Skip the pricey single-serve packets and keep a big jar of Instant Breakfast Drink Mix in the pantry instead. This homemade version blends dry milk, pudding mix, protein powder, sugar, and vanilla powder into a quick breakfast drink you can shake up with ice water when you need something filling in a hurry.
If you're tired of purchasing expensive boxes of Instant Breakfast drink mixes, than try this filling do it yourself recipe. This makes a family size batch. If you're looking to reduce your sugar intake, substitute splenda for sugar. This makes an excellent addition to care packages for college students who need a little pick-me up in between classes.
It makes a family-size batch, travels well in care packages, and gives you a simple base for fruit add-ins if plain vanilla starts to feel a little too responsible. If you keep dry milk on hand regularly, you might also like Why You Should Keep Powdered & Evaporated Milk on Hand or this Copycat Ovaltine Mix.
Ingredients
- 1 box instant pudding mix, vanilla, chocolate, or butterscotch, about 3 oz
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 12 scoops protein powder, flavorless or vanilla
- 6 cups instant dry milk powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla powder
This mix is intentionally simple. The dry milk does the heavy lifting, the pudding mix adds flavor and body, the protein powder makes it more filling, and the vanilla powder rounds out the taste so it doesn’t come off flat or chalky.
How to Make Instant Breakfast Drink Mix
- Add the instant pudding mix, sugar, protein powder, instant dry milk powder, and vanilla powder to a large bowl or food-safe container.
- Whisk or stir thoroughly until the mixture looks even all the way through.
- Transfer the mix to an airtight jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Label the container with the serving directions: blend 1/3 cup mix with 1 cup ice water until smooth.
If you want the texture extra smooth, pulse the finished mix in a blender or food processor for a few seconds before storing it. That breaks up any stubborn lumps and helps it dissolve faster later.
Helpful Tips
- Mix in a very large bowl. Six cups of dry milk takes up more room than people expect.
- Break up clumps before storing. Pudding mix and protein powder both like to form little pebble-sized protests.
- Use ice water, not room-temperature water. The colder temperature gives you a thicker, more milkshake-like drink.
- Label the jar right away. Otherwise you’ll absolutely remember the ratio until you don’t.
Variations and Add-Ins
Vanilla is the easiest all-purpose version, but you can switch the pudding flavor to change the whole batch without touching the method. Chocolate makes it taste closer to a packaged breakfast drink. Butterscotch gives it a richer, dessert-like flavor.
For serving, blend in fresh fruit for a change of pace. Banana, strawberries, or frozen mixed berries all work well. If you like homemade pantry mixes, take a look at Strawberry-Vanilla Drink Mix for another quick option.
Storage
Store the dry mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard. Because the shortest-lived ingredient is opened nonfat dry milk, a practical shelf-life estimate for best quality is about 3 months after mixing if you keep it tightly sealed and away from heat and humidity. The USDA notes that dried mixes and powdered milk should be kept dry and well sealed, and Utah State University Extension notes opened nonfat dry milk keeps best for about three months, which makes that the sensible limit for this blend: storage guidance for dried milk.
Once prepared with water, treat it like any milk-based drink and refrigerate it promptly. For best quality and safety, use the prepared drink within 3 to 4 days. If it smells off, separates badly, or tastes stale, toss it and make a fresh glass.
How to Use the Mix
To make one serving, blend 1 cup ice water with 1/3 cup mix until smooth. That gives you roughly a 10 to 11 ounce drink, depending on how much ice melts and how vigorously you blend it. From this batch, you’ll get an estimated about 7 servings.
You can also pour the blended drink into a shaker bottle if you’re in a hurry, though a blender gives the smoothest texture. Add fruit if you want more bulk or sweetness without turning breakfast into a chemistry project.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Instant Breakfast Drink Mix
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Instant vanilla |
$0.78 |
1 box ≈ package ≈ 0.601 cup(s) |
$0.78 |
|
Sugar |
$2.98 |
1/3 C. |
$0.11 |
|
Protein powder |
$46.95 |
12 scoops ≈ 1 scoop (1/3 cup) |
$19.87 |
|
Instant dry milk powder |
$9.28 |
6 C. |
$5.22 |
|
Vanilla powder |
$5.94 |
2 t. |
$0.99 |
|
Ice water per serving |
– |
1 C. |
$0.01 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$26.98 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$1.42 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix, 3.4 oz
- Granulated Sugar, 4 lb
- Vanilla Whey Protein Powder, 2 lb
- Instant Nonfat Dry Milk, 25.6 oz
- Vanilla Powder, 2.8 oz
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about Instant Breakfast Drink Mix
Absolutely. Swap the instant pudding flavor 1 for 1 and leave the rest of the mix alone. Chocolate makes it taste closer to a packaged breakfast shake, while butterscotch gives it a richer, sweeter finish without changing the mixing ratio.
You can. The simplest swap is using a granulated sugar substitute in place of the 1/3 cup sugar, but keep in mind the drink may taste a little thinner or less rounded because the sugar helps soften the dry milk and pudding flavors. If your protein powder is already sweetened, cutting the sugar usually works just fine.
A plain or vanilla protein powder is the safest choice because it won’t fight the pudding flavor. If your scoop is much larger than standard, use 12 actual scoops from your container rather than trying to convert it by guesswork. That keeps the recipe true to the original balance.
Lumps usually come from poorly mixed dry ingredients or from trying to stir it into water with a spoon. Blend the dry mix well before storing it, then use a blender or shaker bottle with ice-cold water so the pudding and milk powder disperse evenly instead of clumping into little stubborn islands.
You can, but it will be much richer and thicker because the mix already contains a hefty amount of dry milk. If you want to use milk anyway, start with the same 1/3 cup mix and 1 cup liquid, then thin it with a splash more milk if it turns into pudding with ambitions.
Scale everything by the same proportion and keep the serving ratio the same. For a half batch, use half of each ingredient and still blend 1/3 cup mix with 1 cup ice water per serving. For a double batch, make sure your bowl and storage container are genuinely large enough before you start.
Bananas and strawberries are the easiest wins because they blend smoothly and match vanilla or chocolate flavors without much fuss. Start with about 1/2 cup fruit per serving so the drink stays sippable instead of turning into a spoon-required situation.
Yes, and it’s a smart move if your mornings tend to go sideways fast. Measure 1/3 cup portions into small jars or snack-size bags, then you only need to dump one into the blender with 1 cup ice water and go.
Use very cold water and blend it long enough to fully hydrate the powders, usually 20 to 30 seconds. A banana or a handful of berries helps too, because fruit adds natural sweetness and body without changing the basic dry mix recipe.
It works very well because the mix is shelf-stable when kept dry and tightly sealed, and each serving only needs cold water and a blender or shaker bottle. Pack the serving directions with it so nobody has to guess, which is how good pantry mixes become mysterious beige regret.
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Did you make this recipe? Tell me how you served it or what flavor pudding you used in the comments. That kind of practical detail helps the next reader a whole lot more than polite silence ever will.
🖨️ Print-Friendly Instant Breakfast Drink Mix
Instant Breakfast Drink Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box instant vanilla chocolate, or butterscotch pudding mix, 3 oz to 3.4 oz
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 12 scoops protein powder
- 6 cups instant dry milk powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla powder
- 1 cup ice water per serving
- Fresh fruit optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the instant pudding mix, sugar, protein powder, instant dry milk powder, and vanilla powder in a large bowl.
- Whisk thoroughly or blend until the mixture is evenly combined.
- Transfer the mix to an airtight container and seal tightly.
- To prepare one serving, blend 1/3 cup mix with 1 cup ice water until smooth.
- Add fresh fruit, if desired, and blend again briefly.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Yield is an estimate based on about 6 1/3 cups finished mix and 1/3 cup per serving.
For best quality, store the dry mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and use within 3 months after opening.
Prepared drink should be refrigerated promptly and used within 3 to 4 days.
where do you find vanilla powder? i only have vanilla extract.
You can make your own:
Budget101.com – – MYO Vanilla Powder | Money Saving Seasoning Mix recipