People packing a drink with lunch
A ready-to-drink flavoured milk is convenient when lunch includes other food. Check sugars, fat and saturates for the quantity you plan to drink, not just a front-of-pack claim.
Who is each lunch drink for?
Start with the role the drink will play at lunch: something to have with food, a protein shake alongside food, or a product intended to replace a meal.
People choosing a protein shake
Compare protein and sugars per bottle if the shake will accompany lunch. Check the exact product label if lactose avoidance matters; a lactose-free dairy shake can still contain milk.
Adults considering a meal-replacement plan
Look for a product explicitly intended as a meal replacement, and check its preparation and use instructions. Do not assume an ordinary flavoured milk or protein shake serves the same purpose.
How should you compare lunch shakes?
Decide what the drink is for, then compare nutrition on the same prepared basis and for the amount you will consume.
Flavoured milk with lunch
Choose when: You want a ready-to-drink milkshake alongside food.
Bear in mind: Reduced-sugar or no-added-sugar wording does not mean the drink contains no sugars.
Protein shake with lunch
Choose when: Protein content is a particular reason for choosing the drink alongside food.
Bear in mind: A protein shake is not automatically intended to replace lunch.
Meal-replacement shake
Choose when: You specifically intend to use a product labelled for meal replacement.
Bear in mind: Preparation and use directions matter; this is not simply a lower-fat version of an ordinary milkshake.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat and portion | Compare fat and saturates per 100 ml, then check the bottle size or prepared serving. Use the same basis when comparing drinks. | I want to know what is in the amount I will actually drink, not just whether the pack says low fat. |
| Total sugars | Read the sugars line even when the pack says no added sugar. Check ingredients for sweeteners if they matter to you. | A no-added-sugar claim is useful to me only alongside the drink’s total sugars figure. |
| Purpose and protein | Check whether the product is flavoured milk, a protein shake or an intended meal replacement. Compare protein per bottle or prepared serving without assuming it replaces a meal. | Am I having a drink with lunch, or choosing a product specifically intended to replace lunch? |
| Preparation | For a powder, read the quantity of powder and type and amount of milk used for its nutrition figures. Follow the pack directions. | If I mix a shake myself, I want its label figures to match how I will prepare it. |
| Allergens and storage | Read the exact pack’s allergen statement, storage directions and instructions for use after opening. Check lactose-free wording separately from milk ingredients. | The drink needs to suit my ingredient requirements and the way I store lunch. |
Common lunch-shake buying mistakes
-
Treating low fat as the whole lunch decision
A lower fat figure does not describe the drink’s sugars or establish that it replaces food. Sainsbury’s lists 1.2 g fat and 8.9 g sugars per 100 ml for its Chocolate Milkshake.
Compare saturates, sugars and the quantity you will drink as well as fat. Treat an ordinary milkshake as a drink alongside lunch rather than assuming it is lunch.
-
Reading no added sugar as sugar-free
The Frijj and Mars products listed by Tesco Groceries both have sugars in their nutrition panels despite their no-added-sugar wording.
Read total sugars per 100 ml and for the amount you expect to drink; check the ingredients if you have a preference about sweeteners.
-
Using a protein shake as an automatic meal replacement
Arla Protein and For Goodness Shakes are described as protein shakes, while the researched SlimFast powder has a stated meal-replacement role and directions.
Choose according to that intended role. If replacing lunch is the aim, read and follow the directions for a product explicitly intended for it.
-
Overlooking ingredients and storage
The researched dairy drinks contain milk, and the Mars drink also contains barley. Storage instructions vary by product.
Check the exact pack’s allergens and storage directions. A lactose-free claim does not mean a dairy drink is free from milk.
Brand and product-line reference points
These label examples show why the product and serving basis matter more than a brand name alone; they are not a list of products available from Joybuy.
Yazoo
Ready-to-drink flavoured milk for shoppers looking for a conventional chocolate drink with lunch.
- Yazoo lists 1.4 g fat and 0.9 g saturates per 100 ml for its Chocolate product.
