Pre-blended Protein Shakes?

NicoleSchimmel
NicoleSchimmel Posts: 162 Member
edited February 6 in Food and Nutrition
My husband and I need more protein and we thought about protein shakes. Not only will this help with hitting our protein for the day, but it will help with I strength train. I don't like the idea of using a blender every morning, because 1) it's loud 2) it's an extra step to my already busy morning and 3) I don't want to clean it everyday. I know those sound like stupid excuses, but I find them inconvenient.

My dilemma is that I'm not sure pre-blended protein shakes are not good for you. I'm guessing there is alot of 'crap' in those that are not in the homemade blended ones.

My question is this: Are there any good pre-blended protein shakes out there? If so, what are they? If not, should I just suck it up and blend my own?

Thanks!!

Replies

  • courtneytrisha
    courtneytrisha Posts: 32 Member
    I don't know too much about pre-blended shakes, but one recommendation I have is maybe blend them at night and put them in the fridge for the morning? Then you don't have to do it in the morning.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
    Most protein powders dissolve easily in a blender bottle, which you can find on amazon for fairly cheap, and maybe at your local grocery store with the protein powders. Just put cold water/milk/almond milk in it, add the powder, and shake. It has a little ball whisk like thing in it that blends it up. It's a lot cheaper to buy powder in bulk than get pre-made shakes, and in my experience, they taste much better.
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
    I do both - like you, if I'm running late (or my husband is using the blender to make a smoothie), I skip making a protein shake and just grab a Muscle Milk Light Chocolate. I think they taste good (when they are very, very cold) and do the job in filling me up without taking too many calories out of my day.
  • NicoleSchimmel
    NicoleSchimmel Posts: 162 Member
    Thanks for your ideas all! I don't know why I didn't think of a blender bottle..sounds so simple!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    what does "good for you" mean?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Thanks for your ideas all! I don't know why I didn't think of a blender bottle..sounds so simple!

    Does that really save you all that much? It's still loud. You still have to clean it. It's another step of mixing/blending.
  • bvincentelp
    bvincentelp Posts: 36 Member
    Thanks for your ideas all! I don't know why I didn't think of a blender bottle..sounds so simple!

    Does that really save you all that much? It's still loud. You still have to clean it. It's another step of mixing/blending.

    How is shaking a bottle loud? Then just rinse out, thinking you don't know what a blender bottle actually is.
    The cost savings of making your own far outweigh the convenience of pre-made shakes as well.
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
    Thanks for your ideas all! I don't know why I didn't think of a blender bottle..sounds so simple!

    Does that really save you all that much? It's still loud. You still have to clean it. It's another step of mixing/blending.

    How is shaking a bottle loud? Then just rinse out, thinking you don't know what a blender bottle actually is.
    The cost savings of making your own far outweigh the convenience of pre-made shakes as well.

    I make mine in a blender then pour them into the blender bottle. The bottle keeps it mixed. I can't mix my shake in the blender bottle, however -- it would never annihilate the ice and the banana like I like it.
  • bkyoun
    bkyoun Posts: 371 Member
    Premier Nutrition protein shakes. They use whey protein. 30 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar per shake for 160 calories. They sell them at Costco. They are 24 dollars for 18.
  • GFLife2099
    GFLife2099 Posts: 7
    I do both - like you, if I'm running late (or my husband is using the blender to make a smoothie), I skip making a protein shake and just grab a Muscle Milk Light Chocolate. I think they taste good (when they are very, very cold) and do the job in filling me up without taking too many calories out of my day.

