Whether you are looking for a weight loss meal or a convenient healthy option you might have come across meal replacement shakes. These drinks offer an affordable alternative to your usual takeaways. If you have been searching for the ideal shake, you might have found Huel and Slimfast. These are two of the most famous and popular shakes in the market. But if we compare Huel vs Slimfast shakes, which is the best?

In this article, I will compare both of them, from the nutrition angle, to taste and price. In this Slimfast vs Huel comparison, I will help you find out which is the best option for you and what you should buy.

Key Takeaways:

• Huel offers plant-based meal replacement shakes, bars, and more
• SlimFast offers meal replacement shakes, bars, and snacks focused on weight loss
• Huel is the healthiest: more nutrients, better macro balance, less sugar
• Huel is the cheapest
• Slimfast is sweet and easy to like. Huel’s flavors are not as tasty generally
• Huel is the best option, without a doubt: healthier, more options available, better for weight loss, and cheaper.

Short Introductions: Huel vs Slimfast – What Do they Offer?

I will start by introducing myself, Enaut Irazabalbeitia, Chief Editor of Latestfuels.

Why should trust me? Well, I have been testing meal replacement shakes for 6 years now, and I have tried over 250 meal replacement shakes, including both Slimfast and Huel.

I have a BSc in Biochemistry, at the University of Bath, and I’ve used my analytical knowledge gained there to create the most in-depth website about meal replacement shakes.

Slimfast

Slimfast is a meal replacement company founded in 1976 in the US. It has since been a staple of meal replacement shakes, and it’s available worldwide both online and in retail. The primary goal of Slimfast shakes is weight loss, and also offers multiple other products like bars, ready-to-drink options to help you out.

Huel

Huel is a British company that was founded in 2014 by Julian Hearn, and has since exploded. Their focus is to provide healthy, affordable, plant-based meal replacement shakes and introduce complete foods to the world. Since inception they have sold over 300 million meals, and now have a wide array of vegan products.

A Brief Overview

Therefore, this Slimfast shakes vs Huel shakes is an old vs new comparison, in a way.

It is also a reflection of two different nutritional philosophies. While Slimfast’s main goal is to offer weight loss meal replacement shakes, Huel aims to provide you with complete foods that will improve your health.

Note: Complete foods are meal replacement shakes and bars that contain all essential nutrients per serving. This includes carbs, fiber, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals.

While looking at the table you might think, “Oh, Slimfast looks just like the product I need!”, I would suggest you continue reading, since there are many red flags that I have yet to uncover.

Nutrition: Slim Fast vs Huel Powder

When it comes to nutrition, the exact values will heavily depend on the product that you choose.

However, overall Slim Fast will be a low calorie meal replacement shake designed for weight loss, with animal-based protein, low in fiber and fats. Slimfast shakes are about 90 to 200kcals and they often lack essential vitamins like vitamin D, A, C and minerals.

On the other hand, Huel meal replacement powders are always plant-based, soy free, high in protein and fiber, and contain all the essential nutrients (including omega-3, vitamins and minerals). The recommended serving for Huel shakes is 400kcals and you can get them in gluten-free versions, as well.

Without a doubt, Huel is the healthiest meal replacement option when comparing to SlimFast drinks. That said, there are other meal replacement shakes in the market that beat both Huel and Slimfast.

Taste & Texture: SlimFast vs Huel

Here is where Slimfast shakes will gain the most points vs Huel.

Having tried, tested and ranked all Huel flavors, I must say that some of them are not great. Both Huel Powder and Huel Black (their low carb meal replacement shake) are thick, gritty shakes, with a natural oaty taste. They are not strongly flavored, and they are not overly sweetened, which makes other flavors (pea protein, flaxseed…) stand up. This will not be of everyone’s liking.

On the other hand, SlimFast shakes are heavily based on milk. They mix very easily and they taste like milkshakes. Overly sweetened and artificial. Because of my personal preference, I think that the chocolate and vanilla are delicious, however, the Berry flavor tastes overly artificial and chemical. In fact the main drawback of Slimfast shakes is that they can be too sweet and chemical for many. You will get tired of them easily.

Thus, if you like a more natural tasting shake, I recommend opting for Huel Black (Salted Caramel). For many, Slimfast shakes are going to be easier to drink, but you will also get tired of them more easily.

Related content –> What’s the best tasting meal replacement shake?

Cost: Slimfast vs Huel, Which One Is Worth the Money?

The price is a very important factor when deciding for a meal replacement shake.

At first glance, Slimfast is the winner in this category, as a Slimfast Tub (354g) will cost you only $10 in WallGreens. If you follow the packaging instructions this should give you 12 meals, so less than $1 a meal.

However, SlimFast requires you to add milk to the powder, in order to provide you with all the calories and protein.

On the other hand, the minimum order for Huel Powder is $70 for 34 meals. This is about $2/meal. However, each Huel meal is 100g and 400kcal. Plus you don’t have to add any milk, and it contains all the essential nutrients.

This is, even if it looks more expensive, it actually gives you more nutrients per meal, and per kcal is not that much expensive. Particularly when considering that you can buy Huel Essentials for as little as $1.5 per 400kcal (actually cheaper than Slimfast).

Key-takeaway: Slimfast might have a cheaper minimum order, but per calorie it’s more expensive than Huel. If you can afford buying two bags of Huel Essentials ($67), this is actually the cheaper option.

Related content –> What’s the best tasting meal replacement shake?

What Is the Best for Weight Loss?

It could be that the reason that you are considering SlimFast shakes is because they are “designed” for weight loss. Well, I have a few reasons why I think Huel is the better shake for weight loss:

• Huel shakes are more filling. Even half servings (200kcal) will fill you up more than Slimfast shakes
• Huel is more nutrient rich, therefore better for weight loss. When you are in a calorie deficit you need to make sure you eat nutrient rich foods that will provide you with vitamins and minerals. Otherwise, you will be deficient on key micros and you could suffer health issues.
• Huel is high in fiber and protein. Research shows that high fiber and protein diets are more efficient for permanent weight loss.

The one thing Slimfast has over Huel are the weight loss bundles. These bundles make it easier to plan your week around them. However, after having tried one of those, I must say that I was continuously hungry.

Verdict: Huel Shakes vs SlimFast Shakes

Even though in paper both Slimfast and Huel are good meal replacement shakes, and a healthy alternative to most on-the-go ready meals, there’s a huge difference between them.

Huel makes plant-based meal replacement shakes, bars, ready-to-drinks and more products that help you achieve complete nutrition. They focus on providing the nutrients your body needs, so that you have a longer, healthier life.

Huel also has a wider variety of products including their daily greens powder, bars, complete protein, and their latest release, Huel Black RTD. In general, they are a healthier company to buy from whether your goals are to improve your nutrition, lose weight, or even save money eating out.

Slimfast, on the other hand, focuses on weight loss and being cheap. However, the truth is that it’s packed with low quality ingredients, it’s extremely high in sugar, and fails to deliver all the essential nutrients. It’s less healthy, and it’s also not as cheap as it might seem at first glance.

For that, I think that Huel is the best meal replacement shake out of both of them. It’s healthier, you have more options to choose from, and it’s even cheaper if you can afford the minimum order.

In my mind, there is no reason to try Slimfast.