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The best meal replacement shakes, bars, and powder
The best meal replacement shakes, bars, and powder
Steven JohnOct 25, 2019, 21:54 IST
In a matter of seconds, a good meal replacement beverage, bar, or shake can deliver enough calories and nutrients to keep you going for hours.
Soylent Cafe Coffiest is our favorite meal replacement option because it delivers a welcome dose of caffeine along with plenty of protein, fiber, vitamins, and more.
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Truth be told, I rarely miss meals these days. I work from home most of the time, so the kitchen is pretty easy to access and tends to be stocked with foods I like to eat. In years past, however, I couldn't possibly count the number of times I found myself sitting in morning traffic after rushing out the door without eating breakfast. Often I would even find myself sitting at my desk for hours before realizing I had yet to consume anything but coffee.
While missing breakfast is less of an issue on a day-to-day basis for me now, I still manage to forget to eat a real meal or to bring along sufficient on-the-go food almost every time I travel, which tends to happen a few times a month. This leads to a lot of pizza and donuts purchased in Penn Station or to buying wildly overpriced pre-made airline sandwiches that are always just a bit too small to satisfy.
For at least the near future, though, I've got it all figured out. That's because there is a case of Soylent Cafe Coffiest meal replacement beverages on a shelf downstairs. Next to that, you'll find a box of PROBAR meal bars. Thus as long as I can find the 45 seconds or so that it takes to chug a beverage or chow down on a bar, I'll have about the same amount of calories and balance of nutrients that a decent breakfast would have delivered. Now, remembering to replenish my supply of meal replacement products once they run out? That's another issue entirely.
When choosing a meal replacement option for yourself, make sure you find something you will actually enjoy. Getting calories into yourself need not be an unpleasant experience just because you're in a rush. You can shop by flavor, by dietary concerns, by calorie count or nutrition profile, and so forth.
Also consider where you will consume a chosen meal replacement. It's great if you find a meal replacement powder that makes truly delicious shakes, for example, but not so great if you need to eat during a commute. Fellow motorists probably want your hands on the wheel, not stirring a beverage. If you take public transit, your fellow subway riders have probably seen it all, but will still appreciate you eating a bar instead of whisking up a protein shake.
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You don't have to be perennially busy with work, school, commutes, travel, and life in general to use meal replacement products. They can also make a handy and healthy part of your daily routine, aiding with fitness goals, adding vitamins, minerals, and other needed nutrients into your diet, and even by saving you money. Many meal replacement options cost just two or three dollars per serving; try getting a balanced meal at that price and you'll probably come up short.
A single bottle of Soylent Cafe Coffiest (12-Pack) delivers a balance of essential vitamins and minerals along with protein, fiber, carbs, and most importantly, caffeine.
Here's the first and probably the main reason why I like Soylent Cafe Coffiest: the shakes taste good. I would drink it simply for pleasure, but I appreciate that the shake contains as much nutrition as you would expect to get from a decent sandwich or bowl of soup.
A single 14-ounce bottle packs in 20 grams of protein, 12-percent of your daily fiber and carbohydrate needs, and 20-percent of multiple vitamins and minerals, including calcium, vitamins A, B6, C, D, and E, magnesium, potassium, and more.
Also, at 400 calories per serving, a bottle of Cafe Coffiest will keep most people feeling full and with plenty of energy for a number of hours. That energy is also partially thanks to the fact that Cafe Coffiest delivers the same amount of caffeine as an average cup of black coffee. The shake also contains the amino acid l-theanine, which naturally counteracts the jittery feeling that caffeine causes in some people.
So to sum it up, after consuming a bottle of Soylent Cafe Coffiest, you'll be more alert, more energized, not hungry, and not jittery. Also, for the record, there are several other flavors at your disposal, including Chai, Vanilla, and Cacao.
With more than 800 reviews posted on Amazon, Soylent Cafe Coffiest has a four out of five-star average rating. One self-professed Soylent aficionado calls it "meticulously well balanced human fuel," while another says it is a perfect meal replacement option for "a busy young professional who is moderately health obsessed."
A writer from Eater calls Soylent perfect for people who "often skip breakfast" due to a hectic schedule. In a review from BestProducts, a product tester noted the "pleasant and not-too-sweet taste" and was "impressed... by how filling" the beverage really was.
Pros: Excellent source of vitamins and minerals, contains same caffeine content as a cup of coffee, sufficient calories for hours of energy.
Cons: Slightly chalky mouthfeel
The best meal replacement bar
The PROBAR Superfood Slam Meal Bar (12-Pack) packs 370 calories into a three-ounce bar, so you can ingest a small meal's worth of nutrition in just a few bites.
While I heartily endorse PROBAR meal bars as meal replacement foods for the busy professional, the harried parent, or the starving student, I have to admit that my own primary use for these tasty, calorie-packed bars is as a snack while hiking.
A PROBAR has about a hundred calories more than you'll find in the average energy bar promoted for use by the outdoorsman or athlete, so carrying these just makes sense when you're worrying about gear weight during a trek or climb.
The fact that said calories are derived from a range of healthy ingredients doesn't hurt, either. A PROBAR Superfood Slam Meal Bar features flax, oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and a host of other healthy ingredients. The bars are certified to be made using non-GMO sourced foods and to be free of soy and of gluten, so Celiac patients need not abstain. Also, thanks to the fruits and natural sweeteners, these bars taste good. Which you'll appreciate when one is standing in for a sandwich.
With more than 800 reviews posted online, the PROBAR Superfood Slam Meal Bar enjoys a solid 4.5-star average rating. One sated customer calls them "tasty, filling, and nutritious," adding that the bars are perfect for "outdoor activities." Another person says PROBARs are "great for busy days when you don't have time to eat, or for breakfast on mornings you're in a rush."
