by adding your own granola, chia seeds, or whatever fruit you fancy.

6) What I find most impressive about this product is the value - it's a pretty solid amount at a very competitive price. A small Acai bowl from outside might be smaller than this at double the cost. And if this gets the job done, y'all better believe I'd rather spend $4 on this than double or triple on a bowl of breakfast froyo. For this, I give an extra point.

7) The only downside that I see is the amount of packaging you just toss - one can wish for more sustainable packaging solutions. But maybe it's potentially better than the plastic bowl and the plastic spoon from a store? Idk man.

TL;DR: Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowl. A berry good deal. 8 out of 10. Mantou Joe repurchase? Yes for treating myself.