What To Mix With Protein Powder — 26 Delicious Options

Protein is the key to transforming your body. You’ll never build quality muscle mass unless you supply your body with essential amino acids. Protein powder represents an ideal way to meet that need.

Back in the day, protein powders were bland, but they now come in delicious flavors. Chugging the same protein powder mixed in water daily can get monotonous. Fortunately, you can mix your protein with plenty of other things.

This article offers 26 ways to mix your protein powder to prevent boredom and keep your taste buds enticed.

What’s Your Goal?

Before we delve into the different options for mixing your protein powder, let’s discuss your training goal. If your goal is to lose body fat, you will want to focus on low-calorie liquids and other additives that will allow you to maintain a daily caloric deficit.

To lose weight, you should use water in your protein powder. If a water-based protein shake doesn’t appeal to you, you can experiment with low-fat, low-sugar milk options such as skim milk or coconut milk. Another option is coconut water.

On the other hand, if you are trying to pack on muscle mass, you should be in a caloric surplus. In that case, you will want to mix your protein powder with liquids and other ingredients to increase the calorie count.

Use standard, full-fat milk as your go-to protein shake liquid to gain weight. If you are a hard gainer, you can even use a fuller fat option like chocolate milk.

If your goal is to maintain your current weight and leanness, add your protein powder to liquids with a moderate calorie count that will allow you to meet your daily caloric maintenance level.

Related: Find your optimal daily protein intake.

26 Things to Add to Your Protein Powder

A high-quality protein powder will include the essential amino acids you need to promote protein synthesis and repair and rebuild your muscle tissue post-workout. It may also include other key muscle-building nutrients such as creatine and glutamine. Adding extra nutrients and liquids to the mix can create an even more nutritious, powerful, and tasty post-workout meal. 

Although the most common way to consume protein powder is to blend it with a liquid and chug it as a shake, you can get creative with it. You can also add a scoop or two of protein powder to your dessert or oatmeal. 

Here are 26 things to mix with your protein powder.

1. Seeds

Seeds are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can be your secret weapon in losing weight. It can fill you up, taking up bulk in your stomach. By adding seeds to your protein shake, you will feel fuller in the hours after you drink it, making you less likely to snack before your next scheduled meal.

Of course, if you want to gain weight, you should avoid adding seeds to your protein powder. That’s because you want to stay hungry to achieve a daily calorie surplus.

Flaxseeds and chia seeds are the most popular seeds to add to a protein shake.

Read also: Best chia seed brands reviewed.

2. Mashed Potatoes

Protein powder and mashed potatoes may not be a match that readily comes to mind. Once you try it, though, you’ll be hooked. Potatoes provide many health-giving nutrients, including low glycemic index carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. 

There are lots of ways to cook potatoes. Mashing them with some butter and milk is one of the healthiest. Throw in some protein powder to supercharge the amino acid content and inject some flavor. 

3. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an ideal breakfast choice. It’s packed with protein, complex carbs, fiber, and antioxidants to give your body the necessary nutrients to power your day. Adding a scoop of protein powder to your oatmeal will boost your amino acid content and make your breakfast meal healthier.

Mix your oatmeal and protein with water if your goal is weight loss. To gain weight, use full-fat milk. We also recommend avoiding flavored instant oatmeal, which may contain a lot of sugar and flavoring.

4. Pancakes

Who doesn’t love pancakes? Adding protein powder to your pancake mix makes this popular breakfast treat into a protein-packed muscle food. But don’t stop at protein powder. Add some oatmeal and super antioxidant fruits like blackberries or raspberries to supercharge those pancakes. 

To get the right pancake consistency, you should swap out the flour in the recipe with protein powder or oatmeal. However, only remove a third of the original recipe flour.

5. Protein Waffles

Waffles are another breakfast treat that you can revamp with protein powder. If you’ve got a waffle maker, add a scoop of protein powder to the recipe mix before pouring it into the waffle maker. 

