Making Protein Shakes Taste Better

Hey all.

I started working out about a 4 months ago and I had been buying protein shakes sold at my gym which taste really good by they are kinda expensive so I bought a 5 lb box of protein. I got a chocolate flavor but it doesn’t taste very good when mixed in water. I’ll probably try a different flavor next time I buy a 5lb box, but for now I have to finish this one.

Any tips about how to make it taste better? The box says that I can mix it with my favorite beverage. Will mixing it with gatorade or milk make it taste better?

Oh ya, if there is a certain flavor that you find tastes much better than the rest, please recommend it to me.

fruit or honey

The website you are on (T-Nation) sells a great tasting chocolate and vanilla protein called Metabolic Drive, if you dont mind carbs they have a Metabolic Drive Complete version with lots of goodies in it (fiber, good fats). Definitely top notch stuff.

Well never tried the 5lb tub with water, i would think it would still taste bad, but it taste like drywall mud with milk and sometimes way worse if you mix tange flavored Power Drive in it.

milk, ice, honey, banana, peanut butte all blended up together. This is, and has always been, my absolute favorite protein shake recipe. The thought of gatorade mixed with chocolate protein powder sounds terrible…

If I’m not lazy I’ll throw in frozen blueberries, strawberries, a banana, some oatmeal, yogurt, and water, milk, or juice.

Ice cream

I hear that you can use milk instead of water as a base.

True?

Seems like it would probably taste better.

[quote]Dyepaintball12 wrote:
I hear that you can use milk instead of water as a base.

True?

Seems like it would probably taste better.[/quote]

Yes, it would taste better and have a better texture as well. I would say milk, a few ice cubes, and add protein powder while blending as a bare bones standard. Fruit, PB, etc. as extras

What brand protein did you get? Keep in mind that all brands are not created equal and there is huuuuge taste variation from brand to brand. In the ‘chocolate’ flavor, I found Biotest, BSN, and Optimum Nutrition to be among the best tasting brands. I always mix with skim milk for taste and especially the better texture

I posted this in another thread…but I usually just throw in one of those kool-aid packets to anything that tastes bad (and maybe a few packets of stevia or splenda to offset some of the bitterness). Works like a charm for post workout drinks and BCAAs. I’d assume it’d work good for whey too.

May be a weird idea, but has anyone tried adding flavor via the little bottles of concentrated flavor? You know, the little bottle of vanilla or whatever used in baking. I have some coconut laying around and have often thought of using it in a vanilla shake, but I can’t bring myself to possibly waste a whole shake on a college budget.

[quote]sixdemonbag wrote:
May be a weird idea, but has anyone tried adding flavor via the little bottles of concentrated flavor? You know, the little bottle of vanilla or whatever used in baking. I have some coconut laying around and have often thought of using it in a vanilla shake, but I can’t bring myself to possibly waste a whole shake on a college budget. [/quote]

I do that. CS recommended doing that on the V-Diet. Coconut is good but I like the Pina Colada flavoring. Not as strong as the plain coconut.

Coffee and Splenda with some ice thrown in if you want. This will make any chocolate shake taste better, unless of course you don’t like coffee lol.

The above is my morning shake and in my night shake I put in PB instead of the coffee.

[quote]Arioch wrote:
sixdemonbag wrote:
May be a weird idea, but has anyone tried adding flavor via the little bottles of concentrated flavor? You know, the little bottle of vanilla or whatever used in baking. I have some coconut laying around and have often thought of using it in a vanilla shake, but I can’t bring myself to possibly waste a whole shake on a college budget.

I do that. CS recommended doing that on the V-Diet. Coconut is good but I like the Pina Colada flavoring. Not as strong as the plain coconut.[/quote]

Very cool, what kind of ratio of flavor to .oz have you found tastes best?

When I have chocolate protein I usually mix it in a blender with milk, a banana, peanut butter and chocolate syrup.

It is pretty good.

You can also try vanilla protein and mix it with pretty much anything. I like tropical fruits, honey and cinnamon.

Peanut butter makes anything taste better. It can even make soy protein taste nice.

Of course, you can always neck it in 10 seconds and just grimace afterwards.

Peanut butter is a great choice. Can also try cottage cheese.

[quote]sixdemonbag wrote:
Arioch wrote:
sixdemonbag wrote:
May be a weird idea, but has anyone tried adding flavor via the little bottles of concentrated flavor? You know, the little bottle of vanilla or whatever used in baking. I have some coconut laying around and have often thought of using it in a vanilla shake, but I can’t bring myself to possibly waste a whole shake on a college budget.

I do that. CS recommended doing that on the V-Diet. Coconut is good but I like the Pina Colada flavoring. Not as strong as the plain coconut.

Very cool, what kind of ratio of flavor to .oz have you found tastes best?[/quote]

I have used as little as 3 drops for 1 scoop of protein powder with 8 oz of water to as much as 5-6. It really depends on how much of the added flavor you want. Sometimes, I just want the hint of the taste. Other times, I want it full flavored.

Just experiment and figure out what you like.