Pre-Mixed Protein Shake Roundup (June 2025)

Minor updates on 2025-07-09

I normally only use pre-mixed shakes when I’m planning on being away from home for a fair amount of time before drinking them. I’m also more likely to do it if the weather is warm enough that I don’t want to leave a “normal” dairy-based mixed powder drink out for long, even with ice cubes.
These shakes do not need to be refrigerated until they’re opened.
I’m very bad about getting enough protein and calories during ultimate frisbee tournaments. These shakes are easy to transport/drink, and they seem to slightly improve my perceived recovery speed.
Buying powder in bulk and mixing it yourself is almost always significantly cheaper than buying pre-mixed, individually packaged shakes. There is also a much wider array of flavor options. My favorite whey-based powders are listed here.
One of the more common complains about dairy-based protein supplements is digestion issues/gas. That is often tied to lactose, so I’ve noted which products are advertised as lactose-free. Worth noting: one of the two brands of whey-based powder I like is also hydrolyzed/lactose-free.
I tried to use the lowest pricing that seemed frequently available.

Availability: Amazon, BJ’s, Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart
Price (Costco)
- Per Bottle: $2.17
- Per Gram of Protein: 7.2¢
Volume: 11.5 fl oz
Calories: 150
Protein: 30g
Total Sugars: 2g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 230mg
Total Carbohydrates: 4g
Other Listed Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Chloride, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc
Sweeteners: Sugar, Monk fruit juice concentrate, Sucralose, Stevia leaf extract
Lactose-Free? Yes
Taste Rating: 10/10
Notes: This is an adult version of chocolate milk: rich and creamy, but without the overbearing sweetness of the stuff sold in half-gallon jugs. Better cold, but still good warm. Easy to drink, even after an intense activity. Resealable if you don’t want to drink it all at once. But the packaging is made of three types of plastic, and your local recycling service probably doesn’t accept at least two of them (MLP wrap, hard cap).

Availability: Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club
Price (Amazon)
- Per Bottle: $1.67
- Per Gram of Protein: 5.6¢
Volume: 11 fl oz
Calories: 150
Protein: 30g
Total Sugars: 1g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 250mg
Total Carbohydrates: 3g
Other Listed Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Chloride, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Zinc
Sweeteners: Sugar, Sucralose, Monk fruit extract
Lactose-Free? Yes
Taste Rating: 8/10
Notes: Back to back, I can tell the difference between this and fairlife: fairlife is a little smoother/richer, and the sweetness of Nurri is a little more artificial. But they both taste significantly better than everything else on this list. Along with taste, the big draws for me are 1) price and 2) the relatively high recycling efficiency of the aluminum can.

Availability: Academy Sports, Amazon, Target, Walmart, others
Price (Amazon)
- Per Bottle: $1.92
- Per Gram of Protein: 8¢
Volume: 11 fl oz
Calories: 140
Protein: 24g
Total Sugars: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 210mg
Total Carbohydrates: 4g
Other Listed Vitamins and Minerals: Biotin, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Roboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Zinc, others
Sweeteners: Sugar, Sucralose
Lactose-Free? No
Taste Rating: 6/10
Notes: This is what I consider a classic protein shake taste: nearly-pleasant sweetness and chocolate/coffee flavor upfront that quickly breaks down to something obviously artificial, then finishes with an empty, slightly off-putting sweetener aftertaste. I’m fine drinking something like this nearly every day as a means of getting easy protein, but I’m not going to pretend I look forward to it. The paper-based cartons can be recycled in Portland, but you’ll need to cut off the hard plastic spouts and either put them in the trash or find a service that accepts them.

Availability: Amazon, Fred Meyer, Walgreens, Walmart, others
Price (Amazon)
- Per Bottle: $2.08
- Per Gram of Protein: 13¢
Volume: 8 fl oz
Calories: 160
Protein: 16g
Total Sugars: 4g
Saturated Fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 20mg
Sodium: 210mg
Total Carbohydrates: 19g
Other Listed Vitamins and Minerals: Biotin, Calcium, Chloride, Choline, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Zinc, others
Sweeteners: Sugar, Sucralose
Lactose-Free? No
Taste Rating: 3/10
Notes: After water, the next most abundant ingredient is corn maltodextrin, which is pretty much all you need to know. This is chalky and artificial in a way that is different (and worse) than the ONGS shake. It has the lowest volume of the listed products, but the price per bottle is on the higher side, and the cost per gram of protein (with only 16g in each bottle) is almost double some of the other items.

Availability: Amazon, Costco, fairlife website, Walmart, others
Price (Costco)
- Per Bottle: $3.25
- Per Gram of Protein: 12.5¢
Volume: 14 fl oz
Calories: 170
Protein: 26g
Total Sugars: 7g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 20mg
Sodium: 260mg
Total Carbohydrates: 8g
Other Listed Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium, Iron, Potassium
Sweeteners: Monk fruit juice concentrate, Stevia leaf extract, Sucralose
Lactose-Free? Yes
Taste Rating: N/A
Notes: I haven’t tried this because I frankly don’t see why someone would buy it. The fairlife Nutrition Plan shake:
- Has nearly 20% less volume (11.5 fl oz versus 14 fl oz), so it’s easier to drink all at once.
- Has around 15% more protein (30g versus 26g)
- Has over 70% less sugar (2g versus 7g)
- Costs significantly less across all retailers, both in per-bottle and per-protein gram contexts.
- Has more vitamins and minerals

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