There has been one aspect of lockdown that I have actually enjoyed, and that is not having to rush around as we normally would. When life was as it was before, I was running two businesses through the week, as well as all of the standard things that a parent has to do, like carting the children off to swimming lessons, and just general running around. I wasn’t finding the time to cook good food, because there simply wasn’t time.
I think life in the coming weeks is going to look quite different, however, things are slowly starting to get back to normal. With the extra time that I have had now, I want to make sure that I can carry on eating well, exercising often, and looking after myself. So having some healthy options for on-the-go food is a massive plus for me. At least if I am busy, I want to make sure that I am getting all of the nutrition that I need. Now more than ever, is a time to think about our health and making sure we’re healthy and well.
I have been sent a selection of full meal drinks from YFood, a fast growing food start-up from Germany, whose drinks are now available in the UK. The mission of the brand is to sell healthy, convenient and tasty nutrition for all, all done through their Ready-to-Drink meals.
The reason they are called a meal is that they have all of the nutritional makeup that you need in a meal, from fat, protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. So when you’re busy, you can just grab it and go.
I am someone that has been known to have a protein shake for breakfast when I’m short on time, so these really appealed to me. Not only that, but I know I’d be getting the full nutrition of a meal, all in one. They don’t need to be refrigerated either, which is a massive bonus, and you can choose bars, if you’d prefer those.
Flavours
There are a range of flavours to choose from, from chocolate, banana, mixed berry, and cold brew coffee. Having tried them all, I have been really impressed with the taste. Because they aren’t refrigerated, I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but they are really tasty, and have a thick texture to them (much like a Frijj milkshake, if you’ve ever had one of those).
As mentioned, YFood do also make meals in a bar, and there are vegan drinks available too; a big plus. The drinks are available in 330ml size and 500ml size, so you could choose the one to suit you and your calorific needs.
Do they keep you full up?
YFood claim that the meals will keep you full for up to five hours. Again, I was a little skeptical, because it is just a drink, right? My husband and I both tried these out, and we both commented about how full we were after drinking them.
It definitely feels like you’ve had a meal, and we didn’t have anything else to eat until the next mealtime, and felt absolutely fine. So for this reason, I would definitely recommend them if you are looking for on-the-go nutrition, and want to avoid snacking.
Calorie content
If you are like me, then you will want to know that what you are having isn’t going to be too much calorie-wise. And of course, they could be used as a weight loss aid, as long as you are counting calories correctly. In a 500ml bottle there are 500 calories, and in a 330ml bottles there are 330 calories, so just something to bear in mind.
Plastic packaging
Can you even talk about anything anymore with mentioned the packaging that it comes in? For starters, they are delivered in a branded cardboard box, so that can easily be popped into recycling.
On the website, they mention that because of the nature of the meal drinks, they need to have packaging that is impermeable to light and oxygen to be able to guarantee the shelf life of the product (and mean that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated before use). The bottles are made from 100% recyclable HDPE plastic, and the bottles are made from 30% recycled plastic. So as long as you keep your bottle in your bag, wash it and recluse it when you get home, I don’t see too much of a problem.
Overall?
I have been really impressed with the meal drinks from YFood, as has my husband. They taste good, and have kept us feeling full when we have had them. it id good to know that you can get all of the nutrition that you need from them in one meal, as well.
They are not badly priced either. The five-pack starter pack that I have are currently selling for €9.99 (normally €17.95). For six bottles, the price is usually €20.94. However, if you subscribe to a regular delivery, you can save 20%, and if you subscribe to their newsletter, you can get €5 off.
Have you heard of this brand before? It would be great to hear what you think.
*the products have been gifted in exchange for review, but all opinions are my own. I would only recommend something that I would pay for myself.
