10 Best Ways to Make Protein Shakes Taste Better

Protein shakes are practical, convenient, and perfect for people with busy lives but they don’t always taste appealing. You shouldn’t have to choose between taste and convenience. The good news is, with these 10 best ways to make protein shakes taste better, you won’t have to.

Let’s face it, even the best meal replacements shakes may not taste good to you. Meal replacements and protein shakes are everywhere these days, but maybe you haven’t fallen in love with them the way everyone else has. I get it.

Some taste bitter or sour, or the worst… have a chalky or a gritty texture that can make them even harder to enjoy! I had a hard time loving them too until I discovered how to make protein shakes that taste as good as (dare I say) a dessert does.

Why Protein Shakes are Popular

Protein shakes are easy to make, filling, and packed with a healthy chunk of extra protein. For women over 40, it can be hard to slow down and find time for health and weight loss. That’s another reason why protein shakes are appealing. They’re a great option to up your protein intake on the go.

You’ll want to look at the ingredients of your protein powder as many use harmful artificial sweeteners to try to improve the taste. 1st Phorm has a great all natural sweetener protein shake option.

How to Make Protein Shakes Taste Better

1 – Experiment with Different Brands and Flavors

The best way to make a protein shake taste better is to pick one in a flavor you typically prefer. For instance, go with a vanilla or chocolate flavor you would normally like. But if you end up with a protein powder and realize that you don’t like it, don’t rule out protein shakes all together. Instead, try other brands or another, different strong flavor.

I’ve tried at least a dozen different brands of shakes in the last 10 years. Some were tolerable, and of course, others were awful. However, there are a few that I’ve tried, that are really good. When it comes to finding the protein shake that you love, it’s really just going to boil down to your own tastes and preferences.

After many years of trial and error, I’ve been drinking the same protein brand for the last several years for both taste quality ingredients. 1st Phorm has met my standards for being a shake that helps me reach my goals, tastes great and has a delicious variety. Their meal replacement shake is Level-1, with about 25 grams of protein per serving.

Add a Little Milk

Sometimes, depending on the brand, the protein shake doesn’t have as much of a creamy and smooth texture as you prefer.

An easy way to fix that is to add a milk product to a whey protein powder shake or vegan protein shake for a better consistency and taste.

You don’t have to skip water all together, but try adding in a splash of your milk of choice. Whether it be unsweetened almond milk, skim milk, soy milk, or coconut milk, I’ve found that the drink will have a more creamy texture and a better consistency of your protein shake. (I don’t have to add anything except water to the 1st Phorm Protein shakes)

Use Ice and Cold Water

Always add some ice cubes to mix your powder. Depending if you want to drink the shake with ice or not will help you decide how much to use.

Drinking a protein shake that is lukewarm is probably not going to be the optimal way to enjoy it.

Create a Smoothie Using Protein Powder

Get creative with your protein powder! You could put the powder in a smoothie, and the flavor options are endless (yum). So many different ways and flavors to experiment with when creating a smoothie!

There are also a wide variety of flavors of protein powder to add to smoothies for an explosion for your taste buds!

When making smoothies, you can add them to a blender with other add-ins like nut butters such as almond butter or all natural peanut butter. Your favorite fresh fruit is another great way to improve the taste of a protein shake smoothie.

Adjust the Water to Your Own Preference

You don’t have to adhere to the suggested ratio of protein powder to water! Instead, try adding more or less water than advised.

Personally, I prefer my meal replacement shake not to be as thick as it’s intended, so I add more water than is recommended.

Add Fresh Fruit or Fruit Juice

You don’t have to go all out to make a protein smoothie, but adding a favorite fruit or juice (100% juice is best) to add a little depth to a vanilla shake or other flavor.

Orange juice, frozen banana, Greek yogurt, or similar can be a good option for a quick add.

Add a little Coffee

This is a not a tip for everyone, but if you love coffee, you’ll love this one. You can add just a little cold brew or half a shot of espresso that’s cooled off to the shakes mixture.

Add a Scoop of PB Fit Powder

Do you love peanut butter as much as I do?

PB Fit is a healthier low fat way to create delicious peanut butter shake. PB Fit is made from roasted peanuts, minus 87% of the fat and 1/3 the calories!

My favorite is adding in a scoop to a milk chocolate protein powder (Level-1 is my fav). It’s like drinking a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup!

Use a Blender or Shaker Cup with Agitator

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I ALWAYS have a shaker bottle with me. I drink practically everything with one.

When you purchase a shaker bottle, it comes with some type of agitator. That agitator is great for properly mixing protein powder with the water for a smoother, dissolved consistency. Afterall no want enjoys lumpy shakes!

Using a good blender can also be a good option for ensuring a good mix.

Let the Protein Drink Sit for a Couple of Minutes After Shaking

Patience is a virtue as they say! It’s best to shake a bit and then allow a couple of minutes to pass before drinking to allow the bubbles to settle out.

BONUS TIP: Buy the Premade Shakes

You don’t have to make your own shakes! If you’re finding that you don’t love the taste and texture of the shakes that you’re making at home, you can always try premade shakes.

Premade protein shakes are typically much smoother and creamier than many homemade shakes.

Beware, these can get pricey, but if those are the only shakes you’ll drink, they may be worth it!

Final Thoughts

Don’t give up on protein shakes before you try a few different brands and preparation methods.

Better health and weight loss (especially for women over 40) is best when consuming the proper amount of protein for your body. Protein is used for so many functions in our body that when we have a protein deficit, it works against our healthy lifestyle efforts.