Jimmy Joy Plenny Shake Strawberry, Ready-to-Drink and Plenny bar
I first turned to meal replacement products when I was driving A LOT. I lived in Norfolk for half the week, then on a Wednesday evening, after kayaking with my club, I’d drive to London. On Sunday evening or Monday morning I’d drive back, having attended evening rehearsals, had drinks with friends, taught at Saturday School and played for Sunday services.
I didn’t have time to go shopping for healthy food, and the little shops near my London place were tiny and expensive. Enter Huel.
You can read my review of HUEL here.
You can read my review of FEED meal replacements here. .
Since relocating to Germany, algorithms on social media brought Jimmy Joy to my attention. The colourful, tongue-in-cheek branding of the Dutch company, and research into the cost, ingredients and nutritional profile convinced me to give it a go. (All their products are vegan.)
The starter box I ordered had ready-to-drink, powdered shake and bars. Plus a shaker and a t-shirt. I had a shake or a bar for breakfast and lunch every day for a week. Here’s what I thought of the products, and how I felt.
I didn’t have time to go shopping for healthy food, and the little shops near my London place were tiny and expensive. Enter Huel.
You can read my review of HUEL here.
You can read my review of FEED meal replacements here. .
Since relocating to Germany, algorithms on social media brought Jimmy Joy to my attention. The colourful, tongue-in-cheek branding of the Dutch company, and research into the cost, ingredients and nutritional profile convinced me to give it a go. (All their products are vegan.)
The starter box I ordered had ready-to-drink, powdered shake and bars. Plus a shaker and a t-shirt. I had a shake or a bar for breakfast and lunch every day for a week. Here’s what I thought of the products, and how I felt.
Jimmy Joy Read-to-Drink Chocolate
Ready-to-Drink
I went for chocolate flavour over vanilla, the only choices here.
The first time I drank it, it had been in the fridge for half an hour. It was warm, it was too thick and it had a weird taste. I was not keen.
However, it kept me going until lunch. The next time I had it, I chilled it for much longer. The smooth texture was much better. Overall it’s ok. Slightly funny after-taste.
I went for chocolate flavour over vanilla, the only choices here.
The first time I drank it, it had been in the fridge for half an hour. It was warm, it was too thick and it had a weird taste. I was not keen.
However, it kept me going until lunch. The next time I had it, I chilled it for much longer. The smooth texture was much better. Overall it’s ok. Slightly funny after-taste.
Jimmy Joy Plenny Bar Hazelnut and Coffee Flavour
Bar
I picked Hazelnut Coffee Flavour, there are six to pick from. It’s a big bar - a whole meal. I like the taste - hazelnut latte vibes, but it’s quite hard work. It’s like a dense rice-crispy bar.
I think a layer of something different on the top would help, but overall nice taste and really convenient.
I picked Hazelnut Coffee Flavour, there are six to pick from. It’s a big bar - a whole meal. I like the taste - hazelnut latte vibes, but it’s quite hard work. It’s like a dense rice-crispy bar.
I think a layer of something different on the top would help, but overall nice taste and really convenient.
Jimmy Joy Plenny Shake and Shaker
Shake
This is most similar to what I usually get from Huel. Water in a shaker, two scoops, shake and you’re ready. I got strawberry flavour and I like it. It’s a smoother texture than Huel, and as my OH said, “it tastes like liquid oatmeal”. It tastes like food and not of sweeteners or weird stuff.
Shaker
The shaker is cute. Half the size of the Huel one and comes to pieces so you can clean it easily. It fits in the bottle holder of my bag and won’t fall out.
T-shirt
It’s soft but WHY OH WHY do they not have female and male fits??
Unisex t-shirt really means man-fit t-shirt and it’s annoying. I’ll wear it for chilling at home or if I go to a fancy dress party as a sack.
This is most similar to what I usually get from Huel. Water in a shaker, two scoops, shake and you’re ready. I got strawberry flavour and I like it. It’s a smoother texture than Huel, and as my OH said, “it tastes like liquid oatmeal”. It tastes like food and not of sweeteners or weird stuff.
Shaker
The shaker is cute. Half the size of the Huel one and comes to pieces so you can clean it easily. It fits in the bottle holder of my bag and won’t fall out.
T-shirt
It’s soft but WHY OH WHY do they not have female and male fits??
Unisex t-shirt really means man-fit t-shirt and it’s annoying. I’ll wear it for chilling at home or if I go to a fancy dress party as a sack.
The shapeless t-shirt means you can't see the perfect line of my vasisthasana pose.
How I felt
I don’t usually count calories or weigh myself, so I have no numbers to give you. But I felt good.
There was one day, after a long run in the morning, where I had a lunch of carrots and hummus and a bar. About an hour later I was hungry and sleepy, which had me looking into maltodextrin. When I had asked in the Hueligans Facebook group, this mystery ingredient had been cited as a reason that one or two people didn’t fancy Jimmy’s products. It can cause blood sugar spike and then dip read more here, which would have accounted for my post lunch slump. However, it’s quite likely I just needed more food that day.
I don’t usually count calories or weigh myself, so I have no numbers to give you. But I felt good.
There was one day, after a long run in the morning, where I had a lunch of carrots and hummus and a bar. About an hour later I was hungry and sleepy, which had me looking into maltodextrin. When I had asked in the Hueligans Facebook group, this mystery ingredient had been cited as a reason that one or two people didn’t fancy Jimmy’s products. It can cause blood sugar spike and then dip read more here, which would have accounted for my post lunch slump. However, it’s quite likely I just needed more food that day.
Nutritional Information of a Vanilla Shake. Tap for more information.
One of the great things about meal replacements in general, is that it takes the thought out of things. I don’t have to contemplate and decide what I’m going to eat, and then I don’t have to ponder if it was enough protein or too much anything else. I usually have an apple or a carrot with a shake so that I’ve chewed something, but otherwise I’m very happy on my liquid diet.
The standard Plenny Shake has less protein than Huel and I’m keen to try the Active Shake, which is nutritional the most similar. I’d get the bars again for the convenience of having something pocket-sized for bike trips and if I become a regular customer, I might one day become a ‘Time traveller’ - Jimmy Joy’s rewards programme is based on ‘Time Tokens’. This is completely random but if it means free stuff then, whatever.
Overall, I'm pleased to have encountered Jimmy Joy but I won't abandon Huel.
The standard Plenny Shake has less protein than Huel and I’m keen to try the Active Shake, which is nutritional the most similar. I’d get the bars again for the convenience of having something pocket-sized for bike trips and if I become a regular customer, I might one day become a ‘Time traveller’ - Jimmy Joy’s rewards programme is based on ‘Time Tokens’. This is completely random but if it means free stuff then, whatever.
Overall, I'm pleased to have encountered Jimmy Joy but I won't abandon Huel.
Now I kind of want to be a Time Traveller
Are you a Hueligan? Or a Time Traveller? Or are you fond of a different brand. I’d love to hear about it if you are! Comment below.
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