The 6 Best Meal Replacement Shakes We Tested in 2024

Summary: Best Meal Replacement Shakes

The Nutrition Insider Methodology

When looking for the best health and wellness products and supplements, we don’t just select the first results that show up on Google.

Here at The Nutrition Insider, we utilize bespoke selection and testing criteria to help us find products that we believe are the best the market has to offer.

Some of these products are from our Trusted Brands, which we have reviewed in the past and can subsequently count on to offer high-quality products.

Others we’ve found in an extensive search using good old-fashioned search engine sleuthing, perusing internet forums, and consulting consumer reviews.

Here’s a breakdown of what this selection and testing process looks like.

Our Selection Criteria

Before we even get the products in our hands, we look closely at a few very important factors to make sure we are only testing the very best the market has to offer.

Price vs. Serving Size

In this day and age, price is not always an indicator of quality. By that, we mean that a cheaper price is not an indication of a poor quality product and, on the flip side, that expensive products do not inherently promise better results.

So, when searching for the best products in a particular category, we’re interested to see the price per serving breakdown and whether or not the product has earned that price tag.

Certifications

Third-party certifications can help clear up any concerns or questions consumers may have about the following:

• Identity. Making sure the product contains exactly what it claims and that it’s accurately labeled.
• Strength. How potent the product is. Making sure the product contains the correct amount of each ingredient and is accurately labeled so the consumer takes the right amount.
• Purity. How “pure” the contents are and that they do not contain any harmful chemicals, heavy metals, or ingredients that are not approved for those competing professionally.

Since it is required by the FDA, the most common third-party certification is GMP, which can be acquired from multiple certifying bodies, though most commonly through the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation).

Supplement companies can also get certified gluten-free (very important for those with celiac disease), USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, and certified vegan.

Transparency

When conducting our selection process, it’s not always enough to just look at a product page online.

When doing these deeper dives, we like to see how easy or difficult a company makes it to find more information about their business and their products.

This is what we call “transparency.”

The harder it is to find information, the less transparent we consider that company to be, which throws up a red flag for us as reviewers.

When a company makes it easy to find that information, they generally have all their ducks in a row, making them a more trustworthy option than others on the market.

Ingredients

Even with third-party certification, we still want to take a close look at the ingredients list.

Supplements, like protein powders and meal replacements, can come with additives and fillers to help reduce costs, improve the taste, or keep the product shelf-stable for longer.

Here are some ingredients we keep an eye out for:

• Artificial sweeteners
• Artificial flavors
• Artificial colors
• Fillers
• High sugar levels
• High sodium levels
• Soy protein
• Thickeners and gums
• Vegetable oils

Reviews & Forums

Last but not least are consumer reviews and internet forums.

For example, when a dietary supplement has thousands of reviews and feedback ranging from positive to glowing, we can safely assume that the product has little to no ill effects, isn’t offensive tasting or smelling, and does what it’s meant to do.

On every product, we also like to take a look at the negative reviews to see if any internet sleuths have discovered a bit of information that we can look into with regards to quality, formula changes, or negative press about the company worth looking into.

We don’t lean too heavily on this selection category, but it can also point us in the direction of new products we may not have otherwise heard about.

Our Testing Methods

Once we identify the products we want, we begin testing. 

Depending on the type of product, this process can be pretty simple or become very in-depth and require multiple tests and testing methods.

Duration & Frequency

For meal replacement shakes, this process was pretty straightforward––I tested all six brands at least once in a clean shaker cup.

Taste Test

For each meal replacement shake, I followed the same smell and taste testing procedure:

1. Smell the product in its raw or original form

2. Mix it with the recommended ratios of powder to water

3. Smell it again in its mixed form

4. First taste test for flavor

5. Second taste test for texture

6. Third taste test to gather overall observations

Usability

For some consumers, certain product characteristics are just as important as the efficacy of the powder itself.

Aspects like whether or not the bottle or packet is difficult to open, mixability, legibility, child-proofing, etc., can greatly impact a consumer’s ability to use and enjoy a product.

Why Trust Our Reviews?

Even after reading through our testing methodology, you might still be left wondering why you should trust our product reviews.

The Nutrition Insider prides itself on being a neutral third party that only reviews products we believe in.

Our team consists of doctors, registered dietitians, and food experts (such as yours truly) who are dedicated to providing you with the best science-backed takes on the latest food and nutrition trends and health products.

