REVIEW: Juice Monster Strawberry Lemonade Energy Drink

Red white and blue can

Monster Energy’s Strawberry Lemonade Juice has a pleasant pink color, which is the perfect hue to represent my adoration for it. Or maybe that fondness was caused by the chilled liquid making these hot summer days a little more tolerable.

Here’s what the can says about the flavor:

12 score and 10 years ago our great nation was born. Now, we celebrate with our limited-edition Juice Monster Strawberry Lemonade! It’s like an AP Honors U.S. History book packed onto a can. Not a tiny Euro can…an American size 16 oz. can! Bursting with real juice, perfectly tart lemonade, and the sweet taste of strawberries, plus a full load of our energy blend. Happy Birthday, America!

Someone drew them.

Yes, the flavor honors our nation’s 250th birthday. It does it so with a can adorned with red, white, blue, stars, eagles, monster trucks, American flags, what appears to be George Washington’s head on He-Man’s body mounted on a motorcycle, and an Uncle Sam who looks like Colonel Sanders in witness protection. I’m not sure what strawberry lemonade has to do with the birth of our country, and no one has ever said, “As American as strawberry lemonade,” but I’m not going to complain because it’s a delicious way to celebrate America and summer.

Pink!

I’ve had strawberry lemonades that had such a strong strawberry flavor that the lemonade got lost, but this one has the right balance between the berry and citrus. There’s a slight sourness, but it’s not enough to make me pucker. Much like red, white, and blue make for a great flag, being sweet, flavorful, and refreshing make for a great beverage, and this drink is all three.

Like many Juice Monster drinks, this has only five percent juice. But if I saw this at a kid’s lemonade stand that was next to a competing lemonade stand selling regular lemonade, its 160 milligrams of caffeine would convince me to pick up a can. Sorry, kid.

I’m not sure whether Monster’s Strawberry Lemonade Energy Juice is a one-time thing or something that’ll return someday. But I hope it comes back, because I’m tickled pink by it.

Purchased Price: $3.75
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 0 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 47 grams of sugar (including 47 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 160 milligrams of caffeine.

New Trader Joe’s Products Spotted — June 29, 2026

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments. Spotted something new? Send your photos to [email protected].

Trader Joe’s Italian Pistachio Gelato Style Frozen Dessert

Trader Joe's Italian Pistachio Gelato Style Frozen Dessert.

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

Trader Joe’s Sour Confetti Chews

Trader Joe's Sour Confetti Chews.

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

Trader Joe’s Spicy Queso Dip

Trader Joe's Spicy Queso Dip.

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Black-Eyed Pea Tempeh Chips

Trader Joe's Sweet Chili Black-Eyed Pea Tempeh Chips.

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

Trader Joe’s Seasoned and Shredded Rotisserie Chicken

Trader Joe's Seasoned and Shredded Rotisserie Chicken.

(Spotted by Sarah R at Trader Joe’s.)

SPOTTED: Signature Select Limited Edition Summer Ice Cream Flavors

Signature Select Strawberry Saltwater Taffy Ice Cream

Signature Select Strawberry Saltwater Taffy Ice Cream.

Signature Select Root Beer Float Ice Cream

Signature Select Root Beer Float Ice Cream.

Signature Select Chocolate Covered Banana Ice Cream

Signature Select Chocolate Covered Banana Ice Cream.

Signature Select Caramel Churro Ice Cream

Signature Select Caramel Churro Ice Cream.

The Caramel Churro is a returning flavor, and there have been Signature Select Root Beer Float Ice Cream Bars. But the Strawberry Saltwater Taffy and Chocolate Covered Chocolate Banana are new. (Spotted by Carla at Safeway and Tommy at Shaw’s.)

SPOTTED: Bagel Bites Rolled Pizza Snacks

REVIEW: Wendy’s Banana Frosty Swirl

Banana!

Ladies and Gentleminions, Wendy’s is back with another Blendy.

Well, they would be if they just agreed to call it that. Yeah, it’s technically called a “Frosty Swirl,” but I’m not gonna let that little restraining order get in the way of calling it a Blendy.

What are they gonna do, restrain me again? Order me around like some Minion?

In the business, they call that an “expert segue.” Not me though. I call it an “expert segway” because I prefer the dumb-guy spelling of the word, and it’s well established that I’m a rebel.

Know who else are rebels? The Minions. Call me Paul Blart, because I am a Segway expert!

Banana Frosty

Yup, we’ve got ourselves a collab between Wendy and the new film, Minions and Monsters, and you’ll never guess what flavor it is.

You guessed it, Bottom! No wait, the other word the Minions say, Banana!

As an ardent banana defender, I feel it is my duty to stick up for any and all banana-flavored snacks. I love almost all of them. … not sure I loved this one.

Banana Frosty Swirl

Don’t get me wrong, it’s vanilla ice cream with banana syrup. It’s not bad, it’s just not what it could’ve been. As much as it pains me to admit, I don’t think bananas work as a syrup.

I can’t recall the last time I had a Vanilla Frosty, but I really just think this was ice cream. I’ve broken down the consistency of the Frosty in past reviews, and this lacked that little bit of “grainy ice” texture that is uniquely Frosty. It tasted good, but that was a bad start.

Banana!

I wasn’t exactly swimming in banana syrup swirl, but it was probably for the better. In isolation, it tasted okay, but it was a very highly concentrated flavor. I wouldn’t say it was natural or “Banana Runt” artificial, but right in banana purgatory. (Sidenote: Banana Runts are amazing, stop slandering them.)

I didn’t love the consistency here. It’s essentially the same as chocolate syrup, and it was a little strange when coupled with a banana flavor. I don’t know why, but thick, gooey banana syrup just doesn’t hit the same.

There was also a sour finish to the syrup, but once I mixed it up, it tasted alright. That said, the ratio was such that the vanilla just took over completely, and it got pretty boring like the 3rd act of Despicable Me 4 – a movie I definitely saw.

Boss

All things considered, it’s decent, and it’s definitely a cute collaboration. Who doesn’t like the Minions? They’re still funny. Hearing one say, “Allo Wendy” in the commercial is comedy, but this Blendy leaned a little closer to tragedy.

My ultimate takeaway was – why didn’t Wendy’s just make a Banana Frosty?! Why are we trying to “McFlurry” this? Is Wendy’s corporate the eponymous Monsters? Just make a delicious, grainy iced Banana Frosty! It was right there!

After I had that epiphany, I realized I was more disappointed than I initially thought, and I honestly no longer saw the allure.

… I shoulda said “appeal.” It was right there!

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: Small
Purchased at: Wendy’s
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 370 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 270 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of total carbohydrates, 56 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

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