Question:
protine that isnt so expensive

I have a question and I am hoping someone can help me. My surgery will be at the end of April or beginning of May. No firm date yet. I am trying to order protien supplements to get ready. I wanted to order from Real Meals but I didnt know they were as expensive as they are. Are all protien supplements this expensive or is it the "good" ones that are? With 4 children I have to cut costs where they can be cut. I am not use to spending money on myself so it is extra hard. How do others that really have to watch their pennies do it? It also doesn't help that I am on the picky side. I do not like chocolate all that much, though I do plan on trying to find the Detour bars, those sound good.    — TheresaC (posted on March 2, 2003)

March 2, 2003
Hello, I am almost a year and a half out. I eat things like cheese and chicken, Very seldom do I use Protein Drink, but when I do I use Carb Solutions, Walmart carries them, they have chocolate and capuccino and creamy vanilla. I like you, do not agree with some things, Vanilla being one of them, lol, I like the chocolate. THese drinks are only 4.97 for a pack of 4. I also have four kids, and it has been an adjustment to spend the money on myself, but the good news is, although I do not have money coming out of my butt, I have gotten a job since I have been 10 months out and I love working and everything I make has now become extra money. A year and a half ago, I would not have been able to do that....... I would not have been able to.... Life is alot easier now. Back to your question, like I said chicken, cheese, tuna salad, peanut butter, eggs, I eat lot of deli meats. One slice of ham is 5 grams of protein!!!!!!! Roast beef is 7 I think. Think about that, a slice of ham,roast beef and turkey and a pc of cheese, you have about 20 gms!!!!! I use Polaner All Fruit with my PB, and I eat it ocassionally... Good luck and god bless Tonya Open Rny Oct 4, 2001, Dr. Kaczmarski, BTC OF OHIO, The day I came home, 271 and today 130........
   — TONYA B.

March 2, 2003
I thought of ordering Real Meals also for when I am on the go, but didn't because I thought they were a bit pricey. As the other poster suggests, I sometimes drink Carb Solutions from Walmart for about $5.00 for four, that could also get expensive if you have to drink two a day. Your best bet is to go to GNC and get one of their monthly discount cards, I think you get a certain percent off at the beginning of the month and get some of the GNC brand powdered protein drinks. The powdered drinks are more economical then those already pre-mixed. They don't taste as good (IMO), but you can add things to it to make it taste better. Sometimes, I'll add banana or vanilla flavoring or nutmeg to mine, plus equal to improve the taste.
   — Lisa N M.

March 2, 2003
I drink ISOPURE, it is sold at GNC and Vitamin Shoppes everywhere. I drink the "zero carb isopure" b/c there is alos a shake kind. It kind of tastes like kool-aid w/o the sugar, it isn' that bad. I like the consistency- goes down easy. At the Vitamin Shoppe it's like $2.60 per bottle, which isn't that great, but one bottle has 40grams of protein and I drink 1/2 a day, so it's a little more than a dollar a day. Also, vitamin shoppe and GNC have cards, so I get coupons in the mail to use, and also GNC has a plan where it's 10% off every first week of the month when you use your gold card. (The cards are free usually). For instance, last week I had a $10 off coupon for v.shoppe, so I bought like 17 isopures for less than $30, worked out pretty good! Other than that, I eat most of my protein b/c I haven't found many drinks that I like, and I've tried a ton! Goodluck to you!
   — Lezlie Y.

March 2, 2003
Theresa - The box of Real Meals is around $43 but it lasts me about 40 days. So it is about a dollar a day. I used to spend more than that a day in the candy machine at work before surgery. I only have to take half a shake a day because it has so much protein in it. Plus you get all of the extra vitamins and biotin. Some other ones are cheaper but if you have to take three times as much it isn't really cheaper. My nutritionist agrees it is a high quality shake that will be absorbed 100%.
   — Marie I.

March 2, 2003
If you have a Trader Joe's in your area I get Ultra Pure Protein. It comes in a pre-mixed 11oz can I put it with chipped ice to thin it a litlle very good and easy. Cost 2.19 a can has 35g protein 2g carbs. I am having my surgery in 2 weeks and the one thing my support group told me "Do not buy a lot of food or drinks before surgery because your taste can really change, what you love now you may hate after surgery". I am drinking my Uutra now but I have a lot of samples including Real Meals that I am going to try after surgery. Good Luck Diana
   — Diana B.

March 2, 2003
Another poster mentioned Ultra Pure Protein Shakes by Worldwide....and they were my favorite....but let's face it, nothing tastes like a true milkshake or Nestle Quik....though we might try and trick ourselves into believing it! I think the other poster mentioned Trader Joe's....around here you can get them at GNC, but they are $2.79 each! I'd suggest getting one of each flavor locally and seeing which ones you tolerate the best (notice I did say *like the best*), because none of them are absolutely delicious...some are just more tolerable than others (and they must be chilled thoroughly to be palatable). Once you decide which flavors you like (strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, cappucino, and orange creamsicle), go to www.juicers.net and order them for about $1.79 each....and you don't have to pay shipping. Good luck to you!
   — Lynette B.

March 2, 2003
No, not all proteins supplements are expensive. Clues, though, that might help. If it is in packets OR someone else has already added the "water" to it, like cans or bottles, then it will be way more expensive than just powder in a larger cannister. Once you find some flavors you like, some brands come in as large a container as 10#. That brings the per serving price way down closer to $1 per (30g) serving. And you just add water, no extra expense there. Further, any of the whey powders are superior in quality to any of the "wet" proteins. So, you CAN get the best for less.
   — vitalady

March 2, 2003
I posted below but gave you the wrong website address. They actually changed it. It's www.vitaglo.com Once you get to the site, scroll down and click on WORLDWIDE and then scroll down and click on Ultra Pure Protein Shake....I see that it also now comes in Banana cream. It's 12 oz. and 35g of protein.
   — Lynette B.