I love the IP Chocolate drink mix. I warm mine in the microwave for a delicious hot chocolate, but I find them so expensive. What are some alternatives that have the basically the same nutitional value. I know there are a lot of whey based protein powers out there in laces like Costco, etc, that are as cheap as 1 dollar a serving. Beats what I pay for a pack of the IP chocolate mix. And by the way...do the IP products cost the same everywhere? I'm from Canada, and I pay $4 per packet (plus tax). Is this roughly the same as what everyone else is paying, or do different IP clinics, pharmacies, etc charge what they want?

Yes, in PA I am paying $4 a pac.

I had been buying HealthSmart ChocoRite Chocolate and PB Protein powders from Netrition (www.netrition.com), and they are delish! I was doing 1 scoop of chocolate and 1/2 a scoop of PB, and then I would blend it with 10 oz. H2O, 1 cup frozen spinach, and 3 ice cubes for a yummy shake

I have been wanting to get away from products made with Sucralose (even though it's allowed on IP), so I will be trying Optimum Nutrition's Standard Gold Natural 100% Whey Protein powder. I got a pretty good deal on AllStarHealth (www.allstarhealth.com)... it was $24.99 for a 2 lb. tub. I got the chocolate, so I'm hoping it tastes good!

A lot of people use the EAS shakes too... just make sure you compare ingredients and nutritional info to make sure it's IP approved.

Good luck!

Some people like EAS carb control...others do not...

I began using them when on plan to have a GF ready to drink convenience alternative since the IP RTD shakes all have gluten in them.

There are 2 chocolate drinks from EAS..

One is Rich Dark Chocolate...which I prefer. The other is Chocolate Fudge. I add 2 TBS of almond milk to dilute it some, and and a few oz of water and instant decaf coffee to get a mocha drink that is super good heated in the microwave. This brand is readily available in the US...Walmart carries them the cheapest in my area. (Drug and grocery stores have them at almost double the Walmart price in our area...in Texas and Chicago where my daughters live, the price is almost the same...go figure.)

The French Vanilla makes a wicked vanilla latte when steamed and mixed with a strong belt of espresso or instant coffee. Good blended with ice in the summer for an iced latte...or add splash of almond milk and heat for a hot drink. I recently bought a frother for my almond milk ...and have one of these drinks at least every other day. They are an easy breakfast that works on a busy day even though I am on maintenance. It allows me a nicer diner or lunch when am meeting up with others. A regular occurrence. And successful maintenance is about balancing what you eat during any given time frame. Sometimes I still want easy!

I have been enjoying the Proti Diet hot chocolate as a hot drink. It isn't quite as rich as the IP mix, but I add decaf coffee (leftover from Bfast) or decaf instant crystals to it and that seems to "deepen" the flavor. I also like to make spicy Mexican hot chocolate (add cinnamon and cayenne), so it is perfect for that. (I bought the large container of the hot chocolate so it is even more cost effective!)

I have not tried it as a cold drink and am thinking it might not work quite as well since it is intended to be a hot drink.

I love EAS as a cold RTD, but again, I don,t find the chocolate as rich as IP. The closest RTD I have found are the Pure Protein drinks.

Yes, my IP packets run close to $4 in the states, which is why after I lost most of my weight, I decided to go primarily to alternatives (I purchase from Nashua Nutrition). I do purchase some of my IP favorites occasionally (PB bars, potato purée, Southwest curls, and the newer chips).

I USE BariWise Sea Salt and Vinegar Protein Potato Chips (http://www.dietdirect.com/bariwise-h...asalt-7pk.html). They have 130 cals, Fat 4g, Carbs 14g, Fibre 5g, and Protein 10g.

Since they're a little lower on the protein side, I only have them 1-2X a week.

I use the HealthSmarts S & V chips (also LOVE their Pizza Chips!!!!) ... A little light on protein (10-12g can't quite recall), so I usually add an egg white somewhere else (ie muffins).

Product review: The Protein Store website lets you order 6 free samples (and I even received free shipping!). I ordered one of the Strawberry yogurts because I liked the thought of a portable snack.

If you like extremely sweet/tart flavors, you might like this. I am not a big fan of candies like Starburst, Skittles, etc., but I know some people just love that kind of thing.

It was really tart... made my mouth pucker and the back of my jaw tighten!! Haha! It was kind of like a melted Starburst with extra lemon juice added... Too tart for me.

Thank you. Not sure I can get those in Canada. I was all set to start hubbie on alts but do t want to deal with the customs issues with Nashua. My options are definitely more limited in Canada.

Are syntax Nector products ok? There are 0 carbs at all in these. 23 gr protein.

Has anyone tried using Vega products as an alternative? I prefer a vegan diet and this is dairy, gluten, soy and sugar free.

I'm in Canada and use DirectDirect.com. Even with the shipping and duty, it's WAY less than IP products.

I know several people here use them, though I think,they may use a little less than the full serving since it's higher in protein.

That's what I do. I have several flavors. Mostly fruity ones. The chocolate wasn't thick & rich enough for my liking

I ordered some free trial stuff from the protein store (they will give you 6 individual items to try just pay S & H.) anyway I got them today and one of the items is an orange crème smooth shake and drink (powder in a bottle). Anyway the label looks good, all the right numbers, but when I read the ingredients it says fructose... isn't that a sugar?