10 High-Protein Shakes Without Protein Powder

If nothing solid goes down on semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro), a small, cold shake made with milk, yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta is a reasonable way to get some protein in. You don’t need protein powder: these 10 shakes bring 9.2 to 20.8 g of protein in a glass of about 300 to 350 ml (10 to 12 fl oz), calculated food by food.

Every value comes from USDA FoodData Central, and you’ll find it on each food page. If breakfast is the hardest meal, see my high-protein breakfasts for days with no appetite too. The overall plan is in my guide to what to eat on GLP-1 medications. On names: Ozempic is semaglutide and Mounjaro is tirzepatide, both approved in the US for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy and Zepbound are the same molecules approved for weight management.

When drinking helps more than eating

When your appetite is low. The 2025 joint advisory on nutrition and GLP-1 therapy, from four US medical and nutrition societies (I’ll call it “the advisory”), says that when hunger and interest in food are low, protein shakes and drinks made with fruit, vegetables, unsweetened milks or yogurt are often more appealing than red meat, processed meats or aged cheeses. Elsewhere it notes that more fluid, water-rich foods may leave the stomach faster, while foods high in protein or fat slow it down.

Around dose increases. The US label for Wegovy says digestive reactions were most frequently reported during dosage escalation, and the Zepbound label that the majority of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea events occurred during dose escalation and decreased over time. The US labels don’t say how long nausea lasts. The EU prescribing information for Wegovy does: in the STEP 1 to 4 trials (68 weeks, adults), most nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain was mild to moderate and short-lived, and the median duration of nausea was 8 days. Those are the days when a shake can stand in for a plate that won’t go down.

In the morning or after many hours without food. The advisory notes that nausea often shows up then, and suggests small meals every 3 to 4 hours with enough fluids. More ideas in GLP-1 nausea: what to eat and what to avoid.

The catch: liquids fill you up less

Calories you drink are less filling than calories you chew. A 2013 systematic review of 253 interventions in 48 publications found that compensation (eating less afterward) was greater when the earlier snack or drink was solid or semisolid. In a trial with 15 adults, with two 4-week periods, about 450 kcal a day as jelly beans led people to eat less of everything else; as soda, it didn’t.

When the problem is eating too little, that drawback works in your favor: a shake goes down without filling you up as much. But shakes shouldn’t replace solid food once your appetite comes back. I explain why in the most filling foods.

What makes a shake useful

• A protein base. Milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta. Kefir works too (3.8 g of protein per 100 g); silken tofu doesn’t have a food page yet, so I don’t give figures for it.
• Fruit in moderation. It adds flavor and some fiber. On queasy days, pick mild fruit and keep it small.
• Fiber and fat, a little at a time. The advisory suggests avoiding very fatty or very high-fiber foods in the first days of treatment. Oatmeal, nuts or avocado fit better in the fuller shakes.
• Cold. The UK’s NHS suggests regular sips of a cold drink when you feel sick.
• Small volume. The advisory warns that vomiting is more likely after large meals, so none of these goes over 350 ml (about 12 fl oz).

How to read the tables: for milk, I count 1 ml as 1 g, so the total weight is close to the volume in the glass. Totals add up the value of each row. Cups, ounces and fluid ounces are rounded and approximate; the grams are what I calculated from. Calories are for reference, not a target.

5 shakes for queasy days

Two or three ingredients, little fat, little fiber and nothing to cook.

1. Banana milk shake (9.6 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Skim (nonfat) milk	250 ml (about 1 cup)	8.9 g	0.0 g	93 kcal
Banana	60 g (about half a medium banana)	0.7 g	1.6 g	53 kcal
Total	310 g (about 10½ fl oz)	9.6 g	1.6 g	146 kcal

The simplest one, and among the lowest in fat: 0.8 g.

2. Greek yogurt and strawberry (15.4 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk	125 g (about ½ cup)	11.3 g	0.0 g	121 kcal
Skim milk	100 ml (a scant ½ cup)	3.6 g	0.0 g	37 kcal
Strawberries	80 g (about ½ cup sliced)	0.5 g	1.6 g	26 kcal
Total	305 g (about 10 fl oz)	15.4 g	1.6 g	184 kcal

It comes out thick; to thin it, use more milk and less yogurt.

3. Cottage cheese and pineapple (16.1 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Cottage cheese, 2%	100 g (a scant ½ cup)	10.4 g	0.0 g	81 kcal
Skim milk	150 ml (5 fl oz)	5.4 g	0.0 g	56 kcal
Pineapple	60 g (about ⅓ cup chunks)	0.3 g	0.8 g	30 kcal
Total	310 g (about 10½ fl oz)	16.1 g	0.8 g	167 kcal

The highest in protein of this group. Once blended, you can’t taste the cottage cheese.

