Protein Startups Are Selling Lots Of Snacks And Drinks. Our Sample Tasting Found Most Neither Great Nor Horrible

apple — in a perfect world, we would all eat meals and snacks that are convenient, taste great and provide optimal nutrition. In reality, however, there are tradeoffs.

We crave ice cream, chips and candy bars, which make carbs and fat easy to over-consume. Meeting protein goals, meanwhile, can require conscientious effort, particularly for those, like your author, who aren’t keen on eating lots of meat. Fortunately, as we chronicled earlier this week, both startups and established food brands are making it simpler than ever to up protein intake. From sodas to snack bars to ice cream, it’s now possible to get a fix of this coveted macronutrient with foods and drinks more commonly associated with sugar, starch and fat. The looming question is: Do they taste good? To find out, we hit up a local Target for a selection of protein foods sold by venture-backed startups. I and a 10-year-old then subjected them to a taste test. The verdict? Most of this stuff is indeed edible and drinkable, albeit almost never nearly as tasty as the more protein-deficient alternatives, with just one exception. Our findings below: No. 1: David Vanilla Bean Frozen Dessert: Anyone who buys or consumes this particular ice cream alternative will be doing so for the nutritional content, not the taste. A single pint packs in a whopping 30 grams of protein and has just 210 calories. The texture is also on point, creamy and easy to spoon, with a distinct vanilla flavor. That said, you can’t hide the fact that this is not a product made with your typical ice cream ingredients. Those who don’t like artificial sweeteners or the flavor and texture of whey protein will want to pass.