A write up from TrailSpace calls PROBAR Superfood Slam bars "a meal in a pouch" that has plenty of "nutritional balance." A GearJunkie reviewer called these bars "an organic whirlwind of uncooked and un-processed raw foods."
Pros: Lots of calories and nutrition in small bar, sweet and tasty, free of soy and gluten
Cons: Too sweet for some palates
The best meal replacement powder
A shake made from Garden of Life Meal Replacement powder offers you an excellent nutritional boost with ingredients that build muscle, deliver vitamins, and keep you full.
When you use Garden of Life Meal Replacement Powder to make yourself a healthy shake, you are using a product created from no fewer than 44 so-called "superfoods." Organic flax seed? That's super good for you. Organic spinach? Ditto. Organic lentils? Also good for you. And so on and so forth. So yeah, actually, this powder is pretty much a super food, buzzwords be damned.
But lots of meal replacement products are made from organic this and sprouted that and GMO-free the other thing. What I like about this and other high-quality meal replacement powders is that the serving size is in your control. If you go with the recommended one scoop whisked into a glass of water, you'll be getting 120 calories, 20 grams of protein, plenty of carbs, lots of vitamins and minerals, and very little fat indeed.
Need a bit more post-workout protein? Or want a few more calories to power you through the morning? No problem, just add another half scoop. Want just a little afternoon fuel? Have a half scoop. Unlike with a pre-packaged meal replacement drink or bar, it's up to you to have as much or as little of this super powder as you want each and every time.
With a stunning 7,000-plus ratings posted online, Garden of Life Meal Replacement Powder gets a laudable 4.1 out of five-star average score. One super fan hits all the main points when she calls the powder "ridiculously healthy" and a great way to have "more energy" and to stay "full for a surprising amount of time." She also adds that it's even delicious, especially when blended with fresh fruits in a smoothie.
A video review with BestProteinPowder4Women called Garden of Life powder the "top pick" for a natural meal replacement powder product. A Bodybuilding reviewer says the powder "tastes amazing" and is "super convenient... on the go."
Pros: Easy portion control, dozens of healthful ingredients, loaded with probiotics
Cons: Shakes require vigorous stirring or blending to remove chunks
The best high protein meal replacement bar
Whether you're trying to build muscle or you just really want to stay full, a BSN Syntha-6 Protein Crisp Bar (12-Pack) is a great way to do it.
If you're looking for a meal replacement that has optimal nutritional balance and that delivers all the essential vitamins, minerals and that covers all the food groups, then a BSN Syntha-6 Protein Crisp Bar is probably not the best choice for you. These things aren't an ideal choice for daily consumption in lieu of breakfast, in other words.
If you need an occasional energy-boosting meal replacement bar for those days when you're just too busy for lunch, they're a good choice, however. If you're a fitness enthusiast looking to speed up muscle growth, they're a great choice.
A BSN Syntha-6 bar, on the other hand, packs 20 grams of protein into 230 calories. That means you will get a serious infusion of the protein needed to repair and grow muscles following a serious weightlifting session, or the protein needed to keep your muscles in good repair during a long hike, a weekend on the river or surfing the waves, and so forth.
Although these bars lack some of the nutritional balance needed for use as an everyday meal replacement option, all that protein will keep you feeling nice and full on the occasions when you do turn to a BSN Syntha-6 Protein Crisp Bar as your stopgap meal replacement choice. As an added bonus, they taste more like a candy bar than a meal bar, too.
With 5,500-plus ratings and counting, these protein powerhouses have a mighty 4.6-star average rating on Amazon. One consumer calls them "delicious, low on sugar, [and] high on protein." Another brand fan says the bars are "easy to eat and digest," alluding to a common problem among other high protein products.
A product tester from Stack3d praised the BSN Syntha-6 bar's "combination of flavor and consistency," while a writer with the site Sean's Skillet called them "delicious" with a great blend of ingredients "to balance the sweetness."
Pros: Very high protein count, great taste, good price point
Cons: Less nutritional balance than other options
The best meal replacement drink for weight loss
A single 11-ounce Atkins Ready to Drink Shake (12-Pack) can satisfy your hunger pangs despite only delivering a modest 160 calories.
Dieting sucks. But hitting your weight loss and fitness goals rocks. The more you can reduce the unpleasantness of the former, the more likely you are to attain the latter. One of the best ways to reduce your overall caloric intake and speed up the progress toward weight loss and fitness gains is to find a meal replacement option that is low on calories, big on great taste, and that has enough protein to keep you feeling full enough to ward of snacking.
Enter the Atkins Ready to Drink Shake. One of these 11-ounce shakes can stand in for your breakfast whether you're on-the-go, trying to lose some weight, or both. You can also sip an Atkins shake as part of a workout routine, adding much-needed protein without adding lots of calories. Anytime and anywhere you drink one, you'll appreciate the fact that the Milk Chocolate Delight flavor actually tastes great.
The fact that this stuff is gluten-free and high in calcium is lovely, too. One serving supplies 20% of your daily need of more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including vitamins K, E, and B12.
With hundreds of reviews logged, Atkins Ready to Drink Shakes earn a tasty 4.6-star average. One satisfied buyer appreciates how a shake "curbs the carb craving" and taste good, too. Another calls them "great for a quick breakfast on the run."
A writer from Consumer Health Digest appreciated how each shake "provides you with... proteins, fire, vitamins, and minerals that the body require." A review from ProDietReviews said the shakes can help "make weight management both tasty and convenient."
Pros: High protein and low calorie, great taste, good balance of vitamins and minerals, great low price
