Chocolate and Strawberry Protein Shakes

My daughter I must say, is pretty easy. She's been a healthy eater since she was a baby really, and even now that she's away in college she makes an effort to have some healthy food in her dorm. My son however... that's a whole different story. The kid is ALWAYS hungry, as it is expected from a very active 15 year old boy. Much like my husband, he's a sweets addict. He does, however have a very refined palate and loves food... as long as it meets his "standards". Luckily for me, the one thing he does love and drinks in a regular basis are smoothies. Yes, I know in some cases they can be more of a dessert rather than a health food, but by using the right ingredients they can be a great, balanced source of nutrients.

My son is usually pretty good when it comes to just plain fruit smoothies. He likes most combinations and even makes them himself. But when it comes to adding protein to them to make them a more complete and balanced drink, it becomes a little bit more challenging. Because he is so selective with what he eats, finding a protein powder that he actually likes is not an easy task. And for us it's even more difficult, since the selection of protein powders that are not loaded with artificial ingredients and are also kosher is very limited.

So when we received samples of Integrated Supplements Whey Isolate Protein, I thought to myself, who better than my son to put it to the test?? And so I did. I prepared 2 shakes for him, one using the vanilla flavor and the other one using the chocolate.

He absolutely loved the vanilla. Before adding it to the shake he said he smelled like cake batter. And once I blended it into the drink, he said he though he was drinking a milkshake. It was creamy and smooth, without any kind of aftertaste.

He did like the chocolate flavor as well, but trying to be as honest as possible, he thought it was slightly grittier and the chocolate flavor didn't come through as much as he would have wanted it to. Quite frankly though, I was absolutely thrilled he loved one of them!

Oh, and I did the exact same taste test with my husband, who's just as (if not more) picky, since he's been looking for a post workout protein supplement to add to his recovery shake... Same results!

So now that I've given you the official tastes tester's "review", let me give you mom's (aka, me) opinion about the product. As I said earlier, the fact that I was able to find a protein powder my family enjoys is huge. But one of the most important things for me is that it doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners. The combination of Lo Han extract and fructose (both natural) gives it just the right amount of sweetness without leaving any kind of after taste. Again, if you're used to reading labels, you'll notice most products in the market have a long list of artificial ingredients and additives! Another plus? You don't have to go to a specialty store to get it. You can find the chocolate and vanilla flavors of Integrated Supplement's Whey Isolate Protein at your local Target, and Chocolate Mint and Strawberry are available online at Target.com (you can subscribe for monthly deliveries and save an additional 5% !)

From a practical point of view, I like the fact that it comes in a clear, 100% recyclable jar that is significantly smaller than traditional one gallon containers (I don't know about you, but extra space is something I do not have in my kitchen!). I also appreciate the clear and clean labeling.

If you've tried this product, please share your feedback with us! We would love to hear your thoughts 🙂

Click to learn more about Integrated Supplements click here .  To find out where to purchase Integrated Supplements’ Whey Isolate Protein click here.