Beyond just providing you with research-driven product reviews, our goal is to educate and inform you––our health-conscious audience––of the best practices across the health and wellness spaces, including dieting principles, supplement buying guides, trends, and new developments in the industry, etc.

Our content dives deeper than surface-level branding and marketing claims, providing you with value-added “industry insider” information.

For more information about how The Nutrition Insider conducts its reviews and other aspects of our business, please feel free to read our Editorial Policy.

Our Reviews & Recommendations

Now, the content you’ve been scrolling for––the reviews!

Orgain Organic Nutrition Grass-Fed Protein Shake

Overall Rating: A-

This meal replacement shake from Orgain––one of our trusted brands––is technically a protein shake. However, the Organic Nutrition Grass-Fed Protein Shake contains a stellar balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats alongside vital nutrients with just 250 calories. This mimics a well-balanced light meal that can be consumed easily on the go. There are just a tad too many added sugars and some questionable ingredients, which knocked it down a grade or two, but overall, this is a great meal replacement option.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

This protein shake has a really good balance of macronutrients and micronutrients that mimic those you would normally find in a well-balanced meal.

All of the ingredients here are organic, which reduces the potential risk of pesticide exposure. Using animal products that are grass-fed is also a plus, as grain-fed animals can result in poorer quality animal products and are less sustainable.

I do wish there was slightly more protein since this is a protein shake, but the stack of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals is a good trade-off.

Unfortunately, we really can’t overlook the high amount of sugars and sweeteners in this shake. One serving contains 12g of sugar (11g added), which is about 33% of your daily recommended intake of sugar, per the American Heart Association. 

We can at least commend the use of real sugars here, such as the organic cane sugar. However, the use of brown rice syrup and dextrin is a bit of a red flag. 

There are no scientific studies on the impact of brown rice syrups and dextrin on humans, so we can’t say with any certainty that these are harmful. 

However, they do have a high Glycemic Index (meaning they quickly raise blood sugar levels), and brown rice is known to have higher levels of arsenic, which could be unsafe for young children.

The shakes also contain sunflower oil and sunflower lecithin, which, again, aren’t necessarily bad but are linked to gut issues. 

So, just like with any meal replacement shake, we recommend consuming these within reason (i.e., not daily and for multiple meals daily).

Price vs. Serving Size

On the Orgain website, you can purchase a 12-pack of protein shakes for $35.99. 

This comes out to $2.99 per shake. 

This is on par with pricing for other pre-packaged protein shakes on the market and is even a bit less expensive than drinks like Core Power and Muscle Milk.

While this is a good price to pay for the convenience of a pre-packaged shake,  this probably isn’t the best choice if you’re looking to save money.

Certifications

All of Orgain’s products are Certified USDA Organic by QAI. Though this isn’t a plant-based product, I wanted to share that the other ones have Certified Vegan and Certified Plant-Based certifications administered by NSF International. 

Additionally, as per FDA regulations, their facilities all have a third-party Food Safety and GMP certification from either NSF or other Global Food Safety Initiative-benchmarked certifications such as SQF, BRC, or FSSC.

Transparency

While Orgain does state that their facilities are all based in the US, it’s a bit difficult to find much information on their website beyond that about the sourcing of their ingredients.

They simply state, “Everything we make at Orgain is crafted from high-quality ingredients, hand-selected to maximize nutrition… – be they non-GMO, organic, gluten-free, or otherwise. Each ingredient has to level up to our high standards for nutrition, quality, and taste.”

They also use the word “clean” a lot which I, personally, find to be out-of-touch with modern nutrition nomenclature. “Clean” is considered by some to be very stigmatizing as it demonizes other foods as “unclean,” “dirty,” or “bad,” which can lead to unhealthy mindsets surrounding food. 

Beyond that, there wasn’t much else I could find about philanthropy or sustainability on their website, which is unfortunate. However, they did have a link to a recent Costco recall for one of their products, at least.

The Product Experience

Drinking this shake was, overall, a pleasant experience. 

The top is easy to unscrew, and I like the size and shape of the bottle. It’s not too big and fits in lots of configurations of spaces such as small office refrigerators (ask me how I know!).

The taste of the shake is also pretty good. For all the sugars that are in this drink, I didn’t find it to be overly sweet. 

