I’m new to protein smoothies and have never really paid much attention to milk drinks either, but since this website needs more drink articles, these looked like a healthy group of drinks to try out.

Created by Bega Group and made from 92% Australian ingredients with a 5/5 health star rating (based on the banana honey flavour) and no added sugar… this sounds too good to be true. So naturally, I had to put these claims to the test.

Banana Honey

Whilst I’m not the biggest banana fan, banana plus honey plus milk works incredibly well. It’s sweet from the honey but doesn’t feel too thick like some milk drinks or protein drinks tend to get. The texture is surprisingly smooth, not chalky like those awful protein shakes from the early 2000s that tasted like someone dissolved a handful of vitamins in concrete mix.

I honestly can’t fault this and am enjoying it far more than I thought I would. It’s the kind of drink that makes you think “hang on, is this actually good for me?” while you’re sipping it down like it’s a treat. Give it a shot!

Mixed Berry

This is a mix of strawberry and raspberry, and it blends well. It’s a little more interesting than just one flavour or the other, so I like that they mixed it. The berry combination gives it that slightly tart edge that keeps it from being too one-dimensional.

My only gripe here is that I started drinking this yesterday and put it back in the fridge, and since opening it again, a bit of dry crusty residue had formed around the mouth of the bottle, which wasn’t ideal. Not exactly appetising when you’re going for your second sip. But this is a great healthy drink. I prefer it to the banana honey, though they both have similar textures overall and neither feels overly thick or cloying.

Chocolate

I mean, this just tastes like chocolate milk. Let’s not overthink it. But with a 5-star rating and the protein and prebiotics packed in, it seems like the better choice for most people looking for a chocolate milk sort of drink without the guilt.

It’s smooth, familiar, and doesn’t have that weird artificial sweetener aftertaste that some health drinks try to sneak past you. I’d say this is my favourite in the line, purely because sometimes you just want chocolate milk, and if it can double as something that’s actually good for you, then that’s a win in my books.

The Verdict

Look, if you’d told me a few weeks ago that I’d be here raving about protein milk drinks, I would’ve laughed you out of the room. But Dairy Farmers has done something right here. The Protein+ range manages to tick the health boxes without tasting like punishment, which is more than I can say for most of the wellness aisle.

Whether you’re after a post-workout refuel, a breakfast on the go, or just want to feel slightly less guilty about your beverage choices, these are worth a try. Just maybe finish them in one sitting, yeah?