6 Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Gain in 2024

Putting on weight can be tough. If you’re not used to bulking, reaching a caloric surplus can be challenging, especially using nutritionally complete foods. This is why we’ve created this list of the best meal replacement shakes for weight gain. 

While alternatives like mass gainers are a great way to get extra calories in, they’re often full of added sugars and have less than stellar micronutrient profiles. The shakes on our list were chosen based on their outstanding nutritional profiles, as well as their high protein and calorie count.   

For this article our team of certified nutritionists and professional athletes collected 15 products reviewing them by 6 main parameters, and only 6 top products made it to the list. We’ve spent 20+ hours testing most of the products and analyzing hundreds of user reviews online. We keep updating our list regularly so feel free to share your experience in the comments section.

Top 6 Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Gain Reviewed

1. CLEAN MEAL by Kaged – Top Pick
2. GNC Total Lean – Approved by ConsumerLab
3. Muscle Milk Pro Advanced Protein Shake – Highest in Potassium
4. Ensure Max Protein – Highest in Vitamin D + Calcium
5. Orgain Perfect Meal Powder – Highest in Fiber
6. MRM Nutrition Veggie Meal Replacement – Highest in Iron

Product	Total	MACRO Breakdown	Fiberper Serving	MICRO Breakdown	Taste +Texture	Nutrition Label Transparency	Value for Money
Kaged	56.5	10	8.5	9	9.5	10	9.5
GNC	56	9.5	9.5	9	9	10	9
Muscle Milk	56	9.5	9	9.5	9	9.5	9.5
Ensure	55	9.5	8	10	9	9.5	9
Orgain	54.5	9.5	10	8.5	8.5	9.5	8.5
MRM	54	9	8.5	8.5	9	9.5	9.5

Starting our list of the best meal replacement drinks for weight gain is Clean Meal by Kaged. Delivering on its macro and micronutrients, Kaged will be one of the best all-around choices for anybody looking for a great meal replacement supplement. 

Each serving has 240 calories, which makes this one of the highest calorie-per-serving options on our list. You can also expect 28g of protein, 18g of carbs, and 4.5g of fats in each serving as well for a well-balanced macronutrient profile. 

In terms of micronutrients, Kaged is also very well-balanced. For 21 of its 23 vitamins and minerals, you’ll be getting 25% of your DV. This includes moderate doses of Iron, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, Zinc, and much more. The 2 lower dosed minerals are Calcium and Potassium at 10% and 4% respectively. 

Kaged has a high quality formula, being sourced from ingredients including oats, quinoa, whey protein, and a fruit and vegetable blend. It’s worth noting that it does contain some artificial ingredients like sucralose in case you prefer to avoid these. 

Clean Meal comes out to ~$2.50 per serving, which is about the average for our list. If you’re after a solid all-around meal replacement shake to assist you on your bulk, you can’t go wrong with Kaged.

Taking the runner-up spot on our list of the best meal replacement to gain weight is GNC’s Total Lean. 

In terms of calories, GNC’s product has only 170-180 per serving, making it a lighter option compared to Kaged. With that being said, it still has a high protein content at 25-30g per serving depending on the flavor (choose Vanilla Creme over French Vanilla to maximize protein content). The rest of the calories come from 11-19g of carbs and 0.5-3g of fat. 

You’re also getting a solid micronutrient profile with GNC. Although not as balanced as Kaged, many of the vitamins and minerals come in higher doses, up to 250% of your DV. 

While GNC’s Total Lean is stimulant free, if you buy their “Burn” option, this is one of the few meal replacement supplements to contain caffeine as part of its formula. As a result, this variation may be a good choice for a pre-workout meal replacement supplement. At a relatively high dose of 200mg per serving. Keep this in mind if you want a stimulant-free supplement, or if you’re caffeine-sensitive. 

In the “Burn” option, you can also expect several other active ingredients, such as L-Carnitine L-Tartrate. While L-Carnitine may help with recovery, it’s likely dosed too low here to have any real effect. 

