Getting desperate - can you recommend a good protein shake?

[Verbena17]

Hi,
I’m getting desperate for my son to eat and his ED nurse suggested this week that we buy some chocolate Ensure drink.

Our DS is 17 and has ARFID.
It’s currently worse than it’s ever been in his 17 years and today he’s literally only had 3/4 of a cheeseburger.

I don’t mind paying for anything but I know that he will most likely smell the Ensure and refuse it and it’s pretty pricey and I can’t buy only one bottle.

So I thought it would make more sense to ask on here if someone can suggest a high protein/calorific drink he might accept. Basically, it would have to be as much like drinking normal chocolate milk as possible - not like a fortified product that doesn’t quite taste right 😬.
I bought a bottle of Paediasure a few months back and even I thought it smelt rank!

I’ve got some Friji but he says no to that as well.

He will only (not for over a year though) accept Cadbury highlights hot chocolate powder stirred into hot milk. Won’t eat cream/marshmallows.

This is brilliant thank you.
The only thing I think might happen is that he will ask what’s in it. If I lie, he will shut down and not accept anything else and won’t trust me.

However, I don’t think he would notice cream, so I might try choc ice cream, milk, cream and oats. If he accepts that, then I might try adding yoghurt.

thanks 😊

Thanks sounds good 👍 I’ll take a look.

@Lottsbiffandsmudge - in that recipe, do the oats blend up so the drink is completely smooth? I’ve got a nutribullet.

Another recommendation for Huel. Their premade shakes are 400 calories with added vitamins and nutrients - they're like a total meal replacement so at least he'd be getting some nutrition in if he liked it. They're a bit pricey but easy to drink, more like a chocolate milkshake than a protein shake.

Tesco and Sainsburys have them (next to the flavoured milk and coffees in the chiller aisle usually) for £3.50. You can buy them slightly cheaper from Huel if you buy a box of 12, but it's worth trying one first to see how he goes with them? Their protein powders are also good without that chemical taste, but the ready to drink one's are definitely more "real" tasting.

Sorry about the massive space in the middle there, no idea what happened!

Huel does include oats, it's entirely plant based, but it can be blended smooth. Some stores sell them pre-made them, I've had them and they're okay, milkshake smooth, they do have a different aftertaste compared to milk which some like and some don't. I think Huel Black might have more calories?

I don't really have a high calorie recommendations, but your description of the shrinking stomach reminded me of when I struggled with very low appetite - the biggest issue for me then was that being deficient in nutrients killed my appetite and ability to eat, but taking vitamin pills was also a struggle and wasn't enough to bring me up. I eventually found Meritene shakes, which are basically vitamin powder with flavourings, there is a chocolate Energis one that I liked though I've only seen it in powder form and to get it milkshake smooth, that nutribullet might be needed as by hand it isn't that smooth (or I just struggle with that). I found it easy to add to milk, chocolate milk and milkshakes without issue. That helped me to wean onto more foods.

The NHS also has advice for low appetite, some which might be useful if you haven't seen it already - there is sheet that has tips of small things to add that on better days can make them more caloric dense. I've seen some that even list out different shakes and poweders, I've seen Meritene listed on there with it recommended no more than once a day because they're just vitamin powders rather than calorically dense.

Will he eat peanuts or peanut butter? Both high in calories and not bad on protein. If he has a slightly sweet tooth would he eat honey coated peanuts?
Would he eat eggs? Scramble, fried or poached?
The high calorie drinks and puddings (fortesip etc) have a bit of an odd texture, so I'm not sure if he would tolerate them.
Is he under a dietician? If not can you request a referral? A dietician might be able able to request a prescription for the drinks/ pudding.
You can get something that's called complan which can be added to shakes and soup, but I think if texture is an issue he might not tolerate it.
If he's into all things Japanese has he tried sushi? Can he cope with going out to eat, or does it add to his stress levels? Just thinking if he'd manage a sushi bar?
Can you do him a 'snack' box of food, which he can pick at throughout the day so there's no pressure to sit and eat a meal (I'm in no way suggesting you are putting any pressure on him, but it's his own internal pressure / fear/ anxiety that he's putting on himself ).
I agree don't try and 'sneak' anything into his food, the risk is too high.
In terms of chocolate bars bounty or anything with nuts in tend to be higher calories and protein (providing no allergies).

The Protein Works do a range of protein shakes. The meal replacement ones actually taste okay. Make them up in a blender and they come out creamy and tasty. They do different sized packs so you don't have to buy a massive one. And usually offer blue light discount as well if you can get a code.

Not totally but I don't have a nutri bullet. You could use Ready Brek instead? That's just very ground up oats with added vitamins.