6. Protein Bars

Protein bars provide a convenient protein top-up on the go. However, branded bars can get pretty pricey. Many of them also contain high amounts of sugar and preservatives. The good news is that you can easily bake your batch of healthy, cost-effective protein bars.

Here’s a delicious protein bar recipe to make 10 protein bars:

Ingredients

• Natural Roasted Peanut Butter
• 300g (1¼ cups)
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1 teaspoon
• Vanilla Crème-Flavored Liquid Stevia Extract
• 168g (1¼ cups, lightly packed)
• Vanilla Brown Rice Protein Powder
• 90g (¾ cup)
• Peanut Flour
• ¼ teaspoon
• 2 tablespoons salt
• Roasted Peanuts, chopped
• Line an 8×8” brownie pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Method

1. Add the peanut butter, almond milk, and stevia extract to an electric stand mixer bowl fitted with a beater attachment.
2. Mix on low speed while you prepare the dry ingredients.
3. Whisk together the protein powder, peanut flour, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
4. Turn off the stand mixer and dump in the dry ingredients.
5. Return the mixer to low speed and mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
7. The mixture should be thick and fudgy, like cookie dough.
8. Scoop the mixture into the prepared brownie pan and flatten it out.
9. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top and press them into the surface.
10. Tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
11. Lift the mixture out of the pan.
12. Slice into 10 bars.
13. Individually wrap the protein bars in plastic sandwich baggies and refrigerate.

Read also: Best tasting protein bars.

7. Protein Burgers

A burger with a thick meat patty, lettuce, tomato, and condiments represents a protein-packed meal. Yet, you can make it even better by using protein powder as part of the binding ingredients when creating your patties. 

Use an unflavored powder, so you don’t distract from the delicious meaty taste of your burger. 

8. Protein Ice Cream

Ice cream doesn’t usually appear on a healthy food list. But you can flip that script by making your own protein ice cream.

And it’s not that hard; you only need three ingredients:

• Protein Powder
• Almond Milk
• Almond Butter

Whisk these three together and then put them in the freezer. This is a guilt-free way to meet your evening dessert cravings.

9. Oatmeal Protein Cookies

Oatmeal protein cookies are a tasty snack that will give you a protein and fiber hit without sugar or additives. They’re pretty easy to bake, too. Simply add a scoop of protein powder to your standard oatmeal recipe.

10. Protein Muffins

Sticking with the baking theme, you can add protein powder to your muffin recipes. Just be sure to adjust the existing ingredients. For example, if you are adding a scoop of chocolate protein powder, you should remove a similar amount of cocoa from the recipe.

11. Protein Brownies

Brownies are not the healthiest snack options, but protein powder allows you to manipulate the ingredients to make them better. Still, they’ll have a high-calorie count, so only go with this option if you are trying to gain weight. Remember to adjust the ingredients to compensate for the extra protein powder content.

12. Protein Balls

Protein balls are a very popular snack option. However, branded protein balls are expensive and often high in sugar content. Once again, making your own much healthier and cheaper version is pretty easy. 

The key to a successful protein ball recipe is the binding agent. Dates are one of the best ingredients to act as a binder. Fortunately, dates are also very healthy. Include chia seeds, chocolate chips, nuts, and, of course, your favorite protein powder.

13. Protein Parfait

Protein parfait may sound like a fancy, highbrow type of dessert. But it is simply a blend of yogurt with your favorite protein powder. You can also throw in some fruit and cinnamon to add power and flavor. Just be sure to check the sugar content of the brand of yogurt you’re buying.

14. Protein Popcorn

Popcorn by itself is a healthy snack. What makes it a problem is adding butter or salt. You will make your popcorn healthier by adding protein powder. Toss your popcorn in a mix of protein powder and cinnamon for a guilt-free movie snack. 

