You’re a big fan.
But Optimum Nutrition has so many flavors (20+) you just don’t know which to get. And the first question that pops in your head is “What’s the best Optimum Nutrition flavor?” If so, you’re about to discover the 5 must-haves from their Gold Standard collection…
But not only that, I also threw in one flavor you want to avoid. Just in case you don’t trust me and decide to buy a flavor off this list (which I suggest you don’t), you’ll know what NOT to get too.
However, if you’re reading this, you can trust me. Why?
Because I’ve tried almost all Optimum Nutrition flavors. You can find everything I’ve reviewed here. And of them all, these five I’m about to show you are what stood out the most.
But before I show you what the best Optimum Nutrition flavors are, how and why did I pick these?
Why These Are The Best Optimum Nutrition Flavors
I was very picky in my selection. So picky I made up requirements that a flavor needs to have in order to make it on this list.
Here they are:
- These flavors must taste like what it says. If it’s chocolate, it has to taste exactly like chocolate. Same goes for other flavors. This is rare in protein powders because they almost never taste like how it’s labeled. (But the five below do)
- These flavors must be versatile. By that, I mean you can mix them with almost anything and it’ll always taste good. It could be water, milk, bananas, smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes etc. (The five flavors below taste good with everything)
- And these flavors must be consistent. Most protein powders taste bad after a few weeks. If you buy a 5 pound container, you won’t get through it. (But the flavors below never get old or boring)
So if you’ve never had a good experience with protein powders before, now’s your chance. Don’t blindly pick a flavor from their large 20+ selection. I’ve already done that for you.
By the time you finish reading this, you’ll know exactly which flavor tastes so good and addicting that you’ll want to hand-write me a Thank You note.
But one more thing before we get into it…
Why Even Optimum Nutrition?
Optimum Nutrition is the most popular and trusted company when it comes to whey protein. I’ve been using them religiously.
I even wrote an entire post on why I only drink Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard. So I won’t go into much detail about it here. But just from the raving amount of reviews on Amazon, you won’t need any more explanation as to why they’re the best.
Over 17,000 customer reviews and almost a 5 star rating!
There’s no other brand like it.
It’s this reason why I know you’ll fall in love with these flavors.
So without further ado, here’s the top 5 best Optimum Nutrition flavors…
The 5 Best Optimum Nutrition Flavors
#5: Chocolate Coconut
Read my full Chocolate Coconut review here
First on the list is Chocolate Coconut.
Chocolate Coconut has a smooth, creamy milk chocolate taste with a slight hint of coconut. It’s refreshing, not too sweet, and tastes great in both milk and water. When I first tried it, it was quickly one of my favorites.
Some say it tastes like the candy Almond Joy. I can see why, but it’s not exactly like it. The coconut is there but it doesn’t stand out as much as the chocolate.
The chocolate is similar to another Optimum Nutrition flavor — Extreme Milk Chocolate — which happens to be on this list too (and is damn good!).
Chocolate Coconut takes the #5 spot for one reason — it’s not a strong flavor. But it’s tasty, it definitely lives up to its name, and can be mixed with just about anything.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
Up next…
#4: Banana Cream
Read my full Banana Cream review here
Banana Cream is a hidden gem. It’s not so popular. And not many people know about it. But it tastes so real and authentic.
It’s sweet and has no chalky aftertaste. Does it taste like a real banana?
A bit. But what it really tastes like are those banana popsicles and banana flavored candies. Slightly artificial, but I’m not complaining. It’s downright delicious. The only problem is if you don’t like bananas, this isn’t for you. But if you do, this will quickly become your favorite.
Banana Cream is also one of the most versatile flavors ever. As you know, adding a banana into a protein shake is always delicious.
So what you can do with Banana Cream is mix it in with other flavors to create an even tastier protein shake. Chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla flavors work great here.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
We now dive into the top 3 best Optimum Nutrition flavors…
#3: Double Rich Chocolate
Read my full Double Rich Chocolate review here
Double Rich Chocolate is Optimum Nutrition’s basic chocolate flavor. All companies sell one, but theirs set the bar high.
This isn’t your usual boring chocolate. Double Rich Chocolate has a rich chocolatey flavor. Super creamy, milky, and flavorful. Almost like drinking chocolate milk.
