Compare ready-to-drink protein shakes on the protein per bottle or can, the sugar, and the cost per 25g of protein. They're convenient, but you're paying for the liquid, the packaging and the convenience, so they usually cost more per gram of protein than a shake you mix from powder.
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Are ready-to-drink protein shakes worth it?
They're worth it if the convenience matters more to you than the cost. On value alone, mixing your own from powder usually wins by a wide margin.
How to compare value (example figures, not real products): a £2.50 bottle with 25g of protein costs £2.50 per 25g. A £30 1kg tub of powder with 24g of protein per 30g scoop gives 800g of protein, about 94p per 25g, plus the cost of a shaker. The bottle costs more than two and a half times as much for the same protein.
How much protein is in a protein shake?
It varies, so check the grams of protein per bottle on the label. A "high protein" claim only means at least 20% of the energy value of the food is provided by protein, and "source of protein" means at least 12%, so neither tells you the grams in each bottle.
"We think customers should compare the actual amount of active ingredients they're getting, rather than just the format or marketing," says Andy Arshad, who runs SupplementHQ. This collection includes milk-based shakes and beef protein cans; see beef protein for the powder version.
How should you store a protein shake once opened?
Follow the label: where a food needs particular handling after opening, the label must give the storage conditions and/or time limit for consumption. Most milk-based shakes need to be kept in the fridge once opened and drunk within a short time.
Milk-based shakes contain milk, one of the 14 allergens that must be emphasised within the ingredients list. Compare with protein powder if you want a lower cost per serving.
We sell the products on this page. That's our commercial interest, and it's why we show the evidence alongside them. This page is general information for adults, not personalised medical advice.
Written by Andy Arshad, SupplementHQ. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.