It was a bit chalky in the aftertaste, and it did coat the mouth a bit, but it felt more like drinking chocolate milk than a protein shake, which I really enjoyed.

Sprout Living Epic Protein

Overall Rating: A-

Sprout Living’s line of Epic Protein powders is an excellent example of how to create a high-quality, all-natural, plant-based meal replacement powder. The ingredients in each blend are impressive and do not include any fillers, syrups, flavors, or other additives besides a small amount of stevia. The resulting balance of macronutrients and micronutrients makes this powder the perfect addition to a daily smoothie. I also appreciated the transparency of the sourcing of their ingredients. There were a few road bumps, though, related to transparency and customer service experience.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

Sprout Living has really outdone itself with the ingredients and nutrition in its Epic Protein powders.

This was one of the few meal replacement products I was able to find that included such a minimal number of ingredients without sacrificing nutritional quality. 

For each serving (for their Vanilla Lucuma protein; nutrition facts vary slightly by flavor), you get 140 calories, 20g of complete vegan protein, 13g of carbohydrates, and just 2.5g of fat.

With those macros, drinking this on its own is perfectly fine but to make this a true meal replacement I think this would be best as a “smoothie booster.” Basically, this means adding it to heartier smoothies to boost your nutrient intake. 

Thanks to the well-balanced macronutrient blend here, you could customize your drink, adding more fats or carbs as needed.

I was also very impressed by their ingredients page, which details each ingredient they use and where it comes from. They also explain how they process these ingredients in their FAQs. 

Finally, the biggest green flag of all is the fact that they also don’t add any artificial or natural flavors, additives, emulsifiers, preservatives, or gums. I love to see it.

Since they don’t add a laundry list of ingredients to their powders, you will see that there are fewer micronutrients listed here. You do get a fairly good dose of calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin C, though, which is nothing to scoff at.

The only downside is that their Epic Protein powders contain about 15% of your daily serving of sodium (330mg), which is a bit high. Just something to keep in mind if you’re watching your sodium intake.

Price vs. Serving Size

A one-time purchase of a 1lb bag of Epic Protein will cost you $32.95 if purchased directly from Sprout Living’s website. You may find some slightly cheaper options on Amazon, but not by much. One bag equates to 12 servings, costing you around $2.74 per serving. 

This is a bit steep compared to your usual protein and meal replacement powders, especially since this would be best blended into a smoothie to keep you fuller for longer. However, you are getting quite a good dose of some vital micronutrients that could make this price worth it for some. 

Certifications

I was very pleased to see all of the certifications listed on their website. These include USDA Organic certification by QAI, Certified Vegan by Vegan Action, and Certified Kosher by Kosher Check. They say they are naturally grain and gluten-free but are not certified, so I can’t say for certain they are celiac-safe. They also claim they are soy and GMO-free, which are nice pluses.

The products are also produced in the USA in facilities that follow cGMP guidelines. I believe it’s Luchi Organics, but the website doesn’t include much (if any) information. Sprout Living also says they are 3rd-party tested but do not list by which organization.

Transparency

While Sprout Living does better on transparency than many companies, I don’t set the bar for good transparency at the average level of transparency. I want to see companies shooting for the stars, not just for cruising altitude. You get what I’m saying?

While Sprout Living does list their certifications and sourcing for their ingredients, I felt they could do a better job at making some information more accessible, particularly their 3rd-party testing. 

When I tried to use their Live Chat to ask more about their certifications, I got an auto-generated message that didn’t answer my question, and it literally wouldn’t take no for an answer––when I tried to click “No, this doesn’t answer my question,” it didn’t work. It would only accept a click on the, “Yes, this answered my question.”

When I restarted the process and asked for a “real person,” there was a much longer pause, and I got what I initially thought was a human but now believe was AI. They answered my very normal question, “Can you tell me more about your certifications?” with the reply, “We’re not allowed to share that information.” 

This is extremely odd to me since nearly every company I ask this question to is pretty forthcoming. When I pressed about their GMP certification, the chat provided the testing parameters for a limited number of contaminants, which was not at all relevant to my question.

This is the downside of using AI for live chat. You get weird, irrelevant answers and frustrated consumers who just want information about what they’re putting into their bodies. I tried to look into Luchi Organics, but the website is extremely barebones. Again, it is very odd to me that consumers aren’t party to this information.

