On the go most of the time? How about all of the time? How about so much of the time that you are surprised you even had the time to get this far in this post?
If this sounds like you, just as familiar as trying to squeeze your 20-item To Do list into about 4 minutes of free time is trying to eat healthy — even when healthy eating seems impossible. Meal replacement, energy, and protein bars are popular options for the time crunched. But, some people also turn to the liquid shake versions, leaving the bars for people who actually enjoy the taste of chalk covered in chocolate.
But, how do these shakes stack up nutritionally? Which is healthier than the other? Well, to list every single one on the market and analyze and compare it would take far more time than I can offer at the moment (what can I say, "Man vs. Wild" starts on Discovery Channel in ten minutes!!). But, in the interest of at least a modicum of disclosure, here is a look at three popular shakes.
1. Slim Fast Optima 
Variations of this shake exist (such as, for example, the Chocolate Royale Shake). It contains 414 calories and tastes pretty good, especially the chocolate kind. It's certainly a healthier alternative to regular chocolate milk, in that it contains 7 fewer grams of carbs, 2g less of fat, and 2 more grams of protein.
2. Naked Protein Zone
You've probably seen these at your local grocery store, most likely in the organic section. The super-smart "Naked" branding is quite the eye catcher. As for the drink itself, it's a tasty mix of coconut,
pineapple, banana, apple and orange. Packing in a solid 38 grams of protein (mix of whey and soy), it's a formidable competitor to major protein drinks on the market. But, the downside is that there's also 500 calories in this 15.2-oz bottle, so in this case (and perhaps only in this case), too many Nakeds may not be a good thing.
3. EAS AdvantEdge RTD
These too can oftentimes be found in your grocery story, only they'll probably be hiding on the shelves near the vitamins and protein/meal replacement bars. I'm personally a big fan of EAS products, as I feel that Bill Phillips (owner of EAS) does a great job putting out quality nutritional supplements year after year. It has a great balance of fat/protein/carbs, making it the most healthy (again, in my opinion) on this list. One pre-packaged shake gives you 3g of fat, 17g of protein, and 28g of carbs. Although I think the protein content could be a bit higher (and is in other EAS brand shakes), this still makes for a very healthy on-the-go meal option.
As for the taste — hmmm… I'll say not bad.
Chocolate Fudge is better than French Vanilla, but that's really not saying much since they're both very watery. Whatever drink you ultimately decide on, know that it's probably a better option than so many other meals-of-convenience (i.e. fast food, snacks, etc.) you could have chosen. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go watch Bear Grylls of"Man vs. Wild" eat goat testicles. Like I said, these drinks are probably a better option.
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The EAS Myoplex is really great too and bumps up the protein to 25g and has 23g or Carbs (3g of which is fiber and 5g of which is sugar). I drink one every morning for breakfast. I find the “Strawberry Cream” to be the best flavor, althought he “Chocolate Fudge” is pretty good too. I get them at Wal-Mart so I know they are readily available to most.