Nutrition On-the-Go: Designing the Perfect Meal Replacement Shake

Have you ever had a day where you were so busy that you barely had time to stop and think, let alone time to make sure you ate lunch? 

We're sure most of you have. For many of you, this might be what you consider "normal." And that’s okay! Life can be hectic and our calendars can be overflowing with appointments and tasks that need to be completed.

The trouble comes with how busy schedules impact our health. For many people, an on-the-go lifestyle can lead to poor eating habits that contribute to weight gain. On the other side of the same coin, missing meals can lead to nutrition deficiency, drops in blood sugar, and fatigue. 

When either of these things happen, it can be difficult to maintain a positive outlook. 

You can make your busy days much more bearable by turning to meal replacement shakes. 

When built properly, meal replacement shakes are the perfect way to control your hunger and get the nutrients you need when you're on-the-go.

What Is Meal Replacement?

Meal replacement is the act of substituting out a typical solid food meal in favor of an alternative, like a shake, bar, drink, or something similar. Any good meal replacement option will be designed to provide the appropriate amount of calories, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. 

Shakes are a very popular choice for meal replacement because they are portable and incredibly convenient for anyone on-the-go. Though you can find a wide variety of meal replacement options at the store, it's often cheaper, easier, and healthier to learn how to make your own.

Why You Should Avoid Store-Bought Shakes

Homemade meal replacement shakes are always a better option than buying them at the store, provided you know how to make them correctly. One reason why is that many of the popular meal replacement shakes you'll find at the store - think Slim Fast, Ensure, and 310 Shake - are much more expensive than their homemade counterparts.

This is easy to overlook at first, but any pre-made meal replacement shake will be significantly more expensive than a homemade shake on a per-serving basis.

Secondly, it's good to be in control of the protein powder, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits you select for your meal replacement shakes. This gives you the ability to build a shake that tastes great and works for your body. Plus, you can ensure it's made entirely with healthy ingredients!

Meal replacement shakes you can find at the store often don't use the best ingredients. Not only do they use fillers and low-quality protein to make more money, but they also frequently avoid using real fruits and vegetables to give you the nutrients your body needs. 

All you need to get started with making meal replacement shakes at home is a single serving blender and ashaker bottle.

FREE E-BOOK: If you’re looking for some inspiration for your meal replacement shakes, check out our Smoothie Recipe E-Book!

5 Steps to Designing the Perfect Meal Replacement Shake

There's no hassle when it comes to making meal replacement shakes at home. You can make one by itself in just a few minutes. You can place shake ingredients together in containers or baggies and freeze them until needed. Then you can just defrost, blend, and they're ready to go! 

To make the perfect meal replacement shake, follow these five important steps:

1. Start with Protein

Any form of meal replacement should begin with protein. If you don't have any protein - or don't have enough protein - you'll be feeling hungry again before you know it. Protein is what helps reduce the hunger hormone (ghrelin) in your bloodstream, helping you stay full until it's time for your next meal. 

Good protein choices for meal replacement shakes include nut butter (just a tablespoon or two), Greek yogurt, andmilk substitutes like plant milks. However, protein powder is one of the most popular choices for meal replacement shakes. 

We suggest powering your shakes with the cleanest and leanest plant-based protein around:Vegan Vanilla Proteini. This protein powder contains no fillers or artificial sweeteners, but does feature 10 nutrient-packed superfoods that come together to form nature's perfect protein.

2. Fiber Is Your Friend

To further ensure your food cravings are kept under control, make sure your meal replacement shake includes some fiber. Additionally, fiber helps prevent or relieve constipation and ensures your body has a healthy gut - which is important for digestion. Flax and chia seeds are great choices because they contain fiber, protein, and fatty acids - all good things. 

That’s why we recommend ourPineapple Chia Cleanse, which contains flax seeds, chia seeds, and 13 other superfood fibers that support the healthy elimination of toxins. 

Even better: Try ourCut Cravings Bundle, which pairs our Vegan Vanilla Proteini and Pineapple Chia Cleanse. You’ll get the protein and fiber your meal replacement shakes needat a discount!

3. Add Some Veggies

Most people don't get enough vegetables in their daily diet, which is totally understandable. When you're on-the-go, it's hard to find time for 4-5 servings of vegetables. But with meal replacement, it can actually be pretty easy to get the veggies you need! 

You can experiment through trial and error to find what you like in your shakes, or you can get everything you need in one simple scoop ofOrganic Pressed Greens. Featuring delicious hints of real pineapple, apple, carrots, and citrus with no added sugar, our Greens are all the vegetables you need.

4. Some Fruit Doesn’t Hurt

Fruits are another essential part to a healthy diet, but there's no need to go overboard when it comes to your meal replacement shakes. Plus, fruit is typically easier to eat on-the-go than vegetables, so veggies are typically a more important meal replacement ingredient. 

However, adding fruit like organic berries to your meal replacement shake is a great way to get extra phytonutrients into your meal. Find something you like that tastes great with the other ingredients and experiment! Just be mindful of the servings, if adding in tropical fruits. 

5. Watch Added Sugar

It's common to see recipes advocating for extra sweeteners, like maple syrup or agave. While it's important to make meal replacement shakes that you enjoy, make sure not to go overboard with the sugar. Too much sugar is counterproductive because it adds calories you don't need and can hurt your weight loss efforts or other health goals. 

Fruit is often a great, healthy way to sweeten up a meal replacement shake. If you already added some fruit to your recipe, you should be all set.

FREE E-BOOK: If you’re looking for some inspiration for your meal replacement shakes, check out our Smoothie Recipe E-Book!

For more SMART lifestyle tips like this, visitwww.smartpressedjuice.com and follow us onInstagram andTwitter, or like us onFacebook. You can also visit ourAmazon store to stock up on our delicious juices.

Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for direct, individual medical treatment or advice. It is the responsibility of you and your healthcare providers to make all decisions regarding your health. We recommend that you consult with your healthcare providers regarding the diagnosis and treatment of any disease or condition. Products sold on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.