This Meal Replacement Powder Sent My Hanger Into Remission
How many times have you missed lunch entirely due to back-to-back meetings? It happens all the time to me, and I wind up famished and hangry by 4 p.m., looking for the quickest way to fill up. A smoothie is great, except making one takes time. I also want to make sure I’m getting enough protein to satisfy, some leafy greens for vitamins and minerals, and most importantly, I want it to taste good. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
My solution: Orgain’s Perfect Meal Powder—a complete meal replacement powder with 25 grams of protein, 80+ superfoods, good fats, adaptogens, fiber, and probiotics, all under 250 calories. I like to think of it as my greens powder, protein powder, and fiber supplement in one. As someone who takes a profusion of supplements, this fact alone is appealing to me—I can get it all in with one chocolatey shake.
What Is Orgain Perfect Meal Powder?
It’s exactly what it sounds like: a meal replacement powder including all the nutrients to deem it the “perfect” meal. In just two scoops and 8 ounces of water or milk, you’ve got yourself a satiating breakfast, post-workout snack, or in-between-meetings lunch. Each serving includes:
- 25 grams of plant-based protein (a blend made from pea protein, brown rice protein, and chia seeds)
- 5 grams of healthy fats (from coconut oil, avocado oil, and cocoa butter)
- 10 grams of fiber (triple your average fiber supplement)
- 80+ superfoods, vitamins, and minerals (made from red and green produce and grasses)
- 1,000 milligrams of stress-busting adaptogens (ashwagandha, lion’s mane, cordyceps, reishi, and chaga)
- 1 billion probiotics for digestive health
- Just 250 calories
What’s Good About Orgain’s Perfect Meal Powder?
Convenient
It doesn’t get easier than this. Dump two scoops of the powder in a blender bottle and pack it in your gym bag, then add water and shake for a post-workout meal. When I’m home and looking for a quick fix between meetings, I’ll use 8 ounces of almond milk, because it tastes creamier and feels a tad more satisfying, keeping me full for a solid three to four hours. But I’ve mixed it with water, too, and it still keeps me full for a few hours.
You don’t need to add any other ingredients to it, hence the all-in-one situation. So it’s much more convenient than making a smoothie from scratch. I have, however, added a frozen banana to thicken it up into a smoothie consistency, and it tastes 10/10. I recommend.
Taste and texture
I’m extremely picky when it comes to protein powder. I dislike anything chalky, I despise the aftertaste of Stevia, and the flavors can sometimes be sickeningly sweet. I was pleasantly surprised that Orgain’s Perfect Meal Powder brought none of that to the table, because it is essentially a protein powder with a bunch of other stuff in it. Yes, it’s sweetened with Stevia and monk fruit, but I barely taste it when I blend it with almond milk. I can taste it a bit more when I just use water, but it’s not enough to turn me off. It’s not super sweet, and it’s not too chocolatey, which is a bonus in my mind. There’s also something slightly savory about it, which can likely be attributed to all the superfoods crammed in.
When blended, it isn’t chalky in the slightest. It does get thicker as it sits, so I suggest drinking right away.
All-in-one solution to protein, vitamins, and supplements
If you, like me, often feel overwhelmed by all of the supplements we’re supposed to take on a daily basis, Orgain’s meal replacement powder could be your solution. It’s replaced my greens powder, protein, functional mushrooms, fiber, and probiotics, all of which I previously took separately, in the morning, before even having breakfast. Now, all I have to do is drink one serving of this powder, and I tick every single box, including breakfast.
Free from most allergens
I don’t personally have any allergies to food, but I do love the idea of a product that isn’t likely to cause inflammation. This powder is free from dairy, soy, and many nuts and seeds (aside from sesame and coconut). It’s also extremely hard to find any pre-packaged item devoid of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives—but Orgain’s Perfect Meal Powder doesn’t have any of those.
What’s Not Good About Orgain Perfect Meal Powder?
Price
$60 isn’t nothing, especially when you consider each bag only provides 14 servings. If you’re crushing one of these drinks every day, you’ll be running yourself $120 per month. I personally don’t use this powder every day, and if I just need a little something before a workout, I’ll use half a serving (one scoop), so it lasts me over a month. If it replaces all of your supplements, greens powder, and protein, even $120 doesn’t feel so bad.
Flavor choice
If you get bored easily, this powder might not be for you. It only comes in two very standard flavors: chocolate and vanilla. For the purpose of this experiment, I only tried the chocolate version, and I can see myself getting sick of it eventually. And if you’re someone who prefers your Fruity Pebbles protein powder, this will probably taste painfully bland.
Overkill on the supplements
Yes, the whole point of this powder is convenient nutrition. And it is a one-stop shop. But if you already take many of the supplements on its ingredients list and enjoy your current routine, adding Orgain’s meal replacement powder to the rotation is complete and utter overkill. You’ll wind up just pissing your money away (literally) for a glorified protein powder.
The Competition
Soylent
If all the above sounds great, but you’re hung up on the supplement overkill, try Soylent’s meal replacement powder ($70). It’s a bit higher in calories (400) and fat (20 grams), but it’s formulated with slow-burning carbs and healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied. It’s still got 28 vitamins and minerals (to Orgain’s 80+), it’s free from adaptogens, and doesn’t include probiotics, so you won’t double up unless you’re being intentional about it. One bag includes 35 meals, so you also get a lot more bang for your buck.
Ka’Chava
Maybe you love the idea of the Orgain powder, but want more flavor options. Try Ka’Chava ($70) instead. It has five flavors to choose from (including chai, coconut acai, and matcha), so you’ll never get bored. It also boasts 85+ superfoods, adaptogens, antioxidants, fiber, probiotics, and digestive enzymes. Though, it’s a bit more expensive than Soylent and only provides 15 meals per bag.
Huel
If you’re completely sold on the concept, and you’re ready to go all in, Huel Powder v3.0 ($83 for two bags) might be your best bet. You have to purchase two bags at a time, which is why you really have to be committed, but it winds up being the least expensive option, with just as many benefits. It’s got 27 vitamins and minerals, natural ingredients, pro- and pre-biotics, less than one gram of sugar, and a ton of protein (29 grams). It also has the best variety with 10 flavors to choose from, including an unflavored, unsweetened version that makes a great base for other mix-ins.
The Bottom Line
Orgain’s Perfect Meal Powder is a convenient way to get a nutritious and satisfying meal in when you have very little time. It can replace a whole supplement stack, tastes great, and will keep you full for hours.
