Lunch Ladies: Jamba Juice
The Lunch Ladies enjoyed a visit to Jamba Juice in Provo.
Ah, the lunch hour. Ideally it’s a time to sit back and relax, take a load off and bask in the break of the day. But what about the days when you are in a hurry, have looming deadlines and really the most relaxing thing you can imagine is just how fast you can get some grub in your belly, so it stops making those embarrassing noises in your next meeting or class? Anyone else been there?
This last week the Lunch Ladies have been swamped! With deadlines, assignments due and so many different overlapping tasks on our plates it’s been a challenge to feel like we are really seeing the light of day, more than just the blur of what we know we should recognize as the sun.
However, even with feeling on the constant go, we still wanted to take a quick pause and join each other for a fast-paced lunch so we could at least make sure we were all still surviving and still sane. So now the real challenge of the week was presented: Where could we go that would be fast, but not leave us feeling sluggish and weighed down? Because that would be the last thing we’d need during our action packed day.
After some failed brainstorming I finally felt an almost tangible lightbulb come on: Jamba Juice! Definitely fast without being stereotypical greasy fast food, perfect for lunch on the go, or we could linger as long as we wanted.
I reached out to my fellow Lunch Ladies and told them I had found a perfect winner for our current dynamic. They agreed, and we were shortly on our way.
Jamba Juice is a small restaurant front with a few tables outside and a handful inside. We noticed the pretzels, waffles, and other snack options that we hadn’t noticed before. We took several minutes to make our decisions, then stepped up to the counter and placed our orders.
Here is what the Lunch Ladies went with:
Jennette: Sweet ‘N Spicy Chicken Artisan Flatbread, $4.05
I am so sick of winter! I love warm weather and just being warm. I need sunshine and green grass and maybe even a flower or two. Jamba Juice screams sunshine to me. When I walked in and smelled all the sweet fruits and saw all the bright colors my mood was brightened. I decided to try the new (to me anyway) artisan flatbread. The crispy flatbread was topped with a smear of hummus, cheese, grilled chicken and red and green peppers. It was light and spicy and just enough sustenance to get me through the busy afternoon. They don’t have Diet Coke there but don’t worry, I stopped to get my mug filled before going to Jamba Juice.
Janell: Spinach ‘n Cheese Breakfast Wrap, $3.95
When you think of Jamba Juice I would bet that you do not think, “mmmm, lunch”. However, this is exactly what we thought as we stepped out for lunch. I was skeptical, but as a team player I jumped on board. I have always enjoyed their smoothies so I thought I could get by with one of those. When we got there, however, I was quite surprised to see that they did indeed have other choices. So I jumped out of my norm and chose a breakfast wrap. It came wrapped in a crispy wheat tortilla and was toasty warm. I was offered hot sauce which I agreed to, Frank’s Hot Sauce actually. When handed the small brown sack the skepticism returned, only to be shot down with the first bite. If you are looking for something fast, cheap and not fried, might I suggest a breakfast wrap from Jamba Juice?
Gabby: Caribbean Passion Smoothie (large), $5.95
Deciding which smoothie to get took me probably about five minutes. Seriously. There are just so many tasty options! I was really tempted by the chocolate peanut butter one, but decided fruit was a little bit better for my lunch. The Caribbean Passion has mango, strawberry, peach, orange and passion fruit. I took my very first sip and I was wowed by the boldness of the flavors. Amazing! It was so fresh and so delicious, reminding me why I love Jamba. The strong flavors were a great combination, and the large smoothie was definitely sufficient for lunch. Also, by going with a fruit-based lunch I had no qualms about planning on a rather carnivorous dinner. Just sayin’. A flavorful, fast lunch, for $6, with fresh ingredients, and tons of fruit. Yes, I will be repeating this outing on future occasions.
Well, we did it! We successfully fit in a fun lunch outing even amidst a chaotic and hectic week. I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty proud of us. Luckily we found a place just right for the week we were having. Sometimes you want laid back and leisurely or deep-fried in all its glory, and sometimes you just want light and straightforward. And man, I sure am glad Utah County seems to have it all! Thanks Jamba Juice for fulfilling just what the Lunch Ladies needed this lunch hour.
Jamba Juice: 1774 N. University Parkway #60, Provo. Open Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Sundays.