Last Updated on December, 2024
For those who aren’t entirely familiar, a meal replacement shake is a nutrition-based supplement. It’s a filling drink that you can use to replace a full meal while getting essential vitamins and minerals and other nutritional benefits.
These supplements are an ideal and convenient source of all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Speaking of convenience, many of them are available in the ready-to-drink form. RTD means that you can buy a pack of them and drink one serving whenever you like.
But, finding a good meal shake can be harder than it sounds. That’s why we’ve conducted some research and real-life testing to develop a list of the best ready to drink meal replacement shakes based on qualities and the benefits they offer.
Table Of Contents
- Listing the 9 Best Ready to Drink Meal Replacements
- 1. Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake (Great Choice for Both Internal and External Body)
- 2. Kate Farms Nutrition Shake (All-Natural Shake)
- 3. Soylent RTD (Wide Variety of Flavors to Pick)
- 4. Huel RTD (A Complete Shake Suitable for Everyone)
- 5. BOOST Plus Nutritional Drink (Top Choice for Weight Management)
- 6. YFood RTD Complete Meal (Best Choice for High Calories)
- 7. Ample Original (Top Choice for Weight Loss Journey)
- 8. Premier Protein (Shake with Low Fat Rate)
- 9. Ensure COMPLETE Nutrition Shake (Best Tasting Flavors)
- Helping You Choose the Best RTD Meal Replacement Shake
- How and When to Drink Meal Replacement Shakes?
- Powder vs Ready to Drink – Differences
- RTDs vs Meal Bars – Differences
- Advantages and Disadvantages of RTD Meal Replacement Shakes
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Listing the 9 Best Ready to Drink Meal Replacements
- Great Choice for Both Internal and External Body – Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake
- All-Natural Shake Kate – Farms Nutrition Shake
- Wide Variety of Flavors to Pick – Soylent RTD
- A Complete Shake Suitable for Everyone – Huel RTD
- Top Choice for Weight Management – BOOST Plus Nutritional Drink
- Best Choice for High Calories – Yfood RTD Complete Meal
- Top Choice for Weight Loss Journey – Ample Original
- Shake with Low Fat Rate – Premier Protein
- Best Tasting Flavors – Ensure COMPLETE Nutrition Shake
1. Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake (Great Choice for Both Internal and External Body)
Overall Score: 5.0
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A gluten-free, organic nutrition shake that still has the ability to make you want another extra sip is the Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake. This Shake has no GMOs and is also soy free.
Orgain Shake consists of around 21 vitamins and minerals blended together to support your immunity. This Shake comes in various flavors that taste great in their ways so that you can choose one that fits your taste buds.
A downside might be the calories per serving, which has room for improvement. It contains 16g of organic Protein that helps your body with muscle growth and recovery and the right ingredients to assist you in weight loss and management.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake Creamy Chocolate Fudge (250 Calories):
Pros
Cons
2. Kate Farms Nutrition Shake (All-Natural Shake)
Overall Score: 4.9
Is lactose intolerant? No worries. Vegan friendly? No worries. Want a MRS suitable for you (Not a Missus)? Kate Farms Nutrition Shake has got your back.
It is made up of 16g of organic pea protein and phytonutrients from natural nutrient-filled ingredients. All these are matched into one, so you can enjoy a nutritious MRS at your convenience.
It also has 38g of Carbs and provides 330 calories per serving. Kate Farms Nutrition Shake contains no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Although it comes only in 3 flavors, there is nothing to complain about the taste.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Kate Farms Nutrition Shake Chocolate (330 Calories):
Pros
Cons
3. Soylent RTD (Wide Variety of Flavors to Pick)
Overall Score: 4.8
Soylent RTD is a plant-based protein shake befitting the vegans (not that non-vegans can’t enjoy it as well). This Shake can make you forget that you are replacing a meal over here and not just having a refreshing drink from a Café.
This vegan friendly shake consists of 28 vitamins and minerals, all together to be a convenient intake of a healthy meal.
The slow-burning carbs that keep you full of energy all day long, along with 20g of soy protein containing all nine essential amino acids, are some of the benefits that stand out.
Each serving of this Shake gives you 400 calories and contains only natural flavors.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Soylent Creamy Chocolate Protein Nutrition Shake (400 Calories):
Pros
Cons
4. Huel RTD (A Complete Shake Suitable for Everyone)
Overall Score: 4.8
Huel RTD is a plant based protein shake with a combo of 27 essential vitamins and mineral. It is also gluten-free and has no GMOs or lactose, especially since it has no artificial additives.
This Shake comes with high calories per serving of 400, along with 22g of plant-based proteins. Huel RTD comes to the market with various flavors and is also high in Omega 3 and 6. It includes slow-release carbs to keep you full and energized for extended periods.
