Montreal Gazette

The sip: Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood

The price: $24.99 for a 200g tub or $21.99 for 15 individual sachets

The smell: Nestle Quick with a maltier edge - but still, there's little in the scent to raise suspicions that it's a dietary supplement.

The look: Once the powder is stirred into a glass of milk, it resembles thinned out chocolate milk. The colour veers more toward grey than rich brown.

The taste: You know when you buy a brownie and it turns out to be carob instead of chocolate? It's a little like that. The taste isn't unpleasant, but there's a hint of health-food store in it, or strawberry-flavoured breakfast replacement beverage.

The story: This formula was conceived as a nifty response to children who refuse to eat their vegetables and fruits - a particular challenge since we're all supposed to be consuming five to nine servings of this food group each day. Now, when little Timmy turns up his nose at spinach or broccoli, parents can suggest this chocolate drink instead, surreptitiously delivering a mother lode of vitamins and minerals while their cherished angel slurps away, blissfully unaware of the health benefits seeping into his body (but also unaware of the importance of actually eating his greens). The mix uses 33 different fruits and vegetables that are rich in phytonutrients, said to promote a strong immune system.

The source: Amazing Grass doesn't yet have retail distribution in the Montreal area, but offers online shopping at amazinggrass.com.

The twist: Kidz aren't the only ones consuming this all-natural drink powder. Amazing Grass also produces adult versions for customers it refers to as "GrassHeads."