Similar to Kaged, this product is produced with artificial sweetener if this is something you’d prefer to avoid. However, this product is approved by ConsumerLab, ensuring a high level of quality. 

Finally, at ~$2.50 per serving, it comes out to about the same cost as Kaged. This would make a great alternative if you’re looking for slightly higher micro doses and a solid hit of caffeine.

Third on our list of meal replacement shakes to gain weight, and the first pre-bottled choice is Muscle Milk’s Pro Advanced shake. Perfect for taking on the go, these pre-made protein shakes are ideal if you don’t want to mix up powder yourself. 

For calories, these are relatively low for our list, especially considering you won’t be adding any milk. Each bottle is only 170 calories. However, they’re still packed with protein with 32g per serving! The rest of the calories come from 9g of carbs and 2g of fat. 

They also have a decent micronutrient profile, although not quite as extensive as the top 2 options on our list. However, this is the highest potassium option on our list, containing 15% of your DV. 

As with the top 2 products on our list, you can expect some artificial sweetener in the form of sucralose. Also, it’s worth mentioning that despite the convenience of the pre-made drinks, you may prefer an option that produces less waste from single-use plastics, especially if you’re planning on regularly drinking meal replacement shakes. 

Despite the added convenience of coming in pre-mixed bottles, Muscle Milk is the cheapest option covered on our list. However, this is far from a major difference, with each serving only being slightly cheaper at ~$2.42.

Next up on our list is Ensure, a brand synonymous with meal replacement shakes. This is one of the highest protein options on our list, as well as being a great source of key micros like Vitamin D and Calcium. In fact, the macro breakdown makes this very similar to a more standard whey concentrate supplement. Like Muscle Milk, this is also a pre-mixed shake, making it super convenient.

Also similar to Muscle Milk, this is a fairly low-calorie option. Each serving has 150 calories, easily making this the lowest calorie option on our list considering it’s pre-mixed. However, it’s still high in protein with 30g per serving. You can also expect 4-6g of carbs and 1.5-2g of fat depending on the flavor. 

Ensure contains an extensive list of 25 vitamins and minerals, with most of them being dosed around 25% of your DV. As mentioned, the 2 standouts here are Vitamin D and Calcium, being dosed at 70% and 50% of your DV respectively. 

As with all the products we’ve covered so far, Ensure does contain artificial sweeteners. Also, although this is a pre-mixed drink similar to Muscle Milk, it comes in cardboard cartons, which may be considered more environmentally friendly, despite still being single-use containers. 

Ensure has the same price as the top 2 products on our list at ~$2.50 per serving. While this is slightly more expensive than Muscle Milk, their prices are very comparable.

Next on our list is Orgain’s Perfect Meal Powder, which is notable for being the first vegan-friendly option on our list, as well as being the highest-fiber option we’ll be covering. As a vegan option, it combines multiple protein sources to create a full amino acid profile. Just keep in mind that it does come at a fairly steep price point. 

Unlike the previous 2 products, this is another higher-calorie option. Especially considering you could be mixing it with a higher-calorie plant-based milk, 250 calories per serving is ideal for bulking. You’ll be getting 25g of protein, 30-31g of carbs, and 7-8g of fats in each serving. Also, with 10g of fiber per serving, this is the best choice if you’re looking to prioritize your fiber intake. 

The micros here are somewhat unbalanced. While it’s a solid profile, many of the vitamins and minerals come at a low dose of ~15%, while a few others are slightly higher at 50-70%.

This is the first product on our list to be certified organic, which may be ideal if you want to avoid pesticides and GMOs in your supplements. As a result, this is also the first product we’re covering to not contain any artificial sweetener as well. 

Despite being an undoubtedly high-quality option, especially for those on a plant-based diet, this is the most expensive option on our list by far. Each serving will cost you ~$3.59, which is a whole dollar more than most of our other picks!

Finally, closing off our list is another vegan option from MRM Nutrition. Not only is this easily the most budget-friendly option on our list, it’s also the highest iron supplement we’ll be covering! Once again, MRM also combines multiple protein sources for a complete amino acid profile. 