- The same Yazoo label lists 8.6 g sugars per 100 ml; check how much you plan to drink.
Frijj
A ready-to-drink reduced-sugar chocolate milkshake option.
- Tesco Groceries lists 1.9 g fat and 4.7 g sugars per 100 ml for Frijj Chocolate Reduced Sugar.
- It contains milk and sweeteners; no added sugar does not mean sugar-free.
Mars
A chocolate-flavoured milk drink with no added sugar stated on the researched product.
- Tesco Groceries lists 2.2 g fat and 6.5 g sugars per 100 ml for the 400 ml drink.
- The product contains milk and barley; check its total sugars rather than relying on the no-added-sugar wording.
Tesco
A powdered chocolate milkshake mix for preparing a drink rather than carrying a ready-to-drink bottle.
- Tesco Groceries gives figures for a 13 g serving of its No Added Sugar Chocolate Flavoured Milkshake Mix made with 200 ml semi-skimmed milk.
- That prepared serving lists 3.9 g fat and 10.8 g sugars. Check the finished drink if you use a different milk.
Sainsbury’s
A larger chilled chocolate milkshake carton that can be portioned at home.
- Sainsbury’s lists 1.2 g fat and 0.7 g saturates per 100 ml for its Chocolate Milkshake.
- The same product lists 8.9 g sugars per 100 ml, so consider the size of the serving you pour.
Arla Protein
A protein-shake option to compare when choosing a drink alongside lunch.
- Tesco Groceries lists 26 g protein per bottle and 0.9 g fat per 100 ml for Strawberry & Raspberry; the product is described as lactose free.
- It is milk-based and is not identified as a complete meal replacement.
For Goodness Shakes
A chocolate protein shake to compare separately from conventional milkshakes.
- Tesco Groceries lists 35 g protein and 1.0 g fat per 330 ml bottle of Protein Chocolate; it is described as lactose free.
- The bottle also lists 16.2 g sugars and contains milk-derived ingredients; it is not identified as a complete lunch.
Joybuy drink and meal-replacement options
These options cover a ready-to-drink yoghurt beverage to have with food and a strawberry meal-replacement shake for a different lunch purpose. Check the exact pack before treating either as suitable for your plan.
No image available
LIGHT UP Zero Control Avocado Kale Chia Seed Milkshake Yogurt Drink, 220 ml
This ready-to-drink yoghurt beverage is an option to consider alongside lunch, rather than as a complete lunch. Check the current pack’s ingredients and nutrition panel against any no-added-sugar wording before choosing it.
No image available
Slimfast Meal Replacement Meal Support Shake Strawberry Flavour, 365 g
This strawberry meal-replacement shake is for a different purpose from a drink alongside lunch. Follow the pack’s preparation and use directions, and check its prepared-serving nutrition and allergen statement for your intended use.
Questions about lunch shakes
Does no added sugar mean a milkshake is sugar-free?
No. The Frijj and Mars drinks listed by Tesco Groceries both have sugars in their nutrition panels. Read the total sugars per 100 ml and check the quantity you will drink.
Can an ordinary low-fat milkshake replace lunch?
Do not assume it can. An ordinary flavoured milk drink can accompany food, while a meal-replacement product has a different stated purpose and use instructions. The NHS Eatwell Guide describes balance across food groups over the day or week, rather than judging lunch by a single drink.
Can I compare milkshake powder directly with a bottled drink?
Compare them only on a like-for-like prepared basis. Tesco Groceries gives nutrition for its No Added Sugar Chocolate Flavoured Milkshake Mix as a 13 g serving made with 200 ml semi-skimmed milk; using another milk changes the finished drink.
Does lactose free mean suitable for someone with a milk allergy?
No. The Arla Protein Strawberry & Raspberry and For Goodness Shakes Protein Chocolate products described as lactose free are milk-based. Check the exact pack’s allergen statement.
How should I store a milkshake after opening?
Follow the directions on the exact pack, as they vary by product. The researched Frijj product directs refrigeration and use within three days of opening; do not apply that period to another drink.