Garden of Life Meal Replacement Shakes, Raw Organic, Vanilla Protein Powder with Plant Based Pea Protein, Sprouts, Greens, Probiotics, Dairy Free 14 Servings

I was on the hunt for a meal replacement that didn't have weird stuff in it. It was between this and orgain meal replacement and i'm glad I went with this brand given all the vitamins and minerals it's packed with. I blend this with 150g plain Greek yogurt (which is a standard single serv size), splash of water, flaxseed and trader joes has this delicious tropical smoothie blend from the freezer section- Ive added a few pieces (not a full serving) and WOW. Not to mention it kept me full for half a day. I dont think I would drink this by itself with water hence the bad reviews about taste. If you really wanna make this work- you'll find a way and won't complain about it, I promise.

I've been using Raw Meal for the past 5 years, and I still think it's the best value for money. My favorite is Vanilla, but I try all other flavors occasionally. If you are really looking into losing some weight and staying healthy, try to invest in a good blender like Vitamix or Blendtec. The taste and texture of the shake drastically improves by using a powerful blender. There has been many concerns regarding heavy metals and this brand, but I did some research and all "Meal Replacement" powders have traces of metals in them. They are not just protein and have other nutrition, so probably you get some heavy metals . Another concern was the pea protein that makes some people bloated and gassy. I do believe this particular issue relates to one's diet and what you eat on a daily basis. If you have enough fibers and probiotics in your daily diet, you should be able to avoid this particular problem. After 5 years, I still follow my original recipe: 1- One Cup of Frozen Fruits preferably from an organic or co-op store (~70 Cal) 2- One Cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk (30-40 Cal) 3- Two Scoop of RAW Meal Powder (240 Cal) Total Calories per Cup: 340-350 I prefer frozen berries mixed with mango. Sometimes I add a fresh banana or an apple to make it taste different than the last one, but make sure you add the fresh fruit calories to the above number! You should experiment with different frozen and fresh fruits mix and find your ideal blend. You may also like to have different kinds for breakfast and lunch, so it doesn't get boring. When I want to lose a few pounds, I continue having four shakes per day for two weeks. It works amazingly great and in just two weeks, you'll start to lose a lot of weight. Also, your body kind of goes into a cleansing state after a few days, which I am not going to repeat what happens since it may be different for each person, but you will definitely notice it when it starts to happen. For maintaining my weight, I only make the shake for breakfast and just use one scoop of powder. So after more than five years, I've maintained my desired weight and only make this once a day. I hardly notice the distinctive taste of the powder anymore, but it’s there. If you are very sensitive to the taste, maybe it helps if you get a better blender as I mentioned above. I have Blendtec 675, and you definitely can tell the difference between shakes made by a hand blender and shakes made by this beast. You certainly don’t feel the fiber texture in your mouth anymore, and the blend is so smooth you less notice the aftertaste. Many of my friends got newer models from Vitamix and Blendtec, and they are very happy. Conclusion: this diet works and you feel amazingly light and healthy after a few weeks. If you have a hard time adjusting to the taste, try vanilla version and mix it with vanilla almond milk and frozen fruits. Also, you can start with one scoop of powder which results in each cup to be about 220-230 calories (without additional fresh fruits). Lastly, don’t forget that your choice of blender can have a huge difference on the aftertaste. Happy shaking and best of luck.

This is for anyone who was looking for a replacement now that GoL has stopped carrying the Raw Organic Fiber Powder. The taste: Not at all like the Fiber powder. Its sweet and would taste good with almond or oat milk. Def was not pleasant chugging with cold water like i used to do with the fiber powder. I prefer the cardboard taste over sweet taste so this is just a matter of preference. Texture: def does not mix as well with cold water. Would recommend mixing with warm liquid if you cant stomach swallowing large chunks. *update- i use room temperature water and it mixes fine if i use a little whisk. Productiveness: Ive only had one glass so i will have to update in a couple days. But if its anything close to how well the organic fiber worked than i will be happy. * I chose this product because it was similar to the ingredients listed and then some to the raw organic fiber powder. *UPDATE* Ive been using for a couple weeks now and it definitely works and is a good substitute for the Raw organic fiber. I have learned to deal with the sweet taste and feel comfortable mixing in with my kids milk. I will continue to buy this product.