In terms of calories, MRM is around the average for our list at 200 calories per serving. However, it’s easily the lowest protein option as well with 22g per serving. You’ll also be getting 14g of carbs and 6g of fats in each scoop. 

Its micronutrient profile is solid, although somewhat unbalanced. The vitamins and minerals here range in doses from 10% to 200%, with most of them falling in the lower end of this range. It does have the highest iron content on our list with 53% of your DV, which may be especially beneficial for vegans. 

If you’re after an all-natural supplement, this may be a good choice as it doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners, similar to Orgain. 

Of course, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly supplement, you can’t go wrong with MRM. At only ~$1.30 per serving, this is about half as much as most of the other options on our list.

Can I Use Meal Replacement to Gain Weight?

While meal replacement drinks are commonly associated with weight loss diets or for maintaining weight, they can be part of a bulking diet as well. 

The only way to gain weight is to eat in a caloric surplus. While meal replacement shakes won’t necessarily help you gain weight, if you’re using them strategically, they are a convenient and nutritionally complete option to supplement your diet. 

If you’re looking to use meal replacement shakes on a bulking diet, we recommend using them more as a snack, or as part of a larger meal. With most of the options above being ~200 calories, they are not suitable as full meal replacements if you’re eating in a surplus.

Instead, use them as snacks, or as a beverage alongside a more complete meal. This will help you use meal replacement shakes as a tool to ensure you’re eating enough total calories to reach a surplus. 

How to Choose the Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Gain?

Not all meal replacement shakes are created equal when it comes to weight gain. Below we’ll be going over our 5 key tips for using these supplements on a bulk. 

1. Choose Products With a Medium to High Calories per Serving

First, ensure you’re buying a product that will help you reach a caloric surplus. On our list, we prioritized products that have a decently high amount of calories per serving. With lower-calorie options, you may have a harder time reaching a caloric surplus. 

Keep in mind that powdered drinks will typically be higher in total calories than pre-mixed beverages because you can add extra ingredients to up the calorie content. By mixing powders with milk, fruits, oats and more, or taking multiple doses at a time, you can up the total calorie content of your shake. 

2. Give Preference to Products With a Large Amount of Protein

The most important macronutrient for building muscle is undoubtedly protein. While you need between 0.7-1g of protein per pound of body weight to build muscle, choosing a high-protein meal replacement shake will help you ensure you’re meeting these goals with no issues. 

The shakes on our list range from 22-32g of protein per serving, making them all great choices for maximizing protein intake throughout the day. 

3. Pay Attention to Added Sugar

Whenever you’re bulking it can be easy to forget about how much sugar you’re consuming throughout the day. With high added sugar intake being directly associated with obesity and diabetes, choose options with relatively low added sugar content.

Eating lots of added sugar may tip you into too high of a caloric surplus, as well as sacrifice a higher intake of micronutrients, which may both negatively affect your progress. 

With this being said, sugars can be a useful addition to your diet for added calories, especially if you’re eating plenty of fiber. However, it’s still important to be aware of how much added sugar you’re taking in to prevent any unwanted fat gain. 

4. Consider the Amount of Sodium

Similarly, when bulking it can be easy to take in large unnecessary amounts of sodium, especially if you’re eating a lot of processed foods. While sodium intake is necessary for optimal health, keep your total intake in mind when choosing a meal replacement supplement. 

While this likely won’t be a major concern for most, if you’re looking to limit your sodium intake, choosing a lower-sodium meal replacement shake can be a good place to start. 

5. Do Not Forget About Dietary Fiber

Finally, high fiber intake is directly related to better overall health. Especially with many Americans having very low total daily fiber intake, finding a meal replacement drink rich in fiber can be an easy way to supplement your diet. 

If you’re looking to prioritize fiber, check out Orgain’s meal replacement, which has a solid 10g per serving!

Key Recommendations for Gaining Muscle Mass

Below we’ll be going over our general recommendations to help you gain muscle mass effectively, and sustainably. 

