Protein Shake Power Rankings: Premier Protein Edition

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Premier Protein Shakes

Premier Protein shakes are some of the better pre-made protein shakes on the market today.

If you’ve ever purchased a protein shake before, you know that they can sometimes be pretty…gross. With many shakes out there having weird aftertastes or artificial flavors, they seem to disappoint more often than not.

But when it comes to Premier Protein, I truly think they are one of the more palatable protein shakes out there.

Sure, they are protein shakes, and they taste like it. Fairlife Shakes are the number 1 option if you want a protein shake that drinks like flavored milk. Premier Protein definitely tastes like protein, but when you have that expectation, I think they are pretty solid/

I’ve tried 11 different flavors (so far), so I want to rank them for you to help you choose the right Premier Protein shake for you.

Please note that these are my rankings, and if I’ve learned anything while reviewing countless protein snacks, it’s that we all have vastly different tastes. Just because I don’t love a flavor, it doesn’t mean you won’t.

However, my tastebuds are never wrong, so you can trust my ranking.

If you go through this ranking and want to find any Premier protein shakes for yourself, I tend to always find these at Target.

Premier Protein Nutrition Facts

Premier protein nutrition facts

Every flavor of Premier Protein contains nearly identical nutrition facts, so I won’t factor them into my ranking.

Each 11oz shake contains 160 calories, 3g of fat, 4g of carbs (1 g fiber and 1 g sugar), and a whopping 30g of protein.

That protein content is impressive when you consider that a typical scoop of protein powder contains around 120 calories and 25 grams of protein.

These shakes use a blend of whey and casein proteins as their protein source, which are both high-quality sources of essential amino acids. These shakes are packed with a ton of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B6, Calcium, Vitamin K, and so much more. Each vitamin you’ll find contains at least 25% of daily value, which is awesome.

Plus I find the addition of casein protein always tastes better than whey protein alone, in my opinion.

Do you need protein shakes?

Holding premier protein shake

I’m reviewing these protein shakes for you, but I want to make it clear that you don’t NEED to drink protein shakes.

Protein shakes are a great way to get extra protein, which is very helpful if you struggle to get enough protein in your diet.

If you’re looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, getting enough protein is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass, and these shakes are a great way to do that. 

They are also a good option for those following a keto diet or trying to lose weight, as they are low in added sugar and carbs, so they can really help in those cases.

One thing to keep in mind is that while Premier Protein shakes are a great source of protein, they should not be the only source of protein in your diet. It’s important to get a variety of protein sources in your diet, including whole foods like meats, dairy, beans, and nuts.

That being said, Premier Protein shakes can be a great addition to your diet and an easy way to get in some extra protein.

Premier Protein Consistency & Texture

In terms of overall taste and texture, Premier Protein shakes are thick and smooth, very similar to a milkshake. 

They don’t have any grittiness, which can be an issue with some protein shakes, especially when you make them yourself at home. The sweetness of the shakes varies depending on the flavor, but for the most part, you’re not going to taste any artificial flavors or artificial sweeteners.

These do taste like protein powder, however, so you’ll never be fooled into thinking you’re drinking a regular milkshake or flavored milk.

I also didn’t find that these protein shakes had any bad aftertaste. Unlike the Muscle Milk shakes I reviewed, there was no unpleasant bitterness here.

Okay, now let’s get into the ranking.

Premier Protein Shake Flavor Ranking

11. Winter Mint

No offense winter mint, but I cannot stomach the combination of mint & chocolate, so this has to be last for me.

It would be unfair for me to actually judge this one, and it may very well be delicious, but I’m a rare breed that hates mint chocolate.

I’m sure it’s delicious for those who enjoy that flavor combo, but I can’t do it. If you do like mint chocolate, this shake might be a great option for you. From what I can tell based on other reviews online, it has a refreshing mint flavor and a rich chocolatey taste, so it sounds like Premier Protein nailed it.

10. Peaches & Cream

I want to love this one, but I have to rank it toward the bottom. 

While I can see the appeal of peaches and cream, I just don’t like anything peach-flavored. It’s nothing personal, it’s just my personal preference (or lack thereof).

That said, if you do like peaches, this shake might be a good option for you, especially based on the fact that the reviews I’ve seen are overall very positive.

This protein shake still has a smooth and creamy texture, and the peaches and cream flavor is definitely present.

I just can’t do peach flavor, so it has to take the bottom spot.

9. Cake Batter

I actually love cake batter-flavored snacks, so I had high hopes for this shake.

Unfortunately, this flavor wasn’t quite what I was expecting or hoping for. The cake flavor wasn’t very strong, and it tasted more like an overly sweet vanilla

 It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. That said, if you like sweet and strong vanilla protein shakes, you might enjoy this one.

In my opinion, you’re much better off just going with the vanilla flavor that you’ll find much higher in this ranking.

8. Chocolate Peanut Butter

If you’re hoping for a protein shake that tastes like a peanut butter cup, you’re gonna be disappointed by this flavor.

While the peanut butter flavor is decent, it reminds me of peanut butter protein powder, which has an almost artificial sweetener flavor to it. 

For me, it’s comparable to having a peanut butter protein bar and having it taste like peanut butter protein powder instead of authentic peanut butter.

The chocolate flavor definitely helps, but in terms of peanut butter cups, it missed the mark.

7. Cookies & Cream

While this flavor doesn’t quite taste like Oreo cookies, it’s still a decent option.

I’ve had better cookies & cream shakes in the past, but this one is passable for what it is.

You shouldn’t expect Oreo flavor, but you definitely get a taste of that smooth cream flavor combined with dark chocolate cookie.

