By Cindy Arora
Keeping healthy is top of mind these days.
From vitamin supplements to daily exercise, there are many theories on how to help keep the doctor away.
Fads aside, eating enough fruits and vegetables still remains a tried and true way to meet your vitamin and nutrient requirements.
These days, fruits and veggies don’t have to be confined to your dinner plate or morning cereal – you can sip your way to good health.
San Dimas, home to roughly 34,000 residents within a 15.4 miles radius, has the good fortune of having a number of juice bars and smoothie spots all over town.
From small mom and pop shops to a popular national chain, there is more than one way to get your recommended fruits and vegetables for the day in San Dimas.
We put together a roundup of some local favorites to visit. So the next time you head out for a weekend walk at one of the many local walking paths, grab a green juice or a power smoothie for the road.
Squeeze Me
Tucked away in a shopping center along Arrow Highway, smoothie shop Squeeze Me has something for everyone. The versatile menu offers fruit smoothies, slushies (ice blended fruit juice and real fruit), milk teas with boba, shakes, frappes, and acai bowls. But, if you are looking for a great source of vitamins, antioxidants and superfoods – they have you covered. The best seller is the Green Power Pump, a sweet and savory smoothie that combines kale, spirulina (antioxidant algae), banana, pineapple, and orange juice. The Immunizer (orange juice, pineapple, peach, bee pollen, and vitamin C) and the Health Nut (almond milk, banana, pineapple, peanut butter, kale, and oats) are also great options. Squeeze Me, 515 W. Arrow Hwy., San Dimas, CA 91773
MostXcellent Juicery
This micro juice bar along San Dimas Avenue isn’t just fun to say out loud, it is also an excellent place to grab a cold pressed juice made with organic produce and a wallop of vitamins. MostXcellent has an impressive menu celebrating the bounty of fruits and vegetables in California. Served in a glass bottle, each juice ranges from $11 to $13. A local favorite is Happy#13, a pressed juice made with only two ingredients – cucumbers and pineapple – which makes you feel exactly as it says on its label. There is also the Circle K (kale, apple, celery, fennel, cucumber, and cilantro), Dr. Walker (peeled carrot, spinach, celery, and Italian parsley) and the kid-friendly Harriet (apple juice and cider blend). Patio tables are available out front, so take a picture with George Washington, smile with your juice and say “Dude.” MostXcellent Juicery, 222 S. San Dimas Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773
Sweet Savory Café & Bakery
This neighborhood café isn’t just a bakery! They have avocado toast and breakfast burritos, oatmeal and egg sandwiches, BLT sandwiches and something awesome called the Dalrymple (a roast beef sandwich). They also have a bevy of salads, bagels and an assortment of empanadas made in-store. As part of the café’s growing to-go business, they offer a selection of fresh juices, making it easy for people to stop in and pick up a 24-ounce bottle of green juice (kale, spinach, celery, lemon, and apple juice) from a take-and-go refrigerator. The self-service juices also come in orange and apple. Sweet Savory Café & Bakery, 138 W. Bonita Ave., Ste. 103, San Dimas, CA 91773
Nekter Juice Bar
This national juice and smoothie franchise has a San Dimas location kitty-corner to Krispy Kreme. Their menu is vast, offering smoothies, juices, acai bowls, fusion blends, grab n’ go cold-pressed bottled juices, parfaits, and even their own line of Nekter Cleanses. Some of their popular drinks include Slender Greens (spinach, kale, cucumber, pineapple, mango, chia seeds, and coconut water blended with ice), the immune system booster Turmeric Sunrise (pineapple, mango, coconut butter, coconut water, lime, and turmeric), and their signature The Greenie (parsley, spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, lemon, and apple). Download the Nekter app, and you can order online for easy curbside pick-up. Nekter Juice Bar, 1034 W. Gladstone St., San Dimas, CA 91773