The Product Experience

I got 10 samples of the Epic Protein flavors from Sprout Living to try out. While I didn’t get the chance to try all 10, I did try three (Vanilla Lucuma, Chocolate Maca, and Mindful Matcha), which gave me a good idea of what these powders are like.

I tried all of the samples with water, only shaken up in a protein shaker bottle. The powder mixed very easily with the water, and there was very little clumping.

Unfortunately, I did find that the texture was a bit gritty. This could easily be fixed with a finer milling process; however, I do understand that they’re trying to preserve the nutrients, and finer milling can increase temperatures which might denature the plant proteins.

The smell and flavors of each protein I tried were fine and palatable, but the Matcha really did it for me. I would definitely reach for it again, mixed with some milk and blended with ice. I drank this alongside some whole-wheat toast and eggs and found this to be pretty filling.

I didn’t get to try the larger product sizes, but the sample packs were very easy to open and labeled as being made with Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials.

Happy Viking Superfood Meal

Overall Rating: B+

This Happy Viking Superfood Meal had me literally saying, “Wow!” It’s that good. The taste of this powder is on another level. Best of all, Venus Williams helped create the product and claims to use this powder as part of a plant-based diet to help manage her auto-immune disorder. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give this one 10s across the board due to some issues with the website, transparency, pricing, and a few ingredient choices.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

For this review, I tested Happy Viking’s Strawberry Smoothie flavored Superfood Meal, so this is what I will reference primarily for nutrition facts and ingredients. All in all, I was pretty impressed by the macro and micronutrient blend.

The front of the canister claims you get 20g of plant protein, 60+ superfoods and nutrients, and is equivalent to 1 cup of fruits and vegetables.

Here’s a short breakdown of the nutrition facts: 160 calories with 20g of plant-based protein, 5g of fat, and 13g of carbohydrates with just 2g of added sugar. 

This blend also includes substantial doses of vital minerals and vitamins such as vitamins D, A, E, C, B6, and B12, as well as a whopping 60% of your recommended dietary intake of iron.

As a woman, I really appreciate the higher dose of iron. I also love to see B12 included in plant-based formulations for vegans and vegetarians who might be lacking in that vitamin since we mainly get B12 in our diets from animal products.

My primary gripes are two things: One, the calories per meal, and two, some of the ingredient choices could be better.

On the first point, I find the calorie count to be a bit low to really be considered a complete meal. You could mix this into a smoothie with other ingredients, such as banana, berries, cow milk, plant-based milk, etc., to bulk up the calories. However, if I’m buying a meal replacement powder, adding additional ingredients sort of defeats the convenience aspect of this product.

On the other hand, if you’re eating multiple small meals throughout the day, this is a great way to fill in extra calories and protein without having to prepare yet another meal for yourself.

As for my second point, there are quite a few gums, natural flavors, erythritol, and other fillers like soluble vegetable powder, which they list as corn. This last ingredient actually appears very high on the list as the fourth ingredient, which was a bit surprising. There is also an ingredient called Reb M––I honestly had to look it up––which is a type of sweetener derived from the Stevia leaf.

There isn’t a ton of scientific evidence that demonstrates any real harm from these ingredients, but there is some evidence that these ingredients can cause digestive problems and upset the gut microbiome. However, with that being said, they could be in such small amounts that it doesn’t matter.

Price vs. Serving Size

There’s no getting around the uncomfortable matter of pricing on this product––it’s expensive. Happy Viking sells their Superfood Meal for $60 per canister; however, you can find it on Amazon for $50, so we’re going with the cheaper option here to give this product a fighting chance.

At 15 servings per container, this means you’re paying about $3.33 if purchasing from Amazon and $4 per meal from Happy Viking directly.

Considering you’d realistically have to get additional calories from other sources outside of this meal replacement––especially if you’re an athlete––we’re not entirely sure this is the most economical choice.

Certifications

Happy Viking has gotten all the necessary certifications for their products. They are Non-GMO verified, Certified B Corporation, gluten-free, and vegan. These last two in the list aren’t showing as certified, so they may not be safe for those with celiac disease or if you have an allergy to animal products.

They are missing a USDA organic certification, which isn’t a huge red flag to me but something that seems easily obtained by most brands. I’m curious what’s stopping them from doing this themselves. 

