Flavors Tried: Unflavored, Cheesy, Buffalo
Price: $49.99 for 20-serving bag ($2.50 per serving)
Nutrition*: 80 Calories, 0g Fat, 4g Carbs (2g Sugar), 15g Protein
*Nutrition for flavored collagen. Unflavored collagen contains 0g carbs and 20g protein
Every once in a while, a product comes along that gives me a moment of “why hasn’t anyone done this before?”
That’s the exact thought I had with Meal Boosters Collagen, which is the first savory protein powder of its kind.
Coming across this product, I immediately questioned why nobody has ever come out with a cheesy protein powder (to my knowledge, anyway). Is it because it tastes terrible, or is there simply not a market for it?
I’ve tried collagen powders before, but I’m not a regular collagen user. Collagen protein is a preferred supplement by many people for its benefits surrounding healthy hair & nails, skin, gut health, and more.
I stick with complete protein powders, like whey protein or plant-based protein powder, because my main goal is muscle-building, but I can certainly see the appeal of collagen protein.
In any case, I’m here to review the taste and see if a savory protein powder is something that belongs in this world or not. So, let’s find out.
The nutrition facts vary slightly based on the flavor, but you’ll find this collagen protein powder has 80-90 calories and 15-20g of protein. The unflavored version contains 20 grams of protein, while the two flavors contain 15 grams.
While that is less protein than you might be used to seeing in protein powder supplements, it’s very much standard for collagen protein.
The one hangup I have with collagen is the incomplete amino acid profile- while it is packed with tons of amino acids, it is known as an “incomplete protein” which is not ideal for muscle building. I emailed the owner of Meal Boosters for further explanation because I am a collagen novice, and this is the response I received:
Collagen only is missing Tryptophan, which is in SO many other foods. I was originally going to add tryptophan into it until I met with some experts and they explained the risk of too much tryptophan and how that amino acid is in so many other foods, Realistically, there isn’t anything we’re missing out on with collagen, but it does have plenty of other benefits like being a giant source of glycine or the lack of any digestive issues it can cause to consume.
That’s enough of an explanation for me! As long as your diet is well-rounded and you are consuming other sources of protein with Tryptophan, there’s really no downside to enjoying a collagen supplement.
OK, let’s do the taste test.
Meal Boosters Unflavored Collagen
I’m going to keep my review of the unflavored collagen protein powder very brief, because quite frankly, I do not care for unflavored collagen.
The above photo is pulled off mealboosters.com, because while I did try adding the collagen to my coffee, it just looks like… a cup of coffee.
Taste-wise, it also just tastes like a cup of coffee. If you’ve never added collagen to a drink before, it does add a slight creaminess to it, but it is no where close to what you’d get if you mixed whey or casein protein powder into your drink.
It’s flavorless, exactly the way it should be, and easily mixes with just a spoon.
But we’re here for the flavored collagen, so let’s get into it.
Cheesy Cheese Collagen Protein
When I first opened this packet and gave it a taste, it reminded me exactly of the cheese packets that come with Kraft Mac & Cheese.
Say what you will about that, but I was really excited by that because I grew up on Kraft.
While you can definitely mix this protein powder into eggs or cheese dip, I figured the ultimate test would be if I could use the protein powder to make my own protein mac & cheese.
To put it to the test, I decided to blend up some cottage cheese to mix with the cheesy collagen protein powder. I did not add any other ingredients- I wanted to see how good the flavor could be on its own.
I used 1/2 cup of fat-free cottage cheese along with one serving of the cheesy protein powder, which came to just 200 calories and 30 grams of protein.
And I kid you not, it tastes just like cheese sauce.
I stirred this cheesy protein sauce right into some pasta (I used chickpea pasta for added protein) and had a deliciously creamy & cheesy mac & cheese.
You would truly never know that there was added protein in this, let alone the fact that protein powder is the main ingredient.
The cheese flavor tastes like regular cheddar powder, and the creaminess of the collagen created the perfect consistency without any grittiness or sliminess.
If this were sold as boxed mac & cheese, it would be as good as any “healthy” mac & cheese I’ve ever tried.
I had my wife give this a try without telling her I used protein powder to make it, and she loved it as well- that’s always the ultimate test for me, and Meal Boosters passed with flying colors.
Buffalo Collagen Powder
Since the cottage cheese + protein powder combination was so successful for mac & cheese, I decided to try the same method to test the buffalo flavor.
I blended up 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, and used a spoon to easily mix the buffalo collagen protein powder right into it.
The result? Buffalo dip that tastes as good as any buffalo dip I’ve ever had.
If you added shredded chicken to this, you would have the ultimate high-protein buffalo chicken dip.
I don’t really enjoy the flavor of Greek yogurt, but I would image that using Greek yogurt to make a buffalo dip would create the perfect tanginess.
The buffalo flavor was actually stronger than I was expecting with quite a bit of heat to it, which I prefer, but I should warn you in case you don’t like spicy. But if you’re trying something buffalo flavored, you’re likely expecting a little bit of spice.
There are tons of applications I can think of for this flavor (like making a sauce for chicken sandwiches) but I simply dipped chips into it and loved every second of it.
Just like the cheesy flavor, you would never know that this was made from protein powder.
The Verdict: Savory Protein is the Real Deal
When I tried these powders, I set out to answer the question “why has nobody released a savory protein powder before?”
I’ve seen unflavored protein powder, but never anything with savory flavors.
I was worried that the answer to that question would be that it’s terrible, but Meal Boosters has proved that the opposite is true- savory protein is absolutely amazing when done right.
If you want a collagen supplement, this is a no-brainer. I would mix this product into my morning eggs or enjoy it as a snack absolutely any day.
The only problem is that it’s quite expensive.
Generally speaking, when it comes to protein powder, $1 per serving is a decent target to aim for. It will obviously vary based on where you are buying from and the type of protein powder it is, but that’s a fair goal.
Meal Boosters cost $2.50 per serving if you order a large bag, and go all the way up to over $4 per serving if you order the sample packets.
Is it worth trying? Without a doubt, yes.
It just may not become a diet staple.
I’ve never had anything like this before, and I can’t imagine anyone doing savory protein better than Meal Boosters. I can’t wait to see what other flavors they have in their future, because I’m sure they will be incredible.