15. Protein Fruit Bowl

Forget those sugar-laden canned fruit desserts. Chop up a mix of bananas, apples, oranges, and berries, then throw them into a bowl. Add some low-fat Greek yogurt, and sprinkle unflavored protein powder on top. 

16. Protein Coffee

You’ve probably heard of bulletproof coffee, which adds healthy fats to your coffee. You can make your morning Cuppa Joe even more potent by adding a half scoop of unflavored protein powder. 

Another option is to blend chilled coffee with protein powder, milk, and cinnamon for a supercharged latte.

17. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is packed with medium-chain triglycerides to give you lasting energy. Adding coconut oil to your protein shake will help your body better absorb the amino acids and micronutrients in the protein powder. 

Adding coconut oil to your shake is an excellent idea if your goal is to lose body fat. That’s because it has been shown to increase your body’s ability to burn fat. [1]

18. Bananas

Adding a banana to your protein shake will give you a quick energy boost thanks to the fructose sugar in the fruit. Bananas are also high in vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and many other micronutrients that boost your immunity and improve your gut health. 

19. Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all full of antioxidants and micronutrients to boost your immunity and fight off free radicals’ cell-damaging effects. They also add some delicious flavor. In fact, you can often save money by buying an unflavored protein powder and adding berries for taste.

Try this protein smoothie recipe:

• 2 scoop of protein powder
• 1 cup of milk (almond or oat milk will also works well)
• 20g of blueberries
• 10g of blackberries
• 15g of strawberries
• 1 tsp of flaxseeds

20. Protein Chia Seeds

Chia seeds will transform any liquid they are added to into a pudding-like food. Put a cup of milk, a scoop of protein powder, and a handful of chia seeds in a bowl and leave for a few minutes to create a delicious and ultra-healthy dessert treat.

21. Guacamole

You probably know that guacamole is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids thanks to the avocado content. Mixing in some unflavored protein powder can combine those healthy fats with a dose of muscle-building protein. The other ingredients are salt and lime, which have plenty of nutritional value.

23. Protein Soup

A hearty homemade soup is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. In addition to beefing up the soup’s protein content, a scoop of powder thickens the liquid for a more satisfying consistency. 

24. Protein Pizza

Pizza can be healthy or unhealthy depending on what you put on it and what is added to the crust recipes. You can sway it into the healthy zone by using an unflavored protein powder in the crust recipe. Make it healthier by topping the pizza with ham, pineapple, parmesan cheese, and tomato sauce. 

25. Protein Hummus

Hummus is a popular dip to pair with cheeses and raw vegetables. Mix in unflavored protein powder with your daytime snack hummus and use a chocolate-flavored version to create a dessert hummus. 

25. Protein Salad Dressing

Rather than buying pre-packaged salad dressings that may include preservatives and high sugar levels, make your own. Blend lemon, pepper, olive oil, and salt. Add some unflavored protein powder, and you get a protein-packed salad additive. 

26. Old Fashioned Milk Shake

Don’t forget about the old-fashioned milkshake. Protein powders are primarily designed to be blended as a shake. Using full-fat milk will produce a delicious, frothy shake.

Summary

Although great as it is as a post-workout meal, plain old protein powder and water can get pretty boring pretty fast. The 26 suggestions in this article provide you with a whole arsenal of options, keeping your taste buds satisfied and helping you stay on track with your healthy eating goals. 

When selecting the protein powder to mix with all of these options, it should have 20-30 grams of protein per scoop, less than five grams of sugar, and be free of preservatives and artificial flavors. 

For most baking recipes, it is best to use an unflavored protein powder that won’t detract from the original flavor. 

References

1. Vogel CÉ , Crovesy L , Rosado EL , Soares-Mota M . Effect of coconut oil on weight loss and metabolic parameters in men with obesity: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Food Funct. 2020 Jul 1;11(7):6588-6594. doi: 10.1039/d0fo00872a. Epub 2020 Jul 10. PMID: 32648861.