There is also no information to be found about the GMP certification. I’ve reached out to Happy Viking for clarification, but, as of publication, there has been no response.

Transparency

I want to give this product a gold star here, but––as many companies do––Happy Viking falls a bit short. 

In my opinion, a huge oversight is the fact that you cannot find their nutrition facts or ingredients on their website. Their FAQ even says this information can be found on their product pages, but it’s not there. All the information I gathered was from the physical canister I have and from the Amazon product listing. This is probably more of a website developer issue, but it does make you wonder––if they made such a basic oversight here, what else is being overlooked?

Additionally, while I fully trust that their certifications are real and accurate, I would have liked to see a lot more information about their B-Corp certification and sustainability efforts. Their packaging is 100% recyclable and, per their website, “produced using 100% renewable energy and 50% lower CO2 emissions than plastic bottles” and “made from resources that are renewable, like trees and sugarcane.” The wording here almost makes me think they’re not made from trees or sugarcane but something adjacent to that. A little strange, but the effort is appreciated.

Overall, I feel that the brand’s website is lacking in information. They seem to lean into their celebrity associations for legitimacy rather than actually including legitimate information anywhere on their website.

The Product Experience

Where this product may fall short, it certainly makes up for in the product experience. Firstly, on pure aesthetics, the canister and branding are very pleasing to the eye and make you hungry just looking at it. 

Once you open it up, the smell of the powder alone is mouth-wateringly delicious and really builds a lot of hype for the flavor. After mixing with water in a protein shaker cup, the taste does not disappoint in the slightest. 

It’s like drinking a straight strawberry milkshake. 

However, it isn’t overly sweet, which I often find is the case with many sweet-smelling powders. This also mixes very well with zero issues of clumping.

I felt pretty satisfied after drinking this with a full eight ounces of water, but I needed something else to eat soon after.

Ora So Lean & So Clean Plant-based Superfood Protein

Overall Rating: A+

Ora has really surprised me. The So Lean & So Clean Plant-based Superfood Protein isn’t an exceedingly popular meal replacement powder, but it’s easily the best one on this list. The macros, micronutrient blend, ingredients, price point, and transparency impressed me and have possibly made me a die-hard Ora fan. While I don’t usually like the term “clean,” this is probably the first product that can honestly make that claim without treading into greenwashing or diet culture territory. For these reasons, Ora has earned the first A+ grade on this list.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

Despite this protein powder being one of the lowest calorie counts (120) in this list, I actually find it’s one of the best options as a meal replacement. It is very low in carbohydrates (5g) and fats (3g) but high in protein (21g), making this an excellent mix-in for smoothies or baked goods, which the label even advises.

I really appreciate that Ora has pointed out this last fact and doesn’t advocate for this to be used solely as a meal replacement. As with many meal replacement powders (even those on this list), this would better serve you blended with other nutritious foods. 

The ingredients here are also pretty limited. The only “additives” you could really claim here are natural flavors, monk fruit, and stevia. I imagine there can’t be many of these ingredients in this product, as the flavor and sweetness are extremely subtle.

Additionally, the sodium is a tad higher than I’d like to see. It’s only listed as 11% in this photo, but the physical product lists it as being as high as 17%. This might be something to watch out for if you’re concerned about your sodium intake.

If you want to learn about the ingredients used in any of Ora’s products, they have a dedicated page where you can read more about each one.

Price vs. Serving Size

The Daily Superfood Plant Protein costs $39.99 if purchased directly from Ora’s website. Each bottle contains 20 servings.

At just $1.99 per serving, this is one of the more reasonably priced meal replacement powders on this list.

Certifications

Ora’s certifications pretty much blow all the others out of the water. 

They have an entire page on their website dedicated to their testing protocol. This demonstrates a transparent commitment to creating truly “clean” products. 

In this case, “clean” means that their powders are free of contaminants and have properly labeled the identity, strength, and purity of their products, which is the purpose of testing and certification.

They are:

• Certified USDA Organic by the CCOF
• Certified Vegan
• Certified non-GMO
• Certified Kosher
• Third-party tested

Additionally, their testing follows guidelines from the United States Pharmacopeia and European Commission for Food which I have yet to see stated from any other meal replacement or protein powder brands.

They also have a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for every single product. A COA is essentially a published document detailing a product’s test results. Ora lists the COA for their So lean & so clean plant protein powder here.

