Nosh Or Nah: Getting Swole On Lemonade Soup

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Welcome back to Nosh or Nah, a column where The Takeout staff reviews the best, worst, and weirdest new snacks and drinks hitting store shelves near you.

Anyone who's stepped inside a supermarket or convenience store in the last couple of years can tell you that protein is all food manufacturers and consumers seem to care anymore. Products in every aisle tout protein stats that promise (sometimes dubiously) to get you jacked, swole, and/or ripped. In the spirit of the times, this week we're presenting you a purely protein-based Nosh or Nah.

First, Michael Palan evaluates a snack that combines two omnipresent food trends into one super-hyped package: Quest Dill Pickle-flavored protein chips. And if that isn't off-the-wall enough, Dennis Lee taste tests every flavor of Marrō, a sparkling, fruit-flavored protein beverage made out of bone broth (!!!). Can a protein-packed snack composed primarily of whey powder taste like both a chip and a pickle? Can beef soup convincingly pretend to be sparkling lemonade? These questions are answered below by our fearless taste test team.

Quest has been in the protein game since 2010 and was an early pioneer of protein salty snacks, starting just four years later. The company is adding a new flavor to its line-up of chips, and not surprisingly in this day and age, it's Dill Pickle. Quest is joining fellow snack makers in a pickle movement that seems to have no end in sight.

As soon as I open the bag of these Quest Original Style Protein Chips, it lets its dill pickle bona fides be known with a sharp and lovely aroma. The flavor of the chips follows through, delivering just the right pinches of vinegar, garlic, and onion seasoning you'd expect.

As with most protein chips, even Doritos' own solid take on the genre, the grainy texture and density of the chip itself differs greatly from a standard old potato chip. If you know going in that these Quest protein chips aren't going to crunch and hit like an Utz Chip, then you'll be good to go. You'll be rewarded with a solid interpretation of dill pickle flavoring with 19 grams of protein per serving. I actually tried these chips with a gathering of parents and kids, and we all agreed they were worthy of a Nosh. Quest Original Style Protein Chips are available exclusively on Amazon for $29.99 for a 12-pack of 1-ounce bags.

In an era where we're all proteinmaxxing, apparently even our refreshing beverages have to give us gains. Marrō is a sparkling bone broth beverage that's also boosted with amino acids and electrolytes. It comes in three flavors: Blueberry Lemonade, Blackberry Lime, and Peach Mango. And yes, you read those words correctly, "sparkling bone broth." (Don't fret, I had the same reaction.)

Personally I think I'm fine with my protein intake as-is, but that's not why you're here. You, like I, need to know how this stuff tastes. And let's cut to the chase, because man, this stuff is wild. Since bone broth contains a ton of collagen, this sparkling beverage has a silky body to it, which might be off-putting to some. However, if you hadn't told me what was in it, I might not have actually noticed. In terms of flavor, imagine it like a lightly sweetened (with stevia) kombucha. And that beef flavor? Oh yes, it's there, just beyond the fruity flavors. The beef comes out at the way end, making this a drink that finishes with a twist like an M. Night Shyamalan movie (My favorite flavor, by the way, is Blackberry Lime, which leans heavier towards the dark berry side).

Honestly, the flavor is more entertaining than anything, but what I have a hard time swallowing is the price. If you're interested in experiencing it for yourselves, it'll cost you. A four-pack is $19.99, while a 12-pack is $56.00, which makes this a Nah for me. You can buy it online on Marrō's website, or find it in very select stores across the country.