1. Follow a Meal Plan With a Small to Moderate Calorie Surplus

The best way to gain weight is slowly and consistently. To do this, follow a meal plan that puts you in a caloric surplus of around 250-500 calories per day. With proper training, this will encourage mostly muscle gain without putting on too much unnecessary fat along the way. 

2. Organize Your Meals Around Foods With a High-Calorie Density

Especially if you struggle to reach this caloric surplus, prioritize foods with a high caloric density. While we don’t recommend eating a bunch of junk food, prioritize denser options in healthy, home cooked meals.

Don’t be afraid to use higher fat foods like olive oil in cooking to help you maximize calorie content. Eating calorie-dense snacks throughout the day like nuts and seeds can be another great way to reach your calorie targets. 

3. Eat Enough Protein

Even if you’re eating in a caloric surplus, you likely won’t gain much muscle if you’re not eating enough protein. Luckily, hitting protein targets shouldn’t be too hard if you’re eating enough total calories. As mentioned, you only need about 0.7-1g of protein per pound of body weight to put on muscle effectively. 

4. Do Resistance Training With Progressive Overload

Arguably the most important factor in the muscle-building formula is training. You need to be putting your muscles under enough tension to stimulate growth. The best way to do this is through resistance training and consistently increasing the total weight and volume done during your workouts, also known as progressive overload. 

5. Have Patience

Finally, remember that nobody is going to build an impressive physique overnight. Putting on a significant amount of muscle mass is a matter of months and years, not days and weeks. As long as you’re following the steps outlined above, you’ll see results eventually. Just stay consistent, and stay patient. 

FAQ

Which Shakes Are Best for Weight Gain?

The three best types of shakes to help with weight gain are basic protein shakes, mass gainers, and meal replacement shakes. 

Protein shakes are great for maximizing protein intake, although they typically don’t have too many micronutrients. Mass gainers are very high in calories, although they may be too high-calorie for some. Finally, meal replacement shakes are typically in-between protein shakes and mass gainers for calories, as well as having a dense profile of micronutrients. 

While everyone has different needs, meal replacement shakes are a balanced option for weight gain, especially if you struggle with eating enough vitamins and minerals. To maximize calorie content, consider adding additional ingredients like milk, fruit, and nut butter. 

Can I Gain Weight With a Meal Replacement?

Yes, as long as you’re consistently eating in a caloric surplus, you will gain weight. Of course, this can be done with or without a meal replacement shake as part of your diet. Remember that no single food will instantly make you gain weight, it’s more about how much you’re eating in total throughout the day/week. 

Can I Gain Weight With Just Shakes?

While you could theoretically reach a caloric surplus through just drinking shakes, this is likely not a sustainable diet for anybody. In terms of both health and palatability, you’re much better off eating a varied diet rich in whole foods. We recommend only using shakes as a small part of a more balanced diet. 

Conclusion

While meal replacement drinks may be more typically associated with weight loss, they can be an excellent supplement for your bulking diet when used properly. Meal replacement shakes can act as a more complete option for micronutrients to standard protein powders and mass gainers. Just be sure you’re eating in a consistent caloric surplus and training properly to maximize your progress. 

If you’re looking for high-quality nutritional shakes for weight gain, our top pick is Kaged’s Clean Meal. 

Do you have any recommendations for high-calorie meal replacement supplements? What’s your opinion on using a meal replacement for weight gain? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read:

• Best Vegan Meal Replacement Powder
• Best Keto Shakes for Weight Loss
• Best Meal Replacement Bars
• Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Diabetics

References:

1. The Nutrition Source, “Iron”, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/iron/ (Accessed Dec. 7, 2023)
2. Everson A. Nunes, et. al, “Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults,” Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 13, 795–810, (2022)
3. The Nutrition Source, “Salt and Sodium”, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/ (Accessed Dec. 7, 2023)
4. The Nutrition Source, “Added Sugar”, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/ (Accessed Dec. 7, 2023)
5. The Nutrition Source, “Fiber”, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, ​​https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/ (Accessed Dec. 7, 2023)