4. Plain yogurt and papaya (9.2 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Plain yogurt, whole milk	150 g (about ⅔ cup)	5.2 g	0.0 g	92 kcal
Skim milk	100 ml (a scant ½ cup)	3.6 g	0.0 g	37 kcal
Papaya	80 g (about ½ cup cubed)	0.4 g	1.4 g	34 kcal
Total	330 g (about 11 fl oz)	9.2 g	1.4 g	163 kcal

Regular yogurt makes it thinner than Greek. With 150 g of Greek yogurt instead, the protein goes up to 17.5 g.

5. Soursop milk shake (9.6 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Skim milk	250 ml (about 1 cup)	8.9 g	0.0 g	93 kcal
Soursop	70 g (about ⅓ cup pulp)	0.7 g	2.3 g	46 kcal
Total	320 g (about 11 fl oz)	9.6 g	2.3 g	139 kcal

The figures are for raw soursop (guanábana); frozen pulp sometimes has added sugar, so check its label. With the same amount of cherimoya, the shake comes to 10.0 g of protein and 2.1 g of fiber.

5 fuller shakes: 18 to 21 g

For when the nausea eases but solid food is still hard. They carry some fat and fiber and come close to 350 ml (12 fl oz).

6. Greek yogurt, oatmeal, banana and walnuts (20.3 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk	150 g (about ⅔ cup)	13.5 g	0.0 g	146 kcal
Skim milk	100 ml (a scant ½ cup)	3.6 g	0.0 g	37 kcal
Oatmeal, cooked, cooled	50 g (about ¼ cup)	1.3 g	0.9 g	36 kcal
Banana	40 g (about a third of a medium banana)	0.4 g	1.0 g	36 kcal
Walnuts	10 g (about 5 halves)	1.5 g	0.7 g	65 kcal
Total	350 g (about 12 fl oz)	20.3 g	2.6 g	320 kcal

The highest in fat (15.2 g): 7.5 g from the whole-milk Greek yogurt and 6.5 g from the walnuts.

7. Cottage cheese, strawberries and almonds (20.8 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Cottage cheese, 2%	120 g (about ½ cup)	12.5 g	0.0 g	97 kcal
Skim milk	130 ml (about 4½ fl oz)	4.6 g	0.0 g	48 kcal
Strawberries	80 g (about ½ cup sliced)	0.5 g	1.6 g	26 kcal
Almonds	15 g (0.5 oz, about 12)	3.2 g	1.9 g	87 kcal
Total	345 g (about 11½ fl oz)	20.8 g	3.5 g	258 kcal

The highest in protein of all ten. With 80 g (about 1½ small fruits) of guava instead of strawberries, the fiber from the fruit goes from 1.6 to 4.3 g.

8. Avocado shake (19.7 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk	150 g (about ⅔ cup)	13.5 g	0.0 g	146 kcal
Skim milk	150 ml (5 fl oz)	5.4 g	0.0 g	56 kcal
Avocado	40 g (about ¼ of a medium avocado)	0.8 g	2.7 g	64 kcal
Total	340 g (about 11½ fl oz)	19.7 g	2.7 g	266 kcal

Creamy and not very sweet: it’s among the lowest in sugars (13.8 g, almost all from the milk and yogurt).

9. Ricotta, pear and walnuts (18.6 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Ricotta, part-skim	100 g (a scant ½ cup)	11.4 g	0.0 g	138 kcal
Skim milk	150 ml (5 fl oz)	5.4 g	0.0 g	56 kcal
Pear	80 g (about half a small pear)	0.3 g	2.5 g	46 kcal
Walnuts	10 g (about 5 halves)	1.5 g	0.7 g	65 kcal
Total	340 g (about 11½ fl oz)	18.6 g	3.2 g	305 kcal

10. Green kiwifruit and spinach shake (18.5 g)

Food	Amount	Protein	Fiber	Energy
Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk	150 g (about ⅔ cup)	13.5 g	0.0 g	146 kcal
Skim milk	100 ml (a scant ½ cup)	3.6 g	0.0 g	37 kcal
Kiwifruit	70 g (one small)	0.8 g	2.1 g	43 kcal
Spinach, raw	20 g (about ⅔ cup)	0.6 g	0.4 g	5 kcal
Total	340 g (about 11½ fl oz)	18.5 g	2.5 g	231 kcal

You barely notice the spinach. The kiwifruit helps if you’re also dealing with constipation.

