This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
If you’re like me and your body is composed of mostly Twizzlers Red No. 40, Yellow No. 6 from gallons of Tang, and the toxic Skittles kaleidoscope of your youth, you might be wondering if there’s life after the feds come for the toxic green syrup in your McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. Well, this St. Patrick’s Day, you are seen and heard, and there’s a pot of Natty-colored gold at the end of this rainbow.
The Food and Drug Administration aims to phase out Yellow No. 5 and Blue No. 1 by 2027. It’s the same synthetic coloring that gives McDonald’s Shamrock Shake its signature hue. But you can skip the petroleum-based junk without sacrificing festive flavor, using natural colorings you can feel good about chugging.
Featuring roughly 20 fewer ingredients than the OG, I’m testing out these healthy Shamrock Shake recipe dupes using highly scientific criteria: They must be naturally green, cold, shake-y, and minty, so we can focus on the real meaning of St. Patty’s Day: chugging green drinks while draped in plastic beads and pinching everyone who forgot the official rules of the holiday. Sláinte!
@i_like_tiny_hands Best Healthy Shamrock Shake Dupe On The Internet #mcdonalds #shamrockshake #dupe ♬ original sound – Tiny Hands
SHAKE #1: Naturally Green Shamrock Shake With Ice Cream
The Naturally Green Shamrock Shake by Chellie at Art From My Table came in strong with just four ingredients. I loved the fresh-picked flavor of the mint leaves. But while vanilla ice cream served total Mickey D’s vibes, I was hoping for a nutritional boost for my copycat shake.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups natural vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, stems removed, loosely packed
- ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
Make it:
- Blend everything for one minute, or until smooth.
SHAKE #2: Healthy Shamrock Shake With Protein
I’ve been following healthy dessert queen Katie from “Chocolate Covered Katie” forever. And her take on a nutritious Shamrock Shake doesn’t disappoint. While I would totally recommend this one for the St. Patty’s gym girlies, the flavor felt more like a deliciously smooth protein shake than a minty treat.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 frozen banana
- ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 1 scoop protein powder
- ¼ cup frozen spinach
- Scant 1/8 tsp salt, for flavor
Make it:
- Blend everything for one minute, or until smooth.
SHAKE #3: Shamrock Shake Dupe With Greek Yogurt
I would put Greek yogurt in anything, so the Healthy Shamrock Shake by Gina Matsoukas of Running To The Kitchen immediately called to me. While it’s a totally tasty green smoothie, for me, it wasn’t minty, cold, or Shamrock-y enough for the holiday.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ice
- Half of a frozen banana
- ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 4 fresh mint leaves
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk
Make it:
- Blend everything for one minute, or until smooth.
SHAKE #4: Healthy Shamrock Shake With Avocado
Avocado tags in on the Healthy Shamrock Shake from Joy Food Sunshine to create a luxuriously thick and creamy texture. While the vibrant grassy green was deeper than the McD’s OG, the shake tasted a little too much like a garden for me.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 avocado
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- 15 fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup ice
Make it:
- Blend everything for one minute, or until smooth.
SHAKE #5: Shamrock Shake Dupe With Dates
A clear favorite of minty shake dupe fans, the Healthy Shamrock Shake from Megan Gilmore of Detoxinista gets all kinds of five-star reviews, with some saying it’s as good as “mint ice cream.” Of the recipes I tried, it tasted the closest to the McDonald’s original, but it needed a little extra mint flavor and sweetener to take it over the top.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup almond milk
- ¼ avocado
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 to 2 large handfuls of ice
Make it:
- Blend everything for one minute, or until smooth.
SHAKE #6: The Winner, Aka The Shamrock Shake ShamWow Dupe
Inspired by the great dupes that came before me, I chose my favorite ingredients and sweeteners and put my blending skills to the test. This healthy Shamrock Shake might not be enough to convert hardcore fans, but it makes an excellent swap, packed with way more vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats than McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. While it’s not as cheek-pinchingly sweet as the original, I wouldn’t be mad about sipping this on St. Patty’s Day, or any other day, either.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup fresh avocado
- ¼ cup frozen spinach
- 4 fresh mint leaves
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 5 Medjool dates
- Pinch of salt
- Handful of ice
- Liquid stevia, to taste
Make it:
- Blend everything for one minute, or until smooth.
For a little extra luck of the Irish, top any of these healthy Shamrock Shake dupes with a generous serving of homemade whipped cream, or make it adults-only with a shot of Baileys Irish Cream.
***
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
.png)
.png)
