Take for example my recent purchase of a four-pack of Muscle Milk at Tarjay (Target for you non-Francophiles) last week. At a suggested retail price of about $2/unit (when purchased in a four-pack), your 11 ounce carton is delivering 240 calories, with the aforementioned 22 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbs (5g sugar), and 11 grams of fat (4.5g saturated), along with 20% of the RDA of most vitamins and minerals.

Muscle Milk created a massive following by honing its products taste to its customer’s preferences: Smooth, water-based milk protein with more fructose than artificial sweeteners. The result is a great-tasting product adored by millions of lifters worldwide.

We know Muscle Milk has always had the best-tasting RTD on the market, but is it worth the money? Let’s compare Muscle Milk with Labrada Nutrition’s 17 oz. RTD Lean Body Shake. At $3.99 MSRP, Lean Body costs about twice the Muscle Milk price, but also delivers nearly double the protein in just six additional ounces.  Despite having almost twice as much protein, Lean Body only has 260 calories – just 20 more than Muscle Milk, and actually has less fat (9g) and carbs (9g) with zero sugar. Muscle Milk does come in a 17 oz. variety as well, and it boasts 32g of protein and 16g of fat for about $0.50 less per carton than Lean Body. Of course, the ultimate test comes down to the tastebuds, and therein lies the rub: Nearly ten years after bursting onto the scene, the others have finally caught up. Labrada Nutrition’s Lean Body Vanilla Ice Cream flavor is absolutely on par with Muscle Milk Vanilla Crème in terms of taste.

So where does that leave Muscle Milk? In this humble reviewer’s opinion, Muscle Milk remains a great entry-level choice for athletes and gym-goers looking to substitute a tasty, easily-digestible protein shake to their daily routines. For more serious athletes and hardcore lifters who crave their protein, it might be time to look elsewhere.

Rating: **** (Four) Stars out of ***** (Five)

The taste was a little more old school than I expected. A little on the watery side with that slightly chemical taste that you don’t get from the Labrada and Musclemilk RTDs. They also come in cans as opposed to the more modern BPA cartons that the other brands are offering. The taste was somewhere between Chocolate and Vanilla but not really anything resembling Cookies n Cream, which is usually one of my favorite flavors for protein bars.

I paid about $6 bucks for 4 cans at Tarjay so if you don’t mind literally flushing $1.50 down the toilet an hour after ingestion in the hopes that a few micrograms somehow slipped into your brachialis muscle fibers, then by all means, head for the hills with the giant red bullseye.

Otherwise, save your money and buy six Strawberry Shortcake Pure Protein bars for the price of this four-pack. Or if you prefer to drink your protein out of a RTD package, stick with the old standbys.

Rating: ** (Two Stars) out of ***** (Five)