All 10 shakes ranked by protein

#	Shake	Protein	Fiber	Energy
7	Cottage cheese, strawberries and almonds	20.8 g	3.5 g	258 kcal
6	Greek yogurt, oatmeal, banana and walnuts	20.3 g	2.6 g	320 kcal
8	Avocado	19.7 g	2.7 g	266 kcal
9	Ricotta, pear and walnuts	18.6 g	3.2 g	305 kcal
10	Green kiwifruit and spinach	18.5 g	2.5 g	231 kcal
3	Cottage cheese and pineapple	16.1 g	0.8 g	167 kcal
2	Greek yogurt and strawberry	15.4 g	1.6 g	184 kcal
1	Banana milk	9.6 g	1.6 g	146 kcal
5	Soursop milk	9.6 g	2.3 g	139 kcal
4	Plain yogurt and papaya	9.2 g	1.4 g	163 kcal

How much protein do you need a day? It depends on your weight, age and health, and your doctor or registered dietitian sets your number. You can estimate it with the protein calculator, which works in pounds or kilograms. Why protein matters for muscle is in protein and muscle on GLP-1 medications.

Tips so the shake sits well

• Cold. Keep the fruit prepped in the fridge, or use frozen fruit.
• In sips, no rush. The NHS advises against eating too quickly. If you feel full halfway through the glass, put the rest in the fridge for later.
• Skip the straw. The NIDDK, part of the US National Institutes of Health, suggests avoiding drinking through a straw and fizzy drinks, so you swallow less air. Burping is common on these drugs: the US labels report it in 7% on Wegovy versus under 1% on placebo and 4% to 5% on Zepbound versus 1% on placebo.
• As its own small meal, not next to a plate. The NHS advises against having a large drink with meals.
• Dairy and gas. The NIDDK lists lactose among the things that can cause gas. If that happens to you, bring it up with your doctor.

To spread protein across small meals through the week, the weekly menu for small appetites (in Spanish) can be printed.

What to avoid

• Juice or sugary drinks as the base. The advisory calls for minimizing sugar-sweetened drinks. Juice isn’t a good base either: 250 ml (about 1 cup) of orange juice has 1.8 g of protein and 0.5 g of fiber, against 8.9 g of protein in the same amount of skim milk.
• Sugar, honey, ice cream or chocolate. The advisory’s authors have seen in their practice that nausea can trigger cravings for sweets and refined starches. Ripe fruit already sweetens.
• Store-bought meal-replacement shakes on your own. They’re designed to replace meals; the advisory mentions them within structured programs studied in trials. If someone suggests them, use them with your doctor or dietitian.

What about protein powder?

It’s an option, not a necessity. The advisory suggests starting with protein-rich foods that don’t take up much room, such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, and adds that some people round out their protein with shakes, bars or other fortified products. I don’t recommend brands or amounts.

If you use it, check with your doctor or registered dietitian first, especially if you have kidney disease: the PROT-AGE position paper on protein in older adults makes an exception for people with severe kidney disease who aren’t on dialysis, because they may need to limit protein.

When to get help

Living on shakes for a few days of nausea is understandable. If weeks go by and solid food doesn’t come back, if you can’t keep fluids down, or if eating has become a source of anxiety, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian. The advisory recommends screening for eating disorders in people on these medications, and MedlinePlus describes eating disorders as serious mental health conditions and stresses that getting help matters.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make a protein shake without protein powder?

Yes. With Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta plus milk, you can reach about 20 g per glass: the highest on this list has 20.8 g in 345 ml (about 11½ fl oz).

Which shake should I have if I’m nauseous on Ozempic or Zepbound?

One of the first five: cold, small, low in fat and fiber. The cottage cheese and pineapple shake has 16.1 g of protein and 2.7 g of fat.

Will a filling shake help me eat less?

That isn’t what this page is for. Liquids are less filling than solids; here, shakes are a way to get protein in when food won’t go down.

Can I replace every meal with a shake?

Talk it over with your doctor or dietitian. As general information, shakes are a backup for hard days, not a permanent plan.

Whole or skim milk?

Both work. 250 ml (about 1 cup) of whole milk has 7.9 g of protein and 8.1 g of fat; skim, 8.9 g and 0.6 g. When you’re nauseous, skim is lighter.

How many shakes a day?

I haven’t found a reference figure. The advisory suggests small meals every 3 to 4 hours, and a shake can be one of them. Your doctor or dietitian can adjust that.