They also only work with manufacturers and suppliers who agree to their Code of Conduct, which they must sign and follow closely.

Transparency

You can probably guess my opinion of Ora’s transparency based solely on the previous section, but I’ll tell you plainly anyway––this brand is one of the few that truly impressed me with their transparency. 

Based solely on the information detailed on both their website and physical product, Ora has received an A+ grade.

On top of the impact they make with their products, they also give back 1% of their proceeds to a nonprofit of your choice, which you choose at checkout.

It’s really hard to do much better than this. Big props to the founders, Seb, Ron, Erica, and Will! You’ve done a great job.

The Product Experience

I wish I could say that goodwill points alone were enough to keep me on the Ora hype train… luckily I didn’t have to worry about that with this product experience.

After the first whiff of this powder, I was on board. It almost has a fruity smell to it that translates into the taste, too. 

This powder also mixes seamlessly in a shaker cup with zero clumping. There was an ever so slight grittiness to this drink, but it was really not bothersome at all to me, even as someone who is sensitive to texture.

I also appreciated that this powder has a very subtle flavor. Some powders can be overpowering in sweetness or flavoring, which can make it hard to drink consistently.

HLTH Code Complete Meal

Overall Rating: B+

As one of the only meal replacement powders on this list with a larger calorie count, I was excited to get my hands on the HLTH Code Complete Meal powder. Their ingredients list contains an interesting blend of animal-based protein, healthy fats, and probiotics, along with an impressive list of certifications. As a meal replacement powder, this is one of the few you could actually use as a replacement for an entire meal, especially for those who are bulking or have higher calorie requirements. Unfortunately, this product has some less-than-impressive filler ingredients, and the taste was something I could not overlook.

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

Right off the bat, I was really impressed with the nutrition facts of the HLTH Code Complete Meal. On the surface, 400 calories with 27g of fat, 27g of protein, and 13g of carbohydrates sounds like really difficult macros to overcome.

However, this is a true complete meal replacement, meaning you should not need to add anything else to this shake. Additionally, the source of the fats is where this product differs from full meals with similar macros. As mentioned on their product page, not all fats are equal, which is true. 

Here, they detail how a 1:1 fat-to-protein ratio can be beneficial, as well as science-backed evidence of the benefits of certain sources and types of fats. They even include citations!

This meal replacement also includes 50% of your daily value of a myriad of vitamins and minerals including vitamins D, A, C, E, and K, B vitamins, iron, and magnesium. This is far more micronutrients than many other powders offer.

However, I’m not so impressed with their inclusion of soluble vegetable fiber, natural flavors, xanthan gum, and sunflower lecithin. There’s nothing wrong with these per se, but some of these ingredients are known to cause digestive problems. This could be resolved by their addition of pre- and probiotics, which help feed our existing microbiome and add more good bacteria.

Price vs. Serving Size

Each bag of HLTH Code Complete Meal purchased from the HLTH Code website is $59.95. 

With 15 servings per bag, this comes out to about $3.99 per meal.

As a true complete meal, this doesn’t sound so outrageous to me. You could eat this in place of any meal in your diet without having to add additional ingredients––as you would with other powders in this list––potentially even saving you some money at the grocery store.

Certifications

HLTH Code products are all made in the USA in cGMP-certified facilities that are registered with the FDA. This is plainly stated on their product page without having to dig for it elsewhere on their website.

Although they are not USDA Organic Certified, they claim not to use any GMO ingredients, are gluten-free and soy-free, and are made without added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and artificial ingredients.

They are not certified as gluten-free, though, so those with celiac disease should probably avoid this product.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, HLTH Code also makes a plant-based version of their Complete Meal powder.

Transparency

The HLTH Code brand does an above-average job with its transparency. 

They include all of their certifications on their website and do not try to hide the somewhat shocking macro counts like their fat content. Instead, they highlight them on the product page and explain why and how they made this product formulation. 

Pioneered by HLTH Code’s co-founder, Dr. Bikman, the brand also emphasizes using ingredients that are science-backed by clinical studies.

The Product Experience

Unfortunately, the experience of drinking HLTH Code was not as impressive. 

Firstly, I will say the bag was very easy to open and the nutrition facts and ingredients are printed in large print and are easy to read.

However, the smell, taste, and texture of this powder were not good. There is a bit of chemical or artificial smell to the powder, and this doesn’t go away once mixed with water. It also clumps pretty badly. 