And when you do mix it with milk, you won’t believe how great it tastes. Trust me. I’ve tried those cheap chocolate protein powders before (Muscle Milk in particular). And Double Rich Chocolate is nothing like it.
This needs no detailed explanation.
It’s a tasty chocolate. One you can mix with everything.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
Double Rich Chocolate is a chocolate lover’s dream, but it doesn’t compare to what’s next…
#2: Extreme Milk Chocolate
Read my full Extreme Milk Chocolate review here
Probably the most talked about flavor of Optimum Nutrition. But don’t get it confused with Double Rich Chocolate.
This is totally different.
They taste similar, but Extreme Milk Chocolate, as you can tell by its name, takes chocolate to a whole other level.
What you can expect from this flavor is a very sweet milk chocolate. Almost two times the sweetness as Double Rich Chocolate. And because of how sweet it is, you don’t even need milk.
With water alone, you can get that milky taste.
When compared to other chocolate flavors, Extreme Milk Chocolate is legendary. Similar to Hershey’s chocolate, and instant hot chocolate, there’s really no competition.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
But out of all flavors, this next one holds the #1 spot…
#1: Mocha Cappuccino
Read my full Mocha Cappuccino review here
Mocha Cappuccino is as popular as Extreme Milk Chocolate. These are arguably the two best Optimum Nutrition flavors of them all.
The second you take a sip of this, you’ll get an irresistible chocolate taste with subtle hints of coffee. And the coffee tastes unbelievably real (maybe because they have coffee as a listed ingredient!).
Plus, you only need water for it to taste incredible.
I don’t care if you’re not a coffee drinker either. You won’t be able to pass this up. When I had it, I always looked forward to downing a shake. It’s just too good.
No other flavor from Optimum Nutrition comes close. This is their crown jewel. And you’d be a making a mistake to try anything else ahead of Mocha Cappuccino.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
DISCLAIMER: This list is all opinion. What taste good to me might not taste good to you. You might like a flavor most people hate, and hate a flavor most people like. But from my experience of drinking almost all their flavors, these caught my eye (or tongue) the most.
Honorable Mentions (2 Extra Flavors)
Now before I show the one flavor to avoid, here are two extra flavors you should know about that didn’t make the list…
Cookies And Cream
Cookies and Cream has received many mixed reviews (read my full Cookies And Cream review here). But I think it’s a great flavor Optimum Nutrition offers. Why? Because this flavor contains “cookies” to give it that real Cookies and Cream taste.
And in fact, it does taste like a Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (only when with milk). But some found this to have a chemical-like aftertaste. I didn’t find this to be true.
I personally think it tastes good, but after a few weeks, it takes a turn. That’s why I don’t consider this one of the best Optimum Nutrition flavors.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
Delicious Strawberry
Some say it tastes artificial and like medicine. While others think this tastes like a strawberry milkshake. But the main complaint I found was that it gets boring rather quickly. And I agree.
This was my first ever Optimum Nutrition flavor. I liked it. If you mix it with milk and a banana, you’ll instantly have a real strawberry banana milkshake. It didn’t make the list, however, because it does get boring after a while.
Click Here To Get It Now On Amazon
Click Here To Get It Now On Bodybuilding.com
The ONE Optimum Nutrition Flavor to AVOID
Now that you know which flavors taste the best, here’s the worst one of them all…
What is it?
Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Ice Cream (Click here to read my full review)
Vanilla Ice Cream is Optimum Nutrition’s basic vanilla flavor and has changed over the years.
I’ve heard many people say it’s nauseating to drink. Although I don’t think that, it’s worth noting because I never heard anyone say this about other flavors.
When I tried it, I found Vanilla Ice Cream has a weird unnatural taste. It’s disgustingly sweet and has a strange consistency.
There are many good reviews of it though. However, keep this in mind…
Vanilla Ice Cream is usually everyone’s first flavor. The people writing reviews haven’t tried many other flavors to really tell what’s good and what’s not. There are plenty of other flavors out there that put this one to shame.
So if I were you, I would steer clear from Vanilla Ice Cream.
If you’re looking for a vanilla flavor, go with Optimum Nutrition’s French Vanilla Creme (Review) which is much better.
