Meal Shakes Under The Microscope
Meal shakes are everywhere, and most of them promise similar things.
But not all of them are built the same.
So the real question becomes, what should you be looking for when choosing one?
What Actually Counts as a Meal Shake in Australia?
In Australia, meal shakes are regulated under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
To be classified as a formulated meal replacement, a product must meet a set of minimum requirements per serving.
The Problem: The Bar Is Quite Low
A product can be classified as a meal replacement in Australia if it meets the requirements set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand under Standard 2.9.3.
Per serving, this includes:
- At least 850 kJ of energy (approximately 200 calories)
- At least 12 grams of protein
- Added vitamins and minerals providing at least 25% of the recommended daily intake for a range of essential nutrients
These are minimum requirements.
These minimum standards have shaped how many products in the category are formulated.
Rather than building towards a truly balanced meal, some brands design their products to meet these baseline requirements as efficiently as possible. This can result in formulas that rely on lower cost ingredients, added flavours, and fillers to improve taste and texture, while still qualifying as a meal replacement.
In these cases, the focus shifts from overall nutritional quality to simply meeting the criteria needed to be labelled as one.
What Should You Look For in a Meal Shake?
If the standard sets the minimum, it helps to understand what actually makes a meal shake effective.
A well formulated meal shake should include:
- A meaningful amount of protein to support satiety and muscle maintenance
- Fibre to support digestion and fullness
- A broad range of vitamins and minerals
- High quality ingredients, not just fillers or low cost substitutes
- Ingredients that contribute to overall nutrient density
The goal is not just to meet numbers, but to reflect what a balanced meal would provide.
How We Approached Building Ours
Once you understand how low the minimum standards are, it changes the question.
It is no longer just about meeting the definition of a meal replacement.
It is about building something that actually functions like one.
When we developed our meal shake, the goal was simple.
To go beyond minimum requirements and create something closer to a complete, everyday nutrition solution.
That meant focusing on a few key areas.
At a glance, each serve includes:
- 34g plant protein
- 7.2g greens and superfoods
- 7g fibre
- 2 billion probiotics
- 85+ wholefood nutrients
Each serve delivers a meaningful amount of plant protein to support fullness and muscle maintenance, rather than just meeting a minimum requirement.
Second, nutrient density.
Instead of relying on synthetic vitamins alone, the formula is built around organic greens and wholefood ingredients.
We also took this a step further by sourcing nutrients from wholefood ingredients rather than using synthetic alternatives.
This approach allowed us to achieve certified organic status, which, to our knowledge, makes this one of the only certified organic meal shakes currently available.
Third, a more complete nutritional profile.
Rather than focusing on one macronutrient, the formulation includes greens, fibre, and functional ingredients to support digestion, energy, and overall wellbeing.
It also meant taking a more integrated approach.
Instead of needing separate products for protein, greens, and daily nutrients, everything is combined into a single shake designed to simplify your routine.
Finally, ingredient quality and sourcing were prioritised.
Using organic, plant based ingredients and avoiding unnecessary additives helps ensure the product reflects a whole-food approach to nutrition.
Why This Matters
Many meal shakes are built to meet a category.
Ours was built to replace a meal in a more meaningful way.
Because when a product is designed with real nutrition in mind, it does more than meet a definition.
It actually supports how you feel day to day.