The texture of the drink was also off-putting and thick. It did not improve much by thinning it out with more water.

There is not much else to say about this experience. Based on the Amazon reviews, I might be in the minority with this opinion. Some reviewers found the taste was improved by taking a half serving mixed with milk instead.

Plant Fusion Complete Meal Replacement

Overall Rating: A

Nutrition Facts & Ingredients

The plant-based Complete Meal from Plant Fusion is one of the few plant-based powders that actually had a higher calorie count. At 200 calories per serving, you get 20g of protein, 15g of carbohydrates, and 7g of fat. This is all alongside impressive doses of vitamins D, C, E, and B vitamins. Unfortunately, the percentage of iron was lower than I’ve seen in other products.

As for the ingredients, I was impressed by the blend of plant proteins, fruits, and vegetables listed. They do use erythritol and Reb A (stevia leaf extract), but these are minor gripes I have in comparison to the rest of the ingredients, which are quite high quality. 

Since some protein and meal replacement powders can be hard on the stomach, Plant Fusion also fortifies its protein blend with 100mg of Bromelain and Alpha-Galactosidase. This aids in the digestion, absorption, and bioavailability of all the product’s components.

Price vs. Serving Size

One bottle of Plant Fusion’s Complete Meal powder contains 10 servings for $43.97. 

This comes out to about $4.39 per serving, which is the most expensive price per serving on this list.

With that said, I would not write this powder off as too expensive. If you’re looking for a true plant-based meal replacement that uses high-quality ingredients, this is an excellent choice.

Certifications

Plant Fusion has a great list of certifications, including Certified Vegan, Non-GMO verified, Certified USDA Organic, and Certified Kosher.

In their FAQs, they also write that all their products are produced in cGMP facilities that have been certified by NSF International.

Transparency

Plant Fusion has pretty decent transparency––well above average compared to other meal replacement powders.

It was not difficult at all to find information about their products and certifications. 

However, I do wish they talked a bit more about their ingredient sourcing. This is common with many other companies and seems like a  given for plant-based products.

They do claim “The PlantFusion Difference,” which is the “PlantFusion Flavor Pure™: A fusion of amazing taste and texture,” the “PlantFusion Select Source™: Hand selecting the best ingredients, and the “PlantFusion Purity Promise™: Transparency through every step”. 

Each of these is trademarked, but it’s not entirely clear why or how these are implemented. They say there’s transparency through every step, but I can’t help but wonder, “With who?” 

The consumer doesn’t seem to be privy to this transparency since this is the only information about The PlantFusion Difference that I could find.

The Product Experience

The Complete Meal powder was a surprise in the best way possible.

This canister is very easy to open, and the powder inside appears to be very finely milled. It mixed easily in water with zero clumping. 

Thankfully, this powder was very pleasant to drink. And I say thankfully because the smell is quite awful. However, oddly enough, the smell improves immensely with the addition of water.

The texture of this drink is very smooth, which can be attributed to its finely milled appearance. There was almost no grittiness at all, which I find to be a common problem with plant-based powders.

While I’m normally quite picky with the taste of powdered proteins, this is quite great on its own. There is a slight play-doh-y aftertaste, which you would think would be off-putting but wasn’t that bothersome.

I would definitely use this in a smoothie with additional plant-based or cow’s milk to bulk this up since I was still pretty hungry afterward.

Key Takeaways

Every meal replacement powder has its pros and cons, but the cream will always rise to the top. These six meal replacement powders on this list are definitely the creamiest (read: the best) that we think the supplement market has to offer.

If you’re looking for the best price, Sprout Living’s Epic Protein and Ora’s So Lean & So Clean Plant-based Superfood Protein both do the trick for $2.74 and $1.99 per serving, respectively.

For a truly complete and comprehensive meal replacement that requires no additions for added bulk or calories, the HLTH Code Complete Meal is probably the best. Just be mindful that the taste and texture may not be for everyone.

For the best-tasting meal replacements, the honor goes to both the Orgain Organic Nutrition Grass-Fed Protein Shake and Happy Viking Superfood Meal.

But the best overall meal replacement powder on this list has to be Ora’s So Lean & So Clean Plant-based Superfood Protein. Their transparency, high-quality ingredients, and taste blew me away, and for the price? You really can’t do better.

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