Food vs protein shakes

Shakes are a tool when you cannot eat. Food is the default because it also feeds you. You do not need a side in the brand war.

Eat food when you can. Use a shake when a meal will not happen. Do not let the shake replace lunch so often that you forget how to cook one.

Fullness

Meals: Usually better

Shakes: Variable

Speed

Meals: Fast if you prepped

Shakes: Faster if you did not

Sodium and sugar

Meals: You can see the ingredients

Shakes: Read the label; they vary wildly

Cost

Meals: Eggs, yogurt, and lentils are hard to beat

Shakes: Convenient and often pricey per gram

Training

Meals: A plate with starch and protein

Shakes: A backup in a bottle

Feature	Meals	Shakes
Fullness	Usually better	Variable
Speed	Fast if you prepped	Faster if you did not
Sodium and sugar	You can see the ingredients	Read the label; they vary wildly
Cost	Eggs, yogurt, and lentils are hard to beat	Convenient and often pricey per gram
Training	A plate with starch and protein	A backup in a bottle

Choose Meals if

You have 10 minutes or a prepped container.
You want to cook anyway.
Your stomach does fine with food.

Choose Shakes if

You are out the door.
Chewing is hard and a clinician is fine with liquids.
It is a bridge to the next meal, not the meal plan.

The recipes on this site are the food column. A shake is not forbidden and not required. If you use one, count it the way you count yogurt: read the grams.

Questions

Does Chris use shakes?

This site does not claim a supplement routine. The cooking is the part being shared.

Food vs protein shakes

Choose Meals if

Choose Shakes if

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Questions