Adults short on breakfast preparation time
A ready-to-drink option can accompany breakfast. If it is replacing time spent preparing food, consider what else you will have with it, such as wholegrains or fruit.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers comparing sugars
Check total sugars on the nutrition panel as well as any no-added-sugar wording. The ingredient list also matters if you prefer to avoid sweeteners.
Shoppers looking for a protein drink
Compare protein for the portion you expect to drink, rather than choosing by the word “protein” alone. Check sugars, ingredients and the rest of your breakfast too.
What should you check?
Start with the drink’s role in breakfast, then compare nutrition figures using the same units and check the exact pack you intend to buy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast role | Decide whether the drink is an addition to breakfast or the only item. The British Dietetic Association advises including foods such as fruit or vegetables and wholegrains at breakfast, and avoiding sugary beverages. | I need something quick, but I can consider what other breakfast foods will go with the drink. |
| Sugars | Compare sugars per 100ml, then consider the portion you will drink. Yazoo lists 8.6g per 100ml for Chocolate; Tesco lists 10.1g for Frijj Chocolate 471ml, while Sainsbury’s lists 11.1g for Frijj Chocolate 330ml. | If I am comparing flavoured drinks, I want figures for the actual pack rather than assuming every size has the same formulation. |
| No-added-sugar wording | Read the sugars line and ingredient list separately. Tesco’s listing for Mars No Added Sugar 400ml states that it contains naturally occurring sugars and lists 6.5g sugars per 100ml. | Avoiding added sugar matters to me, but I also want to know the total sugars and whether the drink contains sweeteners. |
| Protein and portion | Check protein per 100ml and per intended portion. Tesco lists 26g protein per 482ml bottle for Arla Protein Chocolate; compare that bottle figure with the portion you would drink. | I may want a protein drink as a breakfast addition, but I do not want to mistake a bottle-level figure for a per-100ml figure. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations. The reviewed dairy drinks declare milk, and Tesco’s Mars listing also declares barley. | If an ingredient affects what I can consume, I need to check the exact pack before drinking it. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “no added sugar” as “sugar-free”
Tesco’s Mars No Added Sugar 400ml listing still gives 6.5g sugars per 100ml and says the drink contains naturally occurring sugars.
Check total sugars on the nutrition panel and read the ingredients if sweeteners matter to you.
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Counting a flavoured shake as the whole breakfast
A drink’s protein content does not establish that it supplies the variety of foods in a breakfast. The British Dietetic Association advises including foods such as fruit or vegetables and wholegrains.
If you choose a shake for convenience, consider what foods you will have alongside it.
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Assuming every pack from a range has identical nutrition
Tesco’s Frijj Chocolate 471ml listing gives 10.1g sugars per 100ml; Sainsbury’s 330ml listing gives 11.1g per 100ml.
Use the nutrition and ingredient information on the exact pack you buy.
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Skipping the allergen declaration
The reviewed dairy drinks declare milk, and the reviewed Mars drink also declares barley. Those ingredients can make a product unsuitable for someone who needs to avoid them.
Check the current physical pack before consumption if you have an allergy, intolerance or another ingredient restriction.
Brand and retailer references
These examples show why flavour, pack size and label wording are more useful comparisons than a brand name alone.
Yazoo
A flavoured-milk range that includes Chocolate.
- Yazoo lists 8.6g sugars and 3.3g protein per 100ml for Chocolate.
- Its ingredient list includes semi-skimmed milk and sugar; those figures do not describe a complete breakfast.
Frijj
A flavoured milkshake sold in different pack sizes.
- Tesco lists 3.3g protein per 100ml for Chocolate 471ml; Sainsbury’s lists 3.8g per 100ml for Chocolate 330ml.
- The same listings give different sugars figures, so check the nutrition panel for the pack in hand.
Mars
The reviewed 400ml flavoured milk drink carries no-added-sugar wording.
- Tesco lists 6.5g sugars and 3.5g protein per 100ml for this drink.
- No added sugar does not mean no sugars; the reviewed product also declares milk and barley.
Tesco
Its product listings provide pack-specific details for drinks including Frijj, Mars and Arla Protein.
- The Arla Protein Chocolate 482ml listing states 26g protein per bottle.
- Compare the listing with the current pack, particularly for ingredients and nutrition.
Sainsbury’s
Its Müller Frijj Chocolate 330ml listing provides nutrition and ingredient information for that pack.
- The listing gives 11.1g sugars and 3.8g protein per 100ml.
- Use the current pack label as the final ingredient and nutrition check.
Asda
Its Mars Chocolate Milk Shake Drink 400ml listing gives pack-specific nutrition and ingredient details.
- The listing gives 6.5g sugars and 3.5g protein per 100ml.
- It declares milk and barley; check the current pack if either ingredient matters to you.
Protein shake packs on Joybuy
These protein shake packs are options to consider as weekday breakfast additions. Compare their pack sizes and check each drink’s current nutrition and ingredients against what you want from breakfast.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Strawberries & Cream, 8 × 330ml
The 330ml pack size is worth considering if you want a smaller breakfast drink. Check protein, sugars and ingredients on the pack before deciding what to have with it.
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Applied Nutrition Protein Nutrition Shake, Vanilla Ice Cream, 8 × 500ml
This vanilla-flavoured option comes in 500ml packs. If you would drink less than a full pack at breakfast, compare nutrition for the portion you intend to have and check the storage instructions after opening.
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REP Protein Shake with Only 5 Ingredients, Vanilla, 8 × 250ml
The 250ml pack size may be useful if you want a smaller portion with other breakfast foods. Check the pack’s ingredient list and nutrition panel rather than judging its suitability by the product name.
Frequently asked questions
Can a milkshake be my entire weekday breakfast?
Do not assume a milkshake covers the whole meal. The British Dietetic Association advises including foods such as fruit or vegetables and wholegrains at breakfast, so consider what you will eat alongside the drink.
Does “no added sugar” mean there are no sugars?
No. Tesco’s listing for Mars No Added Sugar 400ml says it contains naturally occurring sugars and gives 6.5g sugars per 100ml. Read both the nutrition panel and the ingredients, particularly if sweeteners matter to you.
How should I compare protein drinks of different sizes?
Compare protein using the same measure—per 100ml or for the portion you expect to drink—and check sugars and ingredients as well. Tesco lists 26g protein for the full 482ml bottle of Arla Protein Chocolate; that is a bottle figure, not a per-100ml figure.
What if I need to avoid milk or barley?
Check the current physical pack before consuming a drink. The reviewed Yazoo, Frijj and Mars dairy products declare milk, and the reviewed Mars drink also declares barley; do not assume another flavour or formulation has the same ingredients.
How long can I keep a milkshake after opening it?
Follow the instructions on the exact pack. Tesco’s listing for Frijj Chocolate 471ml says to keep it refrigerated and use it within three days of opening, and by its use-by date; instructions for other drinks may differ.