The 12 Best Meal Replacement Shakes (2023 Update) | BarBend

There are a lot of reasons why someone may want to drink their calories in the form of a meal replacement shake. Strength athletes or hard-gainers who need to eat thousands of calories a day may not be able to stomach another bite of solid food. Busy gymgoers can use meal replacements to supplement their diet and hit their daily macros. Average consumers might just need a quick and healthy meal on a busy day to fill them up. Generally, meal replacements are full of protein, carbs, fats, and vitamins to fuel the body with what it needs. Better yet, they’re way more convenient than breaking out the Dutch oven when you’re in a pinch for sustenance.

When it comes to choosing the best meal replacement shake, it’s important to find a product based on your personal preferences and fitness goals. That’s why, after trying many, many meal replacements ourselves, we’ve landed on a wide selection of the best meal replacement shakes that suit a variety of nutritional needs and dietary goals.

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Best Meal Replacement Shakes

Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t take the place of qualified medical advice. If you’re looking to make a significant change to your diet and training regimen or replace a significant percentage of your food with meal replacements, please consult your medical professional first.

Meal Replacement Shake Video Review

Like the meal replacement shakes on this list, our video review is convenient, easy to digest, and loaded with useful stuff. Check it out to gain even more insight into how we tested and picked the best meal replacements on the market.

Best Meal Replacement Shake

The best shake on our list boasts a formula that may help with digestion and satiation, as well as recovery — plus, it tastes delicious. It’s also less expensive than our average price per serving by a significant amount, making it an inexpensive choice.

Kaged Clean Meal

Kaged Clean Meal really does check a lot of boxes. For one, it’s incredibly satiating — meaning it can help keep you full for a long time. That said, the 360 calorie count (for three scoops) is pretty much in line with other meal replacements on the market.

Kaged Muscle Clean Meal

Kaged Muscle Clean Meal™ is a meal replacement supplement that packs 240 calories and 28 grams of protein per two-scoop serving. It includes 21 organic vitamins and minerals, and comes in Snickerdoodle and Vanilla Cake flavors.

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The satiation is in part due to the macros here, which include 7g of fat, 27g of carbs, and 42g of protein per each three-scoop serving. You’ll also find three grams of fiber here, which pass through your body and aren’t absorbed, aiding additionally in satiation. The MCT oil can also help your body digest this supplement, as it may assist your gut microbiome in absorbing all the nutrients. (1)

Plus, this meal replacement packs a ton of vitamins and minerals (including vitamin D, vitamin A, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium). This product also does not contain any artificial colors or flavors, which is a huge plus for those who steer clear of artificial ingredients. However, this supp only comes in Snickerdoodle or Vanilla Cake, which may be limiting for some.

Kaged Clean Meal

Who Should Buy Kaged Clean Meal

Those looking for a shake that will truly replace a meal — this stuff can help keep you full.
People who have sensitive stomachs may find this meal replacement to be easier on digestion thanks to the MCT oil.
Folks who want to replenish lost carbs after their workout will appreciate the 27g here.

Who Shouldn’t Buy Kaged Clean Meal

Anyone looking for a low-carb supplement can find other meal replacements with leaner formulas.
Athletes who want more than two flavors to choose from as this meal replacement only comes in Snickerdoodle and Vanilla Cake.
If you’re looking for a meal replacement that includes probiotics, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Kaged’s product truly does live up to the ”Clean Meal” name. From digestion to taste, this meal replacement checks most of the boxes on our list, and can truly provide a nutritious meal without any artificial colors or flavors. Many will appreciate how much work each calorie in this formulation can do with regard to keeping them full and providing tons of micronutrients to fill in dietary gaps.

[Related: The Best Types Of Supplements For Performance, Weight Loss, and Health]

Best Meal Replacement Bar

Protein bars are a great meal replacement option for anyone on the go — they’re easy to travel with and you can simply throw them in your gym bag for a post-workout pick-me-up. This pick checks a lot of essential boxes when you need a quick meal on the go.

Transparent Labs Uncut

Packing 16 grams of whey protein isolate to help feed your muscles and potentially prevent catabolism, and 23 grams of carbs to help give you much-needed energy, Transparent Labs Uncut bars are an ideal meal replacement. You’ll also receive 16 grams of fat per bar to help balance the macros out. The lower calorie count of 290 calories per bar is lower than most meals/meal replacements, so this would count as a small meal or snack. Despite that, the friendly macro split of about 2:1:1 protein to carbs to fat replicates a meal’s macro profile well.

Transparent Labs Uncut High Protein Energy Bars

Transparent Labs Uncut High Protein Energy Bars contain 290 calories per bar, 23 grams of carbs, 16 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat. They come in Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Coffee, are gluten-free, and steer clear of sugar alcohols, which may be harsh on the stomach.

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You can purchase Uncut bars in either Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Coffee flavors — both of which are naturally sweetened and contain real chocolate chips and coffee beans, respectively. The price per box is about $29.99, though you’ll receive a discount for automatic shipments. That puts the price per bar at around $2.50, which is much more cost-effective than grabbing something at the convenience store (and likely much healthier too).

Transparent Labs Uncut

Who Should Buy the Transparent Labs Uncut

Those who prefer their meal replacement to be in a bar form. Sometimes chewing can help with feeling fuller if you’re on a diet or deep into a cutting phase.
People who like Chocolate flavored products. There are only Chocolate-based variations of this bar available currently.
Athletes who prefer whey protein isolate (which may digest quickly and potentially feed muscles faster).

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Transparent Labs Uncut

Folks who are looking for a higher protein content — you may be better off opting for a shake, which could contain 25 to 30 grams per serving.
Those who dislike Chocolate flavored products. The Vanilla squad may want to take a look at other picks with more flavor variety.
Those who are on a low-carb or keto diet may want to look for options with fewer carbohydrates — there are 16 grams of them per serving here.

While you won’t get as high of a protein content as you would in many meal replacement shakes, these bars are tasty and still pack in up to 16 grams of high-quality whey protein isolate per bar — plus, they make on-the-go protein intake easy and enjoyable. You won’t have to worry about one of these bars spilling in your gym bag.

Best Meal Replacement for Protein

While this pick still offers healthy, whole ingredients and extra minerals, it packs a whole 28 grams of protein into each meal, which is ideal for those who are also looking for a meal replacement that doubles as a protein supplement.