Must read if you are looking for TASTE. I started using meal replacement with Herbalife. They are so delicious. But the ingredients are not the greatest. I do not use a meal replacement for weight loss. I have a 4 month old and a two year old. I just need something quick and easy to down while nursing my little one. This product fits the bill. Good healthy ingredients but not a horrible taste. My 2 year old will drink this! That says a lot. It’s not a milk shake from dairy queen (if you want that seriously try Herbalife they are sooo delicious) This powder does Have a little bit of a cardbordy taste. To make it delicious : I scoop of this meal replacement 6oz of unsweetened vanilla almond milk 6oz of sweetened almond milk A spoon full of vanilla pudding mix A heaping spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt About 4-5 ice cubes Blend in blender. Sometimes I add a banana. Sometimes I add apples and pumpkin pie spice. This powder is very low calories that adding all of the extras is not going to hurt if your trying to lose weight. Maybe just use lower calorie of these ingredients. The yogurt really help balance out the taste! I am going to try the slightly sweet version since I’m not a big fan of the stevia taste. Although it’s not totally unbearable.

When mixed with water, not all of the powder is dissolved, as a result the mixture becomes lumpy. The overall result is watery and doesn't conform to my idea of a "shake". The vanilla taste is palatable. The fine powder has a tendency to go places other than the mug in which it gets mixed. Lower sodium content that most other brands. Product contains powdered wheat grass juice and powdered barley grass juice. In order for these to be gluten free, they have a 10 day window in which the grasses have to be harvested which is prior to the formation of the gluten containing seeds and my research suggests there are opportunities for the grasses to become contaminated with gluten. The product t is also processed in a facility that also processes wheat. If you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, this information is enough to question the gluten-free packaging claim.

If you are used to consuming processed and heavily sweetened products, you will likely not care for this one. It is made from, and tastes like, whole real foods. To someone who doesn't eat them, it likely tastes terrible, based on some of these reviews, I think people are expecting it to taste like a fast food shake. It is "chalky" and "gritty" because you're literally drinking whole foods. For me, the taste was delicious, and better than I expected. I mixed one and a half scoops with unsweetened almond milk, a frozen banana, and a scoop of peanut butter. It was thicker than I expected, and I think next time I'd enjoy it a little more watered down. I am not a fan of stevia, however, in this product the taste is mild. Even so, I may order the unflavored version next time to avoid it. A few notes regarding some of the reviews I see here: 1) Do your own research. The levels of heavy metal in this are disclosed on Garden of Life's website, and if you research it, you will see that they are safe levels. Don't fall for people trying scare tactics, screaming about heavy metals. A product like this is still healthier for you than a cheeseburger. 2) Something else disclosed right on the website is the issue of the product "settling." The size of the container is not reflective of the volume of product. I opened mine, and due to settling, it was half full. The product amount that I have purchased is still the same. This happens with any "powder" product you purchase. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase. I used to skip breakfast, and now I have a great and healthy alternative.

Has a very bad thick taste I normally love these products . However only problem is Amazon customer service did advise me due to their policies to no longer buy consumable products from Amazon because they do not do returns or refunds. I did not know that so he did mention that if I wanted something that buy any consumable products that I needed to return to buy from a grocery stores or online store that has a return policy.

Love the product, easy to pretend to smell this

I love all flavors they have to offer and am glad I can get RAW Meal when in Germany. The price is rather high but well worth it. I use less water when mixing my meal and eat it as a pudding.

Was so disgusted to find a bug living inside AFTER having one portion. And I’m pregnant too which made me extra worrried. Would really appreciate a replacement or at least a refund for this one

The taste is gross for my liking!