Is it bad? No, certainly not. But the flavor isn’t quite what I was hoping for, so it can’t quite crack the top 5.

6. Bananas & Cream

I typically don’t enjoy anything that is banana flavored. I happen to love bananas, but I find banana flavoring to be way too over the top.

So I was extremely skeptical about this protein shake, and I assumed I’d hate it.

But this shake doesn’t taste like artificial banana flavoring at all. You taste actual banana here, and the flavor is overall pretty subtle and extremely smooth.

This tastes like what you’d get if you blended up some banana with milk & vanilla protein. Or if you’ve ever made “nice cream” at home with frozen bananas, you may find this flavor very familiar.

I was nervous about this one, but it seriously impressed me. The banana flavor is subtle and authentic, and the shake drinks like a milkshake.

5. Caramel

OK, now we’re talking.

This flavor is definitely on the sweeter side, but I don’t find it overly sweet.

It almost reminds me of butterscotch, and it makes for an absolutely delicious post-workout drink.

If you have a pretty big sweet tooth, this caramel flavor will suit you. If you don’t love sweets, I can see this one being lower on your list.

This flavor is actually one of my favorites to pour over a bowl of cereal (specifically Cinnamon Toast Crunch) to use in place of milk, and it also works extremely well as a coffee creamer.

4. Vanilla

Yes, vanilla can be a bit boring to some, but I love it.

Call me basic, but I almost always reach for a vanilla protein shake when choosing a post-workout shake.

I especially like using vanilla-flavored shakes to mix into other foods and use in recipes because you can always add ingredients to spice up the flavor.

This vanilla flavor from Premier Protein is about as good as you’ll find if you’re a fan of vanilla. If you blended up quality vanilla protein powder with milk, this is essentially what you’d get.

Sure, it still tastes like a protein shake, but it’s one of the better vanilla shakes out there.

3. Chocolate

Chocolate is always a classic, and there isn’t much to dislike about this flavor.

Simply put: If you like chocolate milk, you’ll love this protein shake. It reminds me a ton of the chocolate Fairlife protein shake, which is also a winner.

You taste the protein a little bit more than Fairlife, but it’s not enough to take away from the overall experience.

If you want a rich flavor that isn’t overly sweet, this chocolate protein shake delivers.

2. Strawberries & Cream

Strawberries and Cream is easily one of my favorites of all the Premier Protein flavors.

If you love strawberry milk or strawberry milkshakes, you’re going to love this one. It reminds me so much of the Hershey’s strawberry shakes that I used to drink all the time as a kid, so maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, but it is so good.

This flavor is also incredible if you toss it into a blender with some frozen strawberries to make a thick protein smoothie.

Strawberries & Cream tastes like smooth, thick, delicious strawberry milk, and sits firmly at the top of my list.

1. Café Latte

If you love coffee as much as I do, you’ll love this flavor.

It’s rare to find a protein shake that tastes like coffee, and most end up tasting mostly like chocolate with just a hint of coffee. However, this one truly tastes like a delicious cup of coffee with protein.

Plus, it has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, which is a great bonus. 

If you’re looking for a protein shake that can act as a coffee replacement or a mid-day pick-me-up, this one is worth trying. As a coffee lover, this is easily one of my favorites.

The only downside to this flavor is that it may not be the best option for post-workout due to the addition of caffeine. If you’re hopped up on pre-workout or coffee from before your workout, you may not want the extra caffeine.

But on flavor alone, this one is a real winner, and I find myself continuously coming back to it.

Other Premier Protein Flavors & Products

Premier Protein offers other flavors, including limited seasonal flavors, that I haven’t yet tasted. If I try them in the future, I’ll be sure to add them to this ranking, but here are the flavors that I have not yet tried:

  • Root Beer Float
  • Pumpkin Spice
  • Cinnamon Roll

Premier Protein also offers powder, including vanilla protein powder and chocolate protein powder, but I don’t find it nearly as good as the shakes.

You definitely can’t buy the protein powder and expect it to taste like the shakes, that’s for sure! They also used to sell protein bars, but at the time of writing this, it looks like they’ve been discontinued.

If you’re looking for anything from Premier Protein, their products are all available at major retailers like Whole Foods and can also be found on store shelves with other popular dietary supplements.

If you’re in a pinch, places like CVS and Rite Aid always seem to be fully stocked.

Overall Thoughts of Premier Protein Shakes

To summarize, my top flavors are Chocolate, Strawberries & Cream, and Cafe Latte.

My least favorite flavors are Peaches & Cream, Cake Batter, and Winter Mint, but it’s worth noting that they aren’t necessarily bad.

Those 3 flavors in particular are flavors I don’t typically enjoy, so the protein shakes just don’t do it for me. You may love them.

When it comes to choosing the best flavor, it comes down to personal preference.

Some people may prefer the rich chocolate-y taste of the chocolate flavor, while others may prefer the refreshing coffee flavor of the caffe latte.

No matter what your preference is, there are so many different Premier Protein shakes that you’re sure to find one you enjoy.

Premier Protein shakes don’t blow me away, but they are as good as you’ll find in a ready-to-drink protein shake (that isn’t Fairlife).

Premier Protein Bottle
Premier Protein Shakes
Summary
Premier Protein makes some of the best ready-to-drink protein shakes out there. They may not all blow you away, but as a whole, they are delicious and have higher protein than many other options.
Consistency/Mouth Feel
8
Flavor Accuracy
7
Nutrition
8.2
Overall Taste
7
The Good
Excellent macros
No artificial aftertaste
Great consistency
The Bad
Not all flavors live up to the hype
Can taste the protein a little more than I'd hope for
7.6
Give 'Em A Try
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