Evolve Plant Based Protein Shake, Chocolate Caramel, 20g Vegan Protein, Dairy Free, No Artificial Sweeteners, Non-GMO, 10g Fiber, 11oz, (12 Pack)

Vega: * Pros: Vegan/ soy free/ gluten free, extra supplemented vitamins/ minerals, ‘green powder blend’ for extra nutrition, 4 grams fiber * Cons: Chalky, chocolate flavor is a miss, difficult aftertaste Evolve: * Pros: Vegan/ soy free/ gluten free, 10 grams fiber, great chocolatey taste, smooth * Cons: less supplemented vitamins/ minerals The background: In the last month I found myself needing to go on a very restricted diet (nut/ dairy/ soy/ wheat free) as I worked through what my nursing baby was sensitive to. Not being able to have my regular premixed whey protein shake to turn to on busy mornings was rough, so I set out on trying to find a suitable replacement. SO many people recommended Vega, so I started there. Chocolate is always my flavor of choice, vanilla flavored anything isn’t really my jam. Long story short- they were tolerable. I could drink them if I had to.... but found myself opting to just be hungry and eat an early lunch rather than grab one (which completely defeated the purpose for me). The texture was chalky, the chocolate flavor didn’t quite taste chocolatey, and I always had to follow it with gum because the lingering aftertaste wasn’t great. It checked all of my required boxes, but I was looking for something more than that. I decided I’d try something else in spite of the fact that Vega got good reviews and many people seemed to be settling with ‘Vegan protein just isn’t that good.’ Evolve was my next trial- and though I planned on sampling several others in order to give a thoroughly rounded review, I decided to stop with Evolve. Why? Because it’s actually good! The chocolate flavor is rich and chocolatey, the texture is super smooth, and it’s still Vegan + soy/ gluten free. I’m compromising in pretty much all areas of my diet right now, but this doesn’t feel like a compromise and I’m thrilled to have found something that meets all of my current requirements and is enjoyable to drink. The only real thing it’s missing is the extra vitamins/ minerals that Vega has, but I’m happy to just continue eating well and taking a multivitamin rather than relying on my protein shake to supplement in that area.

I looked into so many premade protein shakes, examining the ingredients on each. I chose this one because it had the cleanest ingredients I found and didn’t have seed oils! We got the vanilla flavor and even the kids like it! It’s a little more expensive than some other premade shakes, however the ingredients are so much better so I think it’s worth it. Love the convenience of being able to grab on the go. The consistency is good, not too thick or watery. Would recommend

Note: This review was for the pre-2021 reformulation. I have bought the 2021 vanilla and it is barely drinkable, even cold. Get the old stuff while you can; the 2021 formula is far too sweet and no longer has the enjoyable mouthfeel. AVOID. When I see a lot of one-sentence reviews dogging a product, I start to wonder if there's some campaign paying people to flood a product with one-star reviews, or even buy it and similarly trash it. The only other alternative is that people actually think it's helpful to write ultra-short reviews or they think it makes them look good. (Hint: it does neither). Anyhow, I've bought this a few times from Amazon and I'll relate my experiences. First, out of three shipments, I've had two bottles break. Two. Second, since they have become routinely available, they've tasted good enough. I think I got a pre-reformulation of the toasted almond from Walgreens and it was great. These however, taste fine provided that you shake them up first. They also do taste better cold. However, they do NOT taste medicinal. They do NOT taste like cough syrup. They do NOT taste like chemicals. Again, either bad batches have been sent out or there's something else going on. Third, I can taste stevia but I can't taste it here. This isn't too sweet. It is distantly chalky, but mostly it's just smooth and pleasant. It keeps me full; it gives me energy. It has a nice mouth feel. Best yet, it's 160 calories and NO SUCRALOSE. I think it's a little deceptive to market a protein/health shake and then pump it full of artificial sugars (hello Muscle Milk and Premier), but hey, to each his own. I also enjoy the fact that this doesn't have a raft of vitamins in it. I don't want to monkey with my supplement routine, so it's nice to know if I want protein, bam, here it is -- protein and nothing else. Fourth, yes, it has 250 ml of sodium in it. That's 10% of your RDA, folks. Drinking this is NOT eating fries from Mickey D's. Anyways, if you're looking for something that is actually healthy for you, does what it says, tastes good enough, and beats the local stores on price, this is it. And if you're curious, yes, I'm planning to buy this or the toasted almond 11 oz again, soon.

Evolve Double Chocolate delivers health benefits with plant protein, vitamins, and clean energy boost for recovery. Keeps me super filling for 3+ hours—perfect hunger control during workouts or busy days. Hydrates smoothly with every sip, mixes clean without thick residue. Tasty daily staple! #plantprotein #veganfriendly #healthydrink

These protein drinks are the best I have found on the market - I buy 6 cases a month and trust me I drink them - the calorie count is low, the ingredients are amazing, the texture is smooth, The health benefits of doing plant base instead of animal protein are countless. It has helped in my weight loss journey. This is a high quality drink at an affordable price when I think of how much I would spend in organic food. the cafe latte one is my choice and it is so smooth and delicious, not chalky or thick like some others I have tried. There are no artificial sweeteners, less that 2% cane sugar and stevia leaf. All healthy. Highly recommended

Good amount of protein, but tastes like chalk. It was not too thick, but does not taste like chocolate milk which I was hoping it would. I compare the taste to most powdered protein chocolate drinks. It's not horrible, but it was not good.

Great chocolate taste. No sugar alcohol after-taste and no chalky texture.