Thanks for suggesting these, I have just ordered some, a website called dolphin fitness seems to have it cheaper than Amazon

Hi
My dd (17) is pretty much the same, asd with v restricted diet for years.
She basically discovers a food or meal she likes and has it on repeat until she goes off it and has to discover another meal. She really only eats once a day.
The food/meal ideas have to come from her, rarely she will accept something I suggest.
McDonald's is always acceptable, it never changes.
What has helped enormously is tik tok! Food crazes like feta tomato pasta, ultimate mash made with half a pack of butter and cream. Latest craze is Japanese food. It costs me a fortune but she makes stuff herself and discovers food she likes.
I find the key is letting her have control, but she is like this in every aspect!
She does also like the for goodness shake's protein drinks and we have tried many!
I wish you well, it's stressful.

One thing my DM used to make for her father when he was ill was potato soup.

Boil potatoes in chicken or veg stock and when tender blizz together. Add lots of cream and butter then season.

Think of it like a mashed potato soup (add more stock if needed to get it to a preferred texture)

It's super smooth in texture and tasty without being super strong flavoured but with the butter/cream you can make it high calorie.

You can also make a batch, keep in the fridge and heat up small portions when he feels able to eat some.

If he is into Japanese food try white miso www.waitrose.com/ecom/shop/search?&searchTerm=white%20miso and sushi rice (use a ice-cream scoop to shape it) build from there - teriyaki chicken / salmon / tofu was the next step for us.

DS(31) is autistic, very into climbing as has had every possible food aversion over the years. Getting serious about the climbing has made him get into proper nutrition. If only this had happened a decade ago.

If they can do McDonalds they can do something else, it is just a total bugger to find out what.

Good luck

Huel ready to drinks are pretty good consistency. Banana one is pretty nice (if he likes banana) tbh I like quite a few of thiers but the banana and the strawberry are probably my main faves. The powder isn't as good and quite expensive if you don't get through it. The ready to drinks are available as singles in m and s and I think Sainsbury's (I usually buy them in boxes direct)

Fab -will get one to see if he’ll try.

Love it - yes will try with ready break or oatmeal

That sounds so hard. We struggle to get my underweight 13yo to eat but not to that extent.

We got him some protein shakes from B&M Bargains to try and he really liked those so he has them after sports. I've just seen that For Goodness Shake come in salted caramel which my DS will go crazy for! They also do protein snickers bars and a whole load of protein powders that are supposed to taste like Mars or Snickers. We also just go for lots of chocolate milk and hot chocolate with extra milk powder blitzed in.

Peanut butter and Nutella on toast/rice cake/biscuit also go down pretty well and he will eat trail mix as well. I've previously made energy balls- blended dates, nuts, coconut oil, chia seeds and cocoa powder that he quite liked.

Does your DS also like McDonald's breakfast? We do McDonald's breakfast at home with a muffin, fried egg and processed cheese.

Thank you I’ll take a look at the NHS ideas.
He takes a 7-11 orange flavour bassets vitamin (because he currently eats zero fruit and veg and I’m worried about scurvy and I even asked bassets to start doing plain orange flavour adult multivitamins - but they won’t. They were sympathetic but they still only do or age and passion fruit or berry flavours.

He also sporadically takes vit d. It’s so teeny but he still uses his tablet cutter bless him, to halve it!

I’ve ordered stuff from Dolphin before - very good company and sent promptly.

Thank you so much! I feel for you too - it’s so hard isn’t it!
That’s great your DD will take control herself. Wish DS would - he won’t even refill his own water bottle.
He is exactly the same as your DD in the way he cycles his eating. I watched an ARFID documentary with dr Gillian Harris, where a girl only ate dairy milk and Wotsits for every meal and somehow was pretty healthy. I now only wish my DS would do that! At least you’d know where you were at any given moment!

I will get some of those shakes then - that’s 2 people who have said the same about them.

I really feel for you @Verbena17 . DS2 had ARFID from birth to about 12/13 then gradually introduced new foods himself. But when he had a bad start at uni in lockdown, he stopped eating and trying to tempt him to have even 800 cals a day was such a struggle. It brought back those early years of high anxiety and calorie counting. I know how anxious a time it is.

If he eats chocolate, can you try him with some Lindt hazelnut truffles or Reece's peanut butter cups - something with nuts as a source of protein?

Gold Standard Whey Protein!!!

You can get it at Holland & Barratt but loads of other places sell it and probably a bit cheaper as it’s already on the pricey side BUT as someone who used to be a serious gym bunny this stuff is the absolute best. They have loads of great flavours, it mixes really really well with either water or milk and it doesn’t smell funny like lots of other powders do. You don’t have to just use it as a shake either you can add it to porridge, pancakes, smoothies, cookie mixture and all sorts.

Not sure it’ll work but he has always liked potato so it might so. I could also add cheese I guess for protein.

Thanks I will give it a go. So I just make the rice then add a spoon of white miso paste?
Thats great your son is into climbing - and helpful that his hobby has really supported him getting better.