The protein boom in packaged food has reached the point where nutrition labels are doing most of the selling. Startups and established brands now put 20, 30, even 40 grams of protein into products that used to be chosen for sugar, starch, or fat. The unresolved question is whether anyone actually wants to eat them. I bought a sample of protein-forward foods and drinks from venture-backed startups at a local Target and ran them through a taste test with a 10-year-old, and the results suggest the macros are winning while the flavor is still catching up.
Most of what we tried is edible and drinkable. Almost none of it matches the protein-free originals for pleasure. That gap is the story, and it shows up in nearly every product on the shelf.
Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: The Nutrition Leaders
Frozen desserts make the clearest case for the category, because the comparison to ice cream is so direct. The David Vanilla Bean Frozen Dessert packs 30 grams of protein and 210 calories into a single pint. The texture holds up well. It's creamy, it scoops without fighting you, and the vanilla flavor comes through clearly.
Still, this isn't ice cream made with ice cream ingredients, and the difference is noticeable. Anyone who dislikes artificial sweeteners or the flavor and mouthfeel of whey protein will likely pass. My co-taster and I found it reasonably appealing. It isn't as good as traditional ice cream, but for a high-protein food, it's a respectable effort. The product is made by Medici Brands, the parent company of David.
The Frozen One protein ice cream pushes the numbers further, with 40 grams of protein in each pint. That's a striking figure, and it's the kind of spec that makes the David pint look modest. Taste-wise, Frozen One lands in roughly the same place. It tastes like a product built on milk protein concentrate and sugar substitutes, and no one will mistake it for a premium pint from the freezer case. We tried the chocolate and apple pie varieties and preferred the chocolate. If the goal is to get a large protein dose in the format of a pint of ice cream, though, it gets the job done.
Sodas and Snacks: Low Calories, Mixed Flavor
The SkyPop Protein Soda has perhaps the most lopsided nutrition profile in the lineup. A 12-ounce can contains 45 calories, 10 grams of protein, and just one gram of carbohydrates. It's properly carbonated and gives a satisfying pop when opened. That's a good start for a product competing with sparkling water and diet soda.
The flavor is where it stumbles. Our store had only the Ice Pop variety in stock, and both tasters landed on "not horrible, but not something we'd buy again." I could see a use case for it on a clear fluids diet, the kind some patients follow before medical procedures, where protein sources are limited. As an everyday drink, it's a harder sell. SkyPop is the former Don't Quit, now operating under its new name.
Khloud Protein Popcorn isn't a protein powerhouse. A serving has 7 grams of protein and 160 calories, and most of those calories come from carbs and fat. Still, that protein count is well above typical packaged popcorn, which tends to deliver around 2 grams in a comparable serving. The White Cheddar variety carried a noticeable milk protein and whey protein concentrate flavor. It wasn't overwhelming, and it isn't a snack to savor. For something to munch at a desk or during a show, though, it did its job. The brand is Khloud.
Cadootz! makes crackers aimed at a specific buyer. We tried the cheddar and sea salt versions, which are gluten-free and made without seed oils, and each has about 5 grams of protein per serving. The crunch is good and the flavor is decent. Neither of us came away excited, and I wouldn't go out of my way to rebuy them. For shoppers prioritizing gluten-free and seed oil-free snacks who also want a modest protein boost, though, Cadootz looks well positioned. That's the audience it appears designed for, and it's the one most likely to be satisfied.
Bars and Pasta: Where Function Meets Pleasure
The Mosh bar comes with a famous backstory. Co-founder Patrick Schwarzenegger plays a fitness-obsessed character in the third season of "The White Lotus," and the brand he launched with his mother, Maria Shriver, is aimed at brain health. Our peanut butter cup bar delivers 20 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, along with creatine and lion's mane, in a compact, shelf-stable format. That's an impressive amount of functional ingredients in one bar.
The taste didn't follow the spec sheet. The nutrition and supplement profile are real, but the bar isn't something to eat for enjoyment. I'd file Mosh in the functional food category. It's a reasonable choice if you want that specific nutrient mix and are willing to trade pleasure for it. The brand is Mosh.
Then came the surprise. Brami Protein Pasta was the strongest performer in the group, and it wasn't close. Made from semolina and lupini beans, it claims about 70% more protein than standard pasta and more than double the fiber. A 200-calorie serving carries about 12 grams of protein. That's not a dense protein source on its own, but paired with a good topping, it turns a starchy noodle dish into something that's reasonably protein-rich.
What stood out most was the taste. I didn't detect any unusual aftertaste or texture problems. To check, I cooked standard pasta and Brami side by side. For seconds, I reached for the Brami. That's a rare result in a category where the nutrition usually comes with compromises. Brami is made by the company of the same name.
What the Tasting Suggests
The pattern across these products is consistent. Protein content has become the headline, and in most cases, flavor is an afterthought. The best products in this lineup either accept that tradeoff openly, like the David and Frozen One pints, or manage to avoid it entirely, like Brami. The middle of the pack is where the protein story gets harder to justify, because the flavor doesn't offer enough reason to choose it over the product it's replacing.
Here's the thing: most of these brands aren't competing with other protein products. They're competing with ice cream, soda, chips, and pasta, and that's a tougher fight. A 40-gram pint is compelling to someone who needs the protein. It's a much weaker pitch to someone who simply wants dessert. The companies that close that gap on taste, rather than leaning on macros alone, are the ones most likely to build repeat buyers. For now, my read is that the category is moving faster on nutrition than on flavor, and the next round of product development will likely be judged on the second.
Illustration: Dom Guzman
