An underreported phenomenon in modern culture is the slow degradation of our collective optimism about the future. Look no further than the delta between the 1962 Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Jetsons—which predicted a space-age utopia replete with flying cars, automated kitchens, and robot maids—and Ridley Scott’s 1982 dystopian sci-fi hallmark Blade Runner, which portrays Los Angeles as a dreary urban hellscape overrun with crime, pollution, and android slaves gone rogue. Throw in Gattaca, The Matrix, and Her and you’re presented with a fairly certain conclusion that the technology is making things worse, not better.
Alas, technocrats keep grinding away at products that aim to increase your quality of life by a few percentage points by cutting out friction and inconvenience. ZIRP-era luminaries “solved” problems like last-mile transit, the need for pesky humans to operate taxis, and the lack of true market influence on housing costs. And with liquid full-meal replacement products, they even solved the problem of cooking and chewing food!
While many of these time-saving products look like protein shakes at first glance, the key difference is the addition of vitamins, plant fiber, and other “proprietary nutrient blends” that will keep your body functioning while also making you un-hungry in the morning. Enjoying a bowl of cereal or a slice of avocado toast is a time-consuming and expensive endeavor that is now obsolete, so you can get back to coding without the fear of malnutrition hanging over your head. You’re welcome.
Be sure to check out our related guides, like the Best Greens Powders, Best Protein Powders, Best Energy Drinks, and Best Mushroom Coffee.
Updated November 2025: We’ve added SlimFast Vanilla Cream, True Nutrition’s build-your-own powder, and Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal, and updated prices and links throughout.
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