Final Words
If you made it this far, you’ve discovered the 5 flavors that are truly worth buying. And the one flavor to stay away from.
To recap, here they are again:
- Mocha Cappuccino (Amazon) (Bodybuilding.com)
- Extreme Milk Chocolate (Amazon) (Bodybuilding.com)
- Double Rich Chocolate (Amazon) (Bodybuilding.com)
- Banana Cream (Amazon) (Bodybuilding.com)
- Chocolate Coconut (Amazon) (Bodybuilding.com)
Each flavor tastes fantastic, goes well with almost everything, and never gets old.
If you pick one of the above, you can be sure you’re making a good choice.
P.S. To see all my reviews of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard, click here.
thanks for the info
Hi !
Thank you for sharing. I never ordered anything else than Double Rich Chocolate.. I always thought this was the ultimate product from ON.
I just ordered a Mocha cappuccino and an extreme milk chocolate one (2LBs).
Will let you know my opinion after trying them out !
Cheers
Hey!
Thanks for the comment!
And you’ve been missing out! If you like Double Rich Chocolate, you’re going to love those two. They’re much sweeter and rich (if that’s what you’re looking for).
Cheers!
Darren
Hi,
Indeed, I enjoyed the Mocha Cappuccino because it tastes great no matter if you mix it with water or milk.
The Extreme milk chocolate is even better ! Just 200ML of water and it really make it taste like a very delicious cocoa drink you can find on the stores.
If you like strong chocolate taste, I would recommend to mix it with milk.
However, I do like chocolate in general but at the end I do prefer the double rich chocolate as it has a lighter chocolate taste and when mixed with milk it gives a more gentle taste as I do not like strong chocolate taste so much. It is my personal preference though and I do understand why people may prefer the other ones.
Also, I wanted to share my opinion with the vanilla taste:
I was surprised by its sweetness and the vanilla flavor is in my opinion close to the custard you can find inside the custard tarts with a light taste of milk. Difficult to describe it but I do like it very much.
Again, thanks a lot for sharing this !
Cheers
Red
Hi Red,
Thanks for your comment!
Optimum Nutrition is definitely one of the best when it comes to chocolate flavors. I’ve yet to taste one of their chocolates and be disgusted by it.
Your description of the vanilla is accurate. Nice to know you enjoy it as most find it a bit too sweet.
Darren
Hey Darren,
Thank you for sharing this, much appreciated.
I’m new to protein powder, so I’ve been looking for samples but none are available, unless I wait for my local supp store to have a tub open. Also, have been researching what people think of the flavour of ON, this was the most detailed, so thank you. I’m very fussy when it comes to flavour, especially powders and drinks. This is very helpful, I’m going to purchase the double rich chocolate protein, I’m not a fan of sweet chocolate drinks, but don’t mind a good chocolate milk.
Thanks again,
Hil
Hi Hil,
Thanks for your comment!
I’m glad you found this helpful. And hope you found the taste of Double Rich Chocolate to be as I described.
Cheers!
Darren
Thank for information.
Thanks for the info, Darren! Your opinions are appreciated. It is unfortunate that there is no affordable sampler options for people to try the various flavors. Nor could I find a site where ongoing surveys are available with their results. Sharing experiences and feedback is very helpful, so I thought I would weigh in on my experiences.
Get it? Weigh in?
Anyway… To date, I have tried the Milk Chocolate, Cookies and Cream, Cake Batter, and White Chocolate. My favorite might surprise you.
Milk chocolate was my first and I enjoyed the flavor enough to continue buying ON products. It is exactly how you described it and I’d buy it again. Of the flavors I have tried, this is the one that tastes best by itself in plain water.
My most recent purchase was Cookies and Cream. It’s a fine flavor but it didn’t wow me. It wasn’t special enough for me to stick with it. I’m going to try other flavors.
Cake batter was my least favorite. The batter flavor is subtle but present (albeit artificial) with a nice sweetness. But it didn’t mix well and/or settles quickly to the bottom of your cup. The closer your got to the bottom of your drink, the more you would notice something with a “stinging” artificial aftertaste. It needed to be mixed with ingredients (other than water—something with a strong flavor) to help cover that part up. It seems to be a relatively popular flavor, so perhaps I received a bad supply. I managed to make it through my 5 lb container but I wouldn’t buy it again.
White chocolate is my favorite. Its strength and weakness is the same: it basically tastes like artificial sweetener.
The thought of artificial sweeteners may sound gross to some, but what keeps bringing me back to it is its neutral, “unbiased” flavor. It is very versatile. You’ll never get bored with it. I don’t need to try all sorts of flavors, which I may or may not like, when I can blend ingredients to a shake made with white chocolate. Why go out of your way to make a protein shake when you can add the powder to what you normally eat?
Want strawberries and cream? Add fresh strawberries. Want a coffee whey flavor? Add white chocolate to your morning coffee. Add chocolate syrup and graham cracker crumbles for a s’more shake. I’m sure you can do a lot of these recipes with other flavors and enjoy it, but the neutral aspect of white chocolate doesn’t overpower the other flavors or turn everything into a dessert. I’ve added it to my oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, ice cream, hot water/milk, and a variety of shakes and juices and was never disappointed. Mixing with cold Silk coconut milk is my favorite.
Everyone has different taste buds, of course, but the only group of people who may not have an interest, IMHO, in white chocolate would be people who consume whey during their workouts or are otherwise limited to mixing only in water. I enjoy it in water but can understand why someone may want something with a more distinct flavor, such as the chocolate.
At the time of this writing the 5 lb. Double Chocolate is on sale on Amazon, so that will be my next trial. But I suspect that I’ll go back to White Chocolate after that.
Great Information, thanks, I want to ask one thing, which one is your own favourite?
Yay. I am the odd one who likes and enjoys Vanilla Icecream flavour but I am also enjoying Banana creme atm.
I haven’t tried French Vanilla yet ,who knows I may be a convert to it from Vanilla Icecream.
I drink it with water at 1/2 serving 2 times a day. 15.5grms per serve with about 200ml of cold water. Same with Banana Creme .
I am not a bodybuilder and use it to quench the craving for sweet things like lollies and cake etc on the days i go to the gym i may have a shake(water not milk ) after the gym too
Chocolate malt should be on here, legit tastes like a malt.
Hi Phil,
Thanks for the comment.
And most definitely! I reviewed Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Malt in the past and it has become one of my favorites. I just haven’t created an updated list of the best flavors yet. But when I do, that will surely be near the top.
Darren
Hi,
I haven’t commented here for a while.
Just wanted to add an update on another flavour I tried: banana.
I was surprised by its taste, it really tastes like the banana flavour you have on the drinks including banana flavors.
Also, I use banana ON protein powder in my oatmeal mixed and boiled with milk in the morning (1 scoop of banana protein shake, 1 tb spoon of organic cocoa, half of a banana and thin pieces of almond on the top).
The shake tastes good with water as well !
Definitely one of my favorite now !
But still drinking the double rich chocolate.
Hey Red,
Thanks for the comment and reporting back!
Glad to hear you enjoyed the Banana Cream flavor. Mixing into your oatmeal sounds even better. Definitely, one of the most versatile flavors you can find. I haven’t had it in a while, but I sure am missing it.
Do you plan on trying anything else new?
Darren
People have weird tastes.
By far the easiest ones to drink for most people would be Choc Mint and Coffee!
Choc Mint gives you a refreshing kick after workout from the hint of mint, While Coffee is very easy on taste that most are used to anyway. Both are easy to gulp down without feeling sickly.
All these other weird flavours seem to be for kids, Way too sweet and sickly which makes it hard to get down.
Mocha Cappuccino is good for about 4 days before you get sick of it.
All the recommendations I have tried in past have been a complete fail, Same applies with pre workouts flavours which are way too sweet.
Each to their own, I guess tastes change after 40+
We all have different tastes so in a certain way we are weird 😂
I think you are looking for a good balance of sweetness and taste when it comes to protein drink. Thanks a lot for sharing your opinion, I was hesitating to try the coffee flavor one.
I will get a 2lbs in a couple of weeks and try it out !
Red
Have you tried Optimum Nutrition’s Mint Chocolate Chip casein protein powder? I like it better than Cookies And Cream.
I love my taste buds a lot, and after ur reviews i tried flavors mocca and extreme milk ,seriously these r damn good.
Thanks …