As food editor for Where The Food Comes From I do receive some very interesting products to review. My typical plan of attack is to put together my own focus groups which consist of family and friends.
When Else Nutrition sent me their plant-based ready to drink kid’s protein shakes, in vanilla and cocoa flavors, I was beyond excited. Something healthy and made exclusively for kids. Better yet I had my perfect focus group, my grandchildren – ages three, four and six.
First, I asked my daughter – who is super finicky about what she gives my grandson – to check out the ingredients and let me know if she would purchase the shakes. Being unfamiliar with some of the names she did a basic google search and decided none of the ingredients would stop her from purchasing the product. But she felt the long list may deter some people from buying it.
Up next the all-important taste test. I not only had the kids try them but also their parents and the host of our show Chip Carter.
I gave the six-year-old the vanilla and the three-year-old the cocoa flavored one. Their reaction was less than favorable. The six-year-old said, “Yuck,” and put the drink back on the table. The three-year-old took a sip, placed it back on the table and pushed it away.
My son described the drink as being, “Beyond awful and not something anyone would drink to enjoy.” Chip stated, “I’m glad no one made me drink these when I was a kid.”
As I said earlier, I was super excited about this product and was truly hoping for a different response when I gave the cocoa flavored shake to the four-year-old. Well, I wish I had been allowed to photograph him. That one picture could represent this entire review. He took a sip, scrunched up his face, and shuddered. Mine and my daughter’s reactions were very similar. It may not have been the worst thing I ever tasted, but it definitely was far from the best.
If you are looking for a kids drink with a clean label and great nutritional value this product is for you. Unfortunately, getting your child to actually drink it will be another issue all together.
