Evening shake ideas: why the end-of-day shake can change your evening routine
Half past seven, you come home. The fridge offers cheese, bread and perhaps some cold cuts from yesterday. Do you know the feeling? In Switzerland the classic «Znacht» of bread and cheese is deeply rooted – yet more and more working people are looking for alternatives that are light, filling and can be prepared in a few minutes. This is exactly where evening shake ideas come in.
According to the 7th Swiss Nutrition Report, many people in Switzerland take in too much energy, saturated fat and sugar in the evening, while protein and fibre intake often falls below the recommendations (source: FOPH – Federal Office of Public Health). A well-composed shake in the evening can help balance this out – without your having to stand in the kitchen for half an hour.
What makes a good evening shake
Not every shake is suitable for the evening. The difference from a breakfast shake – such as a Herbalife breakfast – lies above all in the composition. In the morning it may be higher in energy; in the evening other priorities count.
What many people underestimate: an evening shake should not be as low in calories as possible, but as balanced as possible. Anyone who drinks only water with a little fruit in the evening is more likely to wake at night with cravings. A shake with a moderate protein content and some fibre, on the other hand, keeps you pleasantly full.
According to the Swiss food pyramid, the Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) recommends that dinner should tend to be lighter than lunch (source: SGE – Swiss food pyramid). A shake with around 220 to 300 calories hits this range well.
Three characteristics make an evening shake ideal:
- Enough protein – the EFSA recommends at least 0.83 g per kilogram of body weight a day, and the evening is a good opportunity to reach your daily intake (source: EFSA)
- A moderate number of calories, so that the body does not have to digest heavily at night
- Fibre from natural ingredients such as porridge oats or linseed – the WHO recommends at least 25 g of fibre a day
Three concrete evening shake recipes to try
Theory is good. Practice is better. Here are three shake variants that have proven themselves in the evening – quick, uncomplicated and with ingredients you will find in any Swiss supermarket.
1. The chocolate and banana shake (a classic)
Mix one serving of Herbalife Formula 1 Shake Chocolate with 250 ml of low-fat milk and half a ripe banana. Optional: a teaspoon of peanut butter for extra satiety. That gives a creamy shake with around 280 calories that feels like a dessert – but is not one.
2. The berry and vanilla shake (light and fresh)
One serving of Herbalife Formula 1 Shake Vanilla, 200 ml of almond milk, a handful of frozen berries and a tablespoon of linseed. Blend briefly. The berries provide fibre and antioxidants, the linseed gives pleasant satiety. This shake is particularly good on warm summer evenings.
3. The porridge oat shake (when hunger is greater)
Sometimes a light shake is not enough. Then it helps to mix in two tablespoons of tender porridge oats. Base: Formula 1 in a flavour of your choice, 250 ml of milk and the oats. The result is thicker, more filling and still under 350 calories. If you have chosen the The Perfect Breakfast pack, you can also use its components flexibly in the evening.
Does an evening shake disturb your sleep?
A fair question. The short answer: usually not.
Heavy, high-fat meals shortly before sleeping can indeed impair sleep quality – that is general nutritional science consensus. A high-protein, moderate shake is, however, something completely different from a portion of raclette at 10 p.m. A study by Res et al. (2012, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise) even showed that taking in protein before sleeping can stimulate muscle protein synthesis overnight.
My tip: ideally drink the shake 60 to 90 minutes before going to bed. That way the body has enough time to begin digestion in peace.
Evening shakes and weight control – what is realistic
Many people are interested in an evening shake because they want to get a better grip on their weight. That is understandable. The real problem here is often not dinner itself, but the uncontrolled snacking afterwards – crisps in front of the television, chocolate on the sofa.
A filling shake after work can break this habit. Not because it works magically, but because it creates a clear structure. If you would like to look at weight management more closely, you will find on our site Losing weight with Herbalife section.
What is often forgotten: the evening shake works best as part of a well-thought-out day plan. Anyone who skips breakfast, eats hastily at midday and then wants to make up for everything in the evening will not be satisfied even with the best shake. Balanced nutrition always starts with the overall picture.
Your next step: try it this evening
You do not need complicated planning to start with an evening shake. Choose one of the three recipe ideas, get the ingredients – and test it for a week. Often you only notice after a few days how a lighter evening meal affects your own well-being. Less bloating, falling asleep better, more energy the next morning.
Discover our products at myherbal.ch and find the shake that fits your evening.