Meal replacement shakes are a great way to get nutrition without the added fat and calories that come with a full meal. But some of us live a dairy-free lifestyle. This means we must find the best dairy-free meal replacement shakes for weight loss.

Dairy-free living doesn’t mean you can’t use meal replacement shakes; you need the best dairy-free meal replacement shakes for weight loss. Lactose intolerance is one of the most common food allergies in the world.

Living a dairy-free lifestyle often leads to difficulty finding meals. Things get even more difficult when people are trying to lose weight while also being lactose intolerant.

Any food allergy will make losing weight more difficult. We must find foods that fit our nutrition plan and help us reach our weight loss goals.

Unfortunately, that path is filled with bumps and potholes that could be enough to stop people from trying to lose weight. We may have found the solution when we hear about meal replacement shakes.

Meal replacement shakes are shakes filled with vegetables and fruit that give us the nutrients we usually get from a full meal. Of course, these shakes are amazing because they give us those nutrients without the extra stuff like fats, calories, and sometimes, carbs.

There are meal replacement shakes that can fit into a dairy-free lifestyle. However, we must find shakes that we enjoy; otherwise, losing weight while using shakes may be more challenging.

You will come across a lot of meal replacement shakes that come with milk, yogurt, or some sort of dairy product. But we aren’t out of luck just yet.

In fact, some of the best meal replacement shakes or smoothies are also the best dairy-free meal replacement shakes for weight loss.

Peanut Butter Cold Brew Shake | Peanut Butter & Fitness

Vegan Protein Shake | Beaming Baker

High Protein Vegan Peanut Butter Strawberry Banana Smoothie | Make It Dairy-Free

Craveable Creamy Protein Almond Shake | Go Dairy-Free

Vegan Berry Protein Shake | Eating Bird Food

Best Dairy-Free Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Loss

What is a meal replacement shake? A meal replacement shake is a shake or smoothie you can use instead of a full meal. The idea is simple: blend ingredients that will provide you with essential nutrients and drink.

Some meal replacements even use whey protein, artificial sweeteners, and vitamin additives to ensure we get all the essential vitamins we need.

After all, the point of a meal replacement shake is not to skip the nutrients of a meal. In fact, it is recommended to use meal replacement shakes for only some meals.

Our nutritional needs are based on a balanced diet. A balanced diet has healthy fats, grams of protein, and even carbs to ensure we meet our dietary needs. Basically, we need some of those things.

The problem is that a lot of the food we eat has too many of those things through processing, leading to weight gain. Meal replacement shakes can’t provide you with everything you need for a complete meal.

But it is enough to keep you on track to reach your weight loss goals healthily. 

Banana Protein Shake Recipe | The Herbeevore

Blueberry Meal Replacement Smoothie | Simple Green Smoothies

Good Morning Coffee Lover’s Smoothie | Ambitious Kitchen

Sweet Potato Smoothie | Fit Mama Real Food

Strawberry Tofu Smoothie | Sip Sip Smoothie

What Goes into a Dairy-Free Meal Replacement Shake

Going with the best dairy-free meal replacement shakes for weight loss means going with vegan meal replacement shakes, for the most part.

We still want to monitor our calorie intake, but just consider your meal replacement shakes as part of a vegan diet. Whey protein is a common additive to meal replacement shakes.

However, whey does have lactose, which means it is a no-go for dairy-free living. Luckily, we can use plant-based proteins like pea protein, brown rice protein, or hemp protein.

The goal is to add a good source of protein so that we get enough protein from our meals. You will also be adding in a lot of whole foods. Whole foods include things like fruits and veggies that will provide us with different vitamins and minerals.

Some of the important vitamins and minerals include things like vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. These ingredients will come with calories, but you just want to get enough calories to remain healthy while also losing weight.

Carrot Mango Smoothie | Culinary Hill

Creamy Avocado Banana Green Smoothie | Minimalist Baker

Tropical Chia Seed Smoothie | Veggie Chick

Strawberry Cashew Smoothie | How Sweet Eats

Low-Carb Raspberry Smoothie | Primavera Kitchen

Healthy Meals for Weight Loss

We already know that we shouldn’t use the best dairy-free meal replacement shakes for every single meal. But what do we eat when we do eat a full meal?

The answer will depend on what kind of diet plan you choose. You could go keto, which means you will want to count your carb limit. Maybe you just want fewer calories in your healthy meals.

But that is the key right there. Healthy meals are always a good option. The real food you eat should never be processed food like fast food. But we also want to compensate for what we aren’t getting in the meal replacement shake.

For example, don’t be afraid of healthy fats, and make sure you get enough dietary fiber. A vegan protein powder is always an excellent choice.

Be sure to stock your kitchen with a convenient option or two so that you never have to turn to ordering out.

Cake Batter Smoothie | What Molly Made

Low-Sugar Avocado Blueberry Smoothie | i Heart Vegetables

Banana Oatmeal Smoothie | Little Sunny Kitchen

Avocado, Spinach and Grapefruit Green Smoothie Rocket | Refresh My Health

Kale Pineapple Smoothie | Nourish Plate

Pros of Meal Dairy-Free Meal Replacement Shakes

Even the most knowledgeable nutritionist may feel wary of the best dairy-free meal replacement shakes for weight loss. But there are plenty of pros that have been proven to work.

Meal replacement shakes are full of nutrients. That’s the most important aspect of these shakes. Remember, we eat for nutritional reasons; of course, we’ve lost focus of that in favor of flavor.

We figure that nutritional supplements will do the trick. But getting the vitamins and minerals straight from the source is always better. Plus, it helps our body produce the proper digestive enzymes when it has to put in work with whole foods.

A healthy diet means eating real food; supplements just miss the mark. These shakes also have lower calories, and added fiber and have been proven to help with weight loss.

Avocado Mint Green Keto Smoothie | Low Carb Yum

Healthy Kale Meal Replacement Smoothie | Living Happy Days

Keto Blueberry Coconut Meal Replacement Smoothie | Fat for Weight Loss

Strawberry Monkfruit Smoothie | Wholesome Yum

Keto Flu Smoothie | How to This and That

Cons of the Best Dairy-Free Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Loss

There are always two sides to every coin. People discuss some cons about meal replacement shakes that we should all consider, regardless of dairy products in the mix.

Meal replacement shakes make it easy to lose weight; some people may go overboard. That is a common pitfall of meal replacement shakes.

But you can easily make sure you use meal replacement shakes properly, like a lunch here or a breakfast there. Another common problem is calories.

Meal replacement shakes won’t have many calories, so you may not get enough daily. The fix for that is to ensure you don’t use meal replacement shakes for every meal, every day.

The rest of the cons only apply to meal replacement shakes from powders or premade. Artificial ingredients and nutrient quality are a big deal in premade meal replacement shakes.

Always be sure to read the label and try to avoid using those powders or premade shakes. This way, you know exactly what’s in your shake every time.

Chai Pumpkin Keto Smoothie | Healthful Pursuit

Banana Almond Milk Smoothie | Whitney Bond

Acai Banana Smoothie | Food with Feeling

Weight Loss Meal Replacement Smoothie | Lose Weight by Eating

Almond, Banana and Flax Smoothie | Self-Up

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Paleo Vs Keto: What Is The Difference Between Keto And Paleo? | Which diet plan you pick can make a big difference in your meals. And when you might use a replacement shake or smoothie.

Best Protein Powder For Diabetics – What To Look For | Protein powder is a great addition to any meal replacement recipe. However, some people may need specific protein powders.

Whole30 Vs Keto Diet: What’s The Difference? | Whole30 might be a better option for you over keto. But that is for you to decide.