Try different proteins. It took several for me to find one I loved that wasn't too sweet. Just make sure you shop where they take returns. Just keep trying some until you find a couple you like. There are a LOT of good choices out there. If you need inexpensive, Body Fortress is pretty good and not too sweet. At this point About Time is my favorite. Not too sweet and no artificial sweetener. The world according to eggface has wonderful smoothie recipes for when you can have full liquids.

I totally understand where you are coming from! Even when I thought I liked the taste, by the time I was halfway through it, I couldn't stand it!!

The nutritionist at my surgeon's office suggested I use a straw (even after my surgery) - so you're on the right track with the lid. She also said to drink it as cold as possible. So, I mix my protein shake with lots of ice in my Vitamix (make them the consistency of a Wendy's "Frosty"). I put half in the freezer while I drink the first half and I use a thick, milkshake straw. Yup. Frozen is best.

Good luck! (However, it's totally worth it!!)

JJ

Thank you so much for replying - i know it will be worth it in the long run - I currently have a BMI of 47 and need to lose over 100 lbs so I know i will end up healthier - if i can just swallow down down these drinks! :--))

My dietician on the surgery office suggested a protien shake and its called Primier, 30 grams of protein and they taste pretty good, no yucky taste, I get them down in no time, some others put a banana in theres with a tablespoon of peanut butter. good luck

Yep...it's hard to find something palatable to use or supplement your daily intake needs. We all have different tastes so it requires a bit of trial and error. Lcat is right on with her suggestion that you shop where they take returns. I have also found several nutritional shops like GNC and online bariatric food specialist
that have samples available to try before you buy. My tastes changed over time. Some things I liked in the beginning I can no longer stomach. I suggest even when you find something you like...buy in small amounts, as your tastes may change over time as well.

One of the ones I use is called PURE and can be found at bariatriceating.com - it is their own product. It has no sweetener, and NO flavor - including no smell - I hate that stinky protein powder smell. I add it to my greek yogurt every day.

I like both body fortress or Premier Protein. The body fortress chocolate peanut butter is delicious! and the strawberry and vanilla are not bad either. You can also mix a small amount of crystal light with the vanilla to get different flavors that you may like.

Thank you all - great ideas! I tried adding a dash of cinnamon and making sure i take them in a closed container and i am able to get them down a bit easier now. Only 8 more days till my surgery - yippie!

I also use pure from bariatric eating, I get the unflavored and put in my ninja blender with some fruit and a greek yogurt, I love doing berries with pineapple and putting a toasted coconut yogurt in, this morning I have the chocolate cake batter with frozen cherries for a black forest. I also do core power light in chocolate, a little more expensive but I can handle the taste and adkins chocolate is also good, like you I have a hard time with the smell let alone the taste of those protein shakes. I made my own homemade soups to puree in my ninja and could add some of the unflavored protein powder that I would mix with a little water to, much easier to get down. I made vegetable, chille, chicken tortilla without the tortillas!, tomato, potato and even cheeseburger soups, nothing was from a can all homemade so my family ate what I was only mine was pureed and protein added. I also froze the soups in 4TBS each container or baggie, so after surgery I was ready for the 2wks of liquid.

I absolutely LOVE your ideas Iwoltmann - especially about making the frozen packets before surgery! I made chicken soup for my family yesterday and I am definitely going to puree and freeze some for myself for after surgery! What is the ratio of protein to soup would you put in each batch? Thanks!

Hated all the protein drinks. Even before my surgery, they would give me hairballs.
I got by with skim milk and the Carnation Sugar Free breakfasts. I could make do with the Atkins drinks if they were icy cold. Otherwise, couldn't find one that didn't taste awful to me. Good luck.

Be careful what you add to the shakes before the surgery. In my class they said you can add and no calorie/no fat ingredient to the shakes but you can't add fruit etc.. I don't have my notebook with me but the suggestions were things like crystal light type packets, Kool-aid powder (the little kind that you mix sugar with), the sugar free syrups people put in coffee etc. Personally I tried a couple flavors at GNC and took them all back but not everyone has the same taste. In my group they have said several times that the Premier shakes are good. I like the Market Pantry they sell at Target but it has 1 gram too much fat for what my doctor wants. So that is a question I have to ask the Dietitian. Good Luck!!

I have just over a month to go before my surgery (RnY on 11/2) and have been considering making some of my meals for stages 2 and 3 ahead of time and freezing them in ice cube trays. I never thought to add protein powder to homemade soup, though--that's pure genius! Thanks for the idea, Lwoltmann--I'm going to have to do this!

I am also on the pre-op diet and that was a big issue for me before I started. I've done a lot of strength training in the past with protein shake supplements and the thought of a full 6 weeks of them was enough to think twice about the surgery. So I did some experimenting and found some great stuff...especially if you're done with the chocolate/vanilla milk based protein powder shakes. My favorite line is the brand Syntax Nectar and Syntax Matrix. FRUIT flavors. 100 calories/scoop. 24gm protein. Zero carbs. They're great mixed in water or if I want more of a cream sickle flavor I mix it with unsweetened almond milk. Cream it up even more by adding a little plain, fat free greek yogurt.

My favorites are Orange Cream, Caribbean Cooler (coconut pineapple) which I sometimes mix with Orange Cream, Strawberry Mousse, Crystal Sky (a fruit punch with strong banana-strawberry overtones). There's also a good cappuccino flavor that's even better with a bit of freeze dried coffee. Drink them. Make them into popsickles. Add them to sugar free jello. Yum! You can buy them many places online. The best prices I've found are from Amazon or even better from Vitacost.com. Good luck!

I drank Premier Protein drinks. They tasted pretty good. I would put in a blender with ice. I got them at Costco, which was the cheapest. They also carry them at WalMart, but they cost more. Best wishes!