Protein-infused food is all the rage these days. Protein cookies, protein ice cream, a short lived protein vodka thanks to Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino. These protein packed foods only serve as a slightly healthier alternative to the food you actually want to eat, but most of the time, I’d just rather eat a nice steak.
When newly released Living Hale Oatmeal showed up in my mailbox, I was skeptical. I like oatmeal, but I’ve tried mixing in protein before, and it always tasted like I spilled my post workout shake in my breakfast. But hey, sometimes my job is really hard and I have to suck it up and eat a generously donated product. Rough life, I know.
Lucky for me, Living Hale is delicious. The texture is more like old fashioned oats than instant oats, and there are nice chunks of freeze dried strawberries that plump up and provide textural variety. Flavor wise, it reminds me of a morning glory muffin — earthy, with just enough banana and cinnamon to round out the flavor, but not so much that it overwhelms the actual flavor of the oats.
Unlike other protein-infused foods that tend to have a distinct protein-y, gummy aftertaste, the protein blend in Living Hale (whey, casein, and egg white protein) doesn’t leave any unpleasant flavor. I wouldn’t have noticed it was protein powder infused if I hadn’t been told.
I also particularly enjoy the addition of casein into the blend, as it fits in well with RP Strength and IIFYM meal plans that prescribe casein protein with carbs before bed. Given that the oatmeal container also acts as a bowl, I now have a new bedtime snack that fits my macros and doesn’t make me wash dishes. That’s pretty much the dream.
Preparation is simple. Take off the protective film, add some boiling water, let sit for a minute or so…aaaaand you’re done.
The macro breakdown is reasonable as well:
Fat: 2g
Carb: 30g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 21g
While the sugar content is a tad higher than I’d like to see, I asked the owner, Ryan LaMay, for a few more details. He said, “the fruit makes up the bulk of the sugar. It’s 6g alone. I think I can reduce the sugar content to 8 or 9 grams without affecting flavor and fruit content. I’ll give it a shot!”
As of now, only one flavor of Living Hale is available for purchase in either 2, 4, or 6 packs, with each container cashing in around $2.50. Definitely give it a try, and let us know how you like it!