    I was just curious how those muscle milks taste? I was so close to buying one the other day. I pass it in the supermarket all the time.
  • susieoj
    susieoj Posts: 181
    He's right, the blender bottles with the metal ball that mixes well do also make noise - they make the noise of a little blender ball shaking back and forth against the sides of a hard plastic bottle - so yeah they do make noise that would be an issue if you're worried about waking people up in the morning - I know from personal experience ....lol....having woken up people shaking up the blender bottle - but more importantly, if you use the blender bottle, be careful what type of powder you buy, I have found that some don't mix very smooth in a bottle and you end up with gross grainy stuff - gnc whey mixes well in the bottle for me, also cellucore mixes well in the bottle and cellucore has an added thickener - so better shake like texture with only almond milk---
    as for pre mixed shakes, I liked the advantage edge carb control ones because they're low calorie - about 100 calories and almost no carbs and 17g protein, and good flavor, but the downside is the high sodium in those....They are however pretty cheap at walmart....so if you watch your sodium intake for the rest of your day it wouldn't matter much. Hope this helps you :)
  • bkyoun
    bkyoun Posts: 371 Member
    I do both - like you, if I'm running late (or my husband is using the blender to make a smoothie), I skip making a protein shake and just grab a Muscle Milk Light Chocolate. I think they taste good (when they are very, very cold) and do the job in filling me up without taking too many calories out of my day.

    I was just curious how those muscle milks taste? I was so close to buying one the other day. I pass it in the supermarket all the time.

    To me, the Premier Protein tastes better than the muscle milk light. Plus, the muscle milk light has 20g protein to 5g sugar and the premier protein is 30g protein to 1 sugar.
  • susieoj
    susieoj Posts: 181
    The premier protein shakes are good, I second that, my friend buys those :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Thanks for your ideas all! I don't know why I didn't think of a blender bottle..sounds so simple!

    Does that really save you all that much? It's still loud. You still have to clean it. It's another step of mixing/blending.

    How is shaking a bottle loud? Then just rinse out, thinking you don't know what a blender bottle actually is.
    The cost savings of making your own far outweigh the convenience of pre-made shakes as well.

    I actually do use them. I use a full size blender and a smaller single serving blender that I use as well. Yes, the blender bottles aren't as loud, but they still make noise. Add a few ice cubes and they are plenty loud if you've got people sleeping in the house.

    If you're ok simply rinsing out a blender bottle, why couldn't you also simply rinse out a blender?

    I'm well aware of the cost savings associated with making you're own... thanks for assuming I'm a moron.

    My point wasn't that blender bottles dont work (they do, I use them all the time), but only that they aren't that different than blenders, especially smaller single serving ones. And as someone else eluded to, they DON'T work with things like fruit, crushing ice, etc.
  • bvincentelp
    bvincentelp Posts: 36 Member
    LOL, sorry for assuming you're a moron. I guess some people/households are much more sensitive to noise, a blender bottle being shaken in my house would be insignificant, no one would notice or care.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    LOL, sorry for assuming you're a moron. I guess some people/households are much more sensitive to noise, a blender bottle being shaken in my house would be insignificant, no one would notice or care.

    You're right... and for the most part the same is true for me.

    But OP said that things like noise, having to wash daily, and mix ahead of time were inconveniences. Doesn't sound like there's a lot of tolerance there.
  • NicoleSchimmel
    NicoleSchimmel Posts: 162 Member
    I don't want to use the blender in the mornings because I don't want to make everyone up. I'll try Premier Protein shakes, but also give the blender a shot. I want something that I can grab on the go, it's not a matter of being intolerant. I'll wash it daily, but thought there might be a different option. Bigger blenders are more awkward to clean, but I guess I'm just being picky.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Check out something like this:
    http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13026264

    It's bigger than anything I've seen at target, but still small enough to be quick and easy to use and clean. You can get insulated cups if you want. It's just as loud as a regular blender though, so it doesn't gain you anything there.
  • amberkhan75
    amberkhan75 Posts: 11
    If by pre-blended shakes you mean ones that already have the liquid added, then yes, they are generally full of crap, specifically preservatives. The shake I drink comes as a powder, all the minerals, vitamins and macro-nutrients all mixed together. It takes 1 minute to scoop it into the blender with water and ice. 30 seconds to blend, and 2 minutes to drink. Voila! Breakfast in under 5 minutes! :)
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