I have used protein powder to increase my protein intake for many years. It is an easy way to add protein to my diet, whether I am making a protein shake, adding it to a recipe, or using it as a dip for fruit.
One day, while browsing my Facebook feed, I came across a company called VADE Nutrition. The dissolvable protein packs caught my attention because they offered a convenient alternative to measuring protein powder into a shaker or carrying an entire container with me.
After trying the different flavors, I wanted to share my VADE Nutrition review, including what I thought about the taste, whether the packs dissolved properly, and why I decided to switch from my regular protein powder.
VADE Nutrition Update
Update August 2026: VADE Nutrition is still operating, but availability has fluctuated. The company is currently selling limited inventory and states that some products may become temporarily unavailable while it works to restart production. Because availability and pricing can change, check the VADE Nutrition website for current products before ordering.
VADE Nutrition appeared on Season 10 of Shark Tank. Founders Joe and Megan Johnson accepted an on-air offer of $700,000 for 40% equity from Mark Cuban and Alex Rodriguez, although later reporting indicates that the deal was not finalized. The company continued growing after the episode and expanded its product line beyond whey protein packs.
The remainder of this article reflects my experience, pricing, and product information when I originally purchased and reviewed the dissolvable protein packs.
My Original VADE Nutrition Review
I ordered a VADE Nutrition sample pack that included chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry dissolvable protein packs. My first thought after tasting them was that they were much sweeter than the other protein powders I had tried.
Before ordering VADE Nutrition, I had faithfully used Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein. I enjoyed it and had no major complaints, but the lower calorie count and convenience of the VADE packs made me curious enough to try something different.
What Does VADE Protein Powder Taste Like?
I wasn’t immediately sold on the taste. After reading other VADE Nutrition reviews, I appeared to be in the minority because many customers said it was one of the best protein powders they had tasted.
My problem was the sweetness. Both the chocolate and vanilla flavors tasted too sweet to me, whether I mixed them with water or milk.
Strawberry was the surprise. Strawberry protein powder was not a flavor I would normally order, but its sweetness worked much better with the strawberry flavor. Of the three varieties in my sample pack, strawberry was easily my favorite.
My overall opinion of the flavors was:
- Chocolate: Too sweet for my preference
- Vanilla: Also too sweet
- Strawberry: Sweet, but enjoyable and the best of the three
Taste is personal, especially with protein powder. Anyone sensitive to artificial sweeteners may have a different reaction than someone who prefers a noticeably sweet protein shake.
How Do the Dissolvable Protein Packs Work?
The most distinctive feature of VADE Nutrition is its dissolvable packaging. Each serving of protein powder comes inside a premeasured, water-soluble pack. Instead of tearing it open, you place the entire pack into your shaker with water or milk and shake it.
The outer film dissolves along with the protein powder, eliminating the need for scoops, plastic bags, or small containers. This makes the packs especially convenient for work, the gym, or travel.
I had read reviews from people who said the packs did not dissolve or mix well. That was not my experience. The packs dissolved without a problem, and I did not notice pieces of the film floating in my drink.
I usually use my NutriBullet to make protein shakes, but I also tested VADE in a regular shaker bottle with a shaker ball. Both methods worked for me.
The dissolvable packs were easier to grab when I was in a hurry, and there was no protein powder left on the counter from measuring out a scoop. Convenience was definitely the strongest feature of this product.
VADE Nutrition Pricing at the Time of My Review
VADE Nutrition was more expensive than the Optimum Nutrition protein powder I had been purchasing. At the time of my original review, the company offered the following prices:
- 30 servings without automatic delivery: $44.99
- 16 servings without automatic delivery: $29.49
- First automatic-delivery order of 30 servings: $26.99
- First automatic-delivery order of 16 servings: $17.69
- Future automatic-delivery orders of 30 servings: $38.24
- Future automatic-delivery orders of 16 servings: $25.07
For me, switching to VADE meant spending approximately $8 more per month. I had to decide whether the lower calorie count and individual dissolvable packs justified the additional cost.
These were the prices available when I placed my order and should not be treated as current pricing.
VADE Nutrition Ingredients and Nutritional Information
One reason I wanted to like VADE Nutrition was its nutritional profile. I was looking for a way to get a similar amount of protein with fewer calories.
Protein powder formulas can change, so the following information comes from the packages I compared when writing my original review. Anyone evaluating a current product should read its label carefully. My guide to choosing a clean protein powder also explains some of the ingredients and label details to consider.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Calories: 130
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
- Sodium: 170 mg
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Dietary fiber: Less than 1 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
Ingredients listed on the package included a protein blend of whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and whey peptides, along with cocoa powder, natural and artificial flavors, lecithin, salt, creamer, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and lactase.
VADE Nutrition Strawberry Dissolvable Protein Pack
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Carbohydrates: Less than 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Calcium: 120 mg
- Potassium: 110 mg
Ingredients listed on the package included whey protein isolate instantized with sunflower lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, red beet for color, salt, xanthan gum, citric acid, sucralose, and the ingredients used to create the dissolvable film.
The VADE pack contained four fewer grams of protein than Optimum Nutrition, but it also had 40 fewer calories. Since I regularly included shakes in my routine and understood how protein shakes could complement my workouts, the calorie difference appealed to me.
Did I Switch to VADE Nutrition?
Yes, I switched from my previous protein powder to VADE Nutrition after trying the sample pack.
The strawberry flavor tasted good, the dissolvable packaging worked as promised, and I liked getting 20 grams of protein for 90 calories. I signed up for automatic delivery and initially scheduled one 30-serving shipment every two months because I wasn’t sure how frequently I would use it.
I soon began drinking one protein pack almost every day, which meant I would need to change the delivery schedule to once a month.
VADE Nutrition was not perfect for me. The chocolate and vanilla flavors were too sweet, and the price was higher than my previous protein powder. However, the strawberry flavor, lower calorie count, and mess-free packaging made the switch worthwhile for my routine at that time.
My experience also confirmed that the dissolvable packs worked as advertised. They dissolved in both my NutriBullet and a standard shaker bottle without creating the mixing problems mentioned in some other reviews.