Growth in muscle mass, re-strengthening your immunity, and keeping you energized is all in a day’s work for Huel RTD. It has two versions, though; V1.0 has only 20g of Protein, whereas V2.0 has 22g along with natural sweeteners like stevia and organic coconut sugar.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Huel RTD Cinnamon Roll v2.0 (400 Calories):
Pros
Cons
5. BOOST Plus Nutritional Drink (Top Choice for Weight Management)
Overall Score: 4.7
Are you looking for a gluten-free protein shake that also fits your lactose intolerance? BOOST Plus Nutritional Drink is the right fit. This Shake is also an assist to your weight management journey.
Each serving comes with 360 calories and 14g of Protein to keep you energized and help you maintain your muscle growth. It consists of 26 vitamins and minerals so that you don’t miss out on the nutrients your body needs, no matter how busy you are.
Small, easy to carry, and convenient is written all over this Shake (I didn’t mean it literally). This Shake gives you a healthy dose of Carbs to keep you running.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for BOOST Plus Nutritional Drink Rich Chocolate (360 Calories):
Pros
Cons
6. YFood RTD Complete Meal (Best Choice for High Calories)
Overall Score: 4.6
No offense to the other designers but this protein shake bottle makes me want to post a pic of it in my hand (I love the charm yet classy design they’ve gone for).
This excellent MRS contains 26 vitamins and mineral in one drink. It is also lactose-free and gluten-free with no added sugar. Another factor that comes into play is the wide variety of flavors that they are available in.
Each serving gives you 500 calories and 34 grams of Protein intake to fit in with any diet you are following. While providing the needed requirements through a shake, they are also quite conscious about recycled packaging.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for YFood RTD Complete Meal Smooth Vanilla (500 Calories):
Pros
Cons
7. Ample Original (Top Choice for Weight Loss Journey)
Overall Score: 4.5
This MRS is gluten-free, soy-free and has no GMO or artificial. It is a blend of whole-natural foods. A convenient mode of finishing up a meal while completing all your chores.
It has six strains of probiotics that help you achieve a healthy stomach and makes it easy to digest.
Additionally, keep in mind what kind of protein is being used. Soy protein, whey protein, pea protein, etc., are just some of the most common types.
Some of these may not be suitable for your body, which is why you should do more research and decide which one works best for you.
The weight loss journey is hectic, but this Shake enables you to keep your straying willpower in check by providing you with the right ingredients. These ingredients help you burn fat.
This Shake may not be readily mixed, but it needs only 6-8 oz of water or milk to get it done after a quick shake. It is available in only two flavors, but there isn’t much to complain about; when both flavors available are good enough to have no complaints.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Ample Original Vanilla (400 Calories):
Pros
Cons
8. Premier Protein (Shake with Low Fat Rate)
Overall Score: 4.4
A concoction made up of 24 vitamins and minerals keeps you sated from all the workouts you put it through. A quick shake to keep you from going through a drive-thru to get fast food.
Each serving gives you 30g of Protein across various flavors to keep you from being fed up after some time in a healthy journey. However, it has a low-calorie rate per serving compared to the others on the list, which is a bummer if you are into heavy workouts.
This Shake is also low in fat and works wonders on your weight management journey.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Premier Protein Chocolate (160 Calories):
Pros
Cons
9. Ensure COMPLETE Nutrition Shake (Best Tasting Flavors)
Overall Score: 4.4
Another on-the-go shake that is convenient enough to be your MRS on a busy day is Ensure COMPLETE Nutrition Shake. This compact Shake comes with a blend of vitamins and other nutritious ingredients.
Another feature of this Shake that makes everyone come back, again and again, is the flavor. Would we be enthusiastic about a quick meal replacement if it tasted like a concoction made by an old sage up in the mountains using leaves? No, right?
Although limited in variety, this Shake is for the fussiest of you lot – those looking to stay healthy and still get the nutrition their bodies need. It is gluten-free and a go-to for those of you who are lactose intolerant.
Here’s some nutritional information and key facts for Ensure COMPLETE Nutrition Shake Chocolate (350 Calories):
Pros
Cons
Helping You Choose the Best RTD Meal Replacement Shake
You now know which ready-to-drink meal replacement shakes are the best. But, that knowledge isn’t worth much unless you also know how to choose the best one for yourself. So, for those that don’t know, we’ll be helping out with just that.
Keep reading to learn more about the most important details of choosing a meal replacement shake:
Nutritional Value
The first and one of the most important things to keep watch for is the nutritional value of these shakes. With a meal replacement or protein powder, you can mix it in with other ingredients for additional nutrition. But, that’s not an option with these kinds of shakes.
Since they’re already prepared, that means you can’t add ingredients of your own into the bottle to adjust the nutrition your shake offers you. That’s why the best meal replacement shake will always provide you with exactly the nutrition you need without any trouble.
Recommended to read: Best Tasting Meal Replacement Shakes That’ll Mesmerise Your Taste Buds
Protein Intake
Nutrition is generally very important. But, arguably, the most important ingredient of all that protein shakes and meal replacement shakes have to offer is protein. That’s because these supplements are mainly used for fitness, and there’s no better nutrient for that than protein.
It helps the body manage weight and helps you build muscles or maintain them. If you want to drink these shakes for weight loss, make sure that it has adequate protein. Consuming more protein while exercising is one of the best ways to shed pounds.
Additionally, keep in mind what kind of protein is being used. Soy protein, whey protein, pea protein, etc., are just some of the most common types. Some of these may not be suitable for your body, which is why you should do more research and decide which one works best for you.
Related: Meal Replacement Vs Protein Shakes: The Difference
Ingredients
Another thing to be wary of is the ingredients being used. In many cases, there are a lot of artificial sweeteners and other harmful ingredients in the shake. These can cause diseases or even allergic reactions in some people’s bodies.
That’s why you should be very careful when researching the ingredients. Make sure that there aren’t any allergens that might affect you. Since artificial sweeteners are so bad for you if you consume them regularly, make sure the shake doesn’t have any of those either. (1)
You can also consider the following meal replacement shakes without any artificial sweeteners here!
Pricing
Often, pre-made shakes like these tend to be very overpriced for no reason. What’s worse is that they tend to run out quicker than powdered meal replacements. You should make sure that your choice isn’t too heavy on your wallet.
Since they run out easily, you’ll have to purchase more frequently. Try to make these frequent purchases as easy as possible by choosing an option you can comfortably afford. That way, you won’t have to worry about spending all of your budget on these supplements.
How and When to Drink Meal Replacement Shakes?
One of the most convenient things about pre-made meal replacement shakes is that you don’t have to worry about how to drink them. There’s no need to worry about serving sizes, scoops, extra ingredients, or anything. You need to grab a bottle and drink whenever you want.
The tough part is deciding when to drink these shakes. That said, it usually depends on your schedule. Lots of people prefer to take them at breakfast. That’s because mornings are usually the biggest time of day since everyone is busy and trying to get to their jobs.
So, many people tend to take a bottle of these shakes and drink them on the go when they’re too busy. Similarly, you can decide when to drink it depending on your schedule. See which meal in the day causes you the most trouble, and replace it with these shakes!
Powder vs Ready to Drink – Differences
Many people aren’t entirely sure what the differences between powdered and ready-to-drink meal replacement drinks are. That said, it’s quite simple. The main and biggest distinction between the two is that one is already made, while the other isn’t.
With pre-made shakes, you just have to grab a bottle and drink. But, with powders, you can do various things. For example, you can add them to different recipes. You can add multiple ingredients of your own into the mix and do much more of the sort.
But then you have to worry about serving sizes and deciding how many scoops are right for you. With ready-made shakes, that isn’t an issue. You don’t have to worry about any of the math. Just grab a container and drink whenever you want. It’s as simple as that!
RTDs vs Meal Bars – Differences
Similar to a meal replacement shake, there are also meal replacement bars. Like shakes help you fill up and get nutrition by drinking them, bars do the same thing. The only key difference is that you eat them instead of drinking them up.
Ready-to-drink meal shakes, and meal bars are pretty similar in terms of convenience. You can take them anywhere and get nutrition on the go. But, the ready-to-drink shake is better for those that can’t chew because of dental issues or any other reasons.
Shakes also have many more flavors, and it’s easier to alter them to your liking. On top of that, they help with hydration too, which is another big bonus. But, bars require less space and time to eat. You can easily fit them in your pocket and eat one in a few moments.
So, cutting it short, there are certain advantages to them both. The biggest difference is that one is a liquid, and the other is solid. They both serve the same purpose. It comes down to personal preferences and needs as to which one is the better option.
Here’s a complete guide on Meal Replacement Shakes vs Bars, if this information is not enough.
Advantages and Disadvantages of RTD Meal Replacement Shakes
Speaking of all these differences and traits, it’s also important to know what ready-to-drink shakes have to offer. That said, here’s a rundown of all of their most important pros and cons that you should know more about before making them a part of your diet:
Advantages
Disadvantages
Conclusion
That’s all we have to share about the best ready-to-drink meal replacement shakes out there. Each of the options above is the best you’ll be able to find, and they’re all exceptional in their way. Now it’s just up to you to pick the one you like most.
Our number one pick is the variety offered by Orgain Organic Nutritional Shake.
It’s a well-rounded selection that comes with enough options for anyone to get what they’re looking for. You’ll surely love what they have to offer as well!
Regardless of which one you choose, though, we’re sure you’ll have no troubles as long as you listen to our tips. Just remember what we’ve said and the products we’ve mentioned. After that, you’ll be able to find the best RTD meal replacement shake in no time!
FAQs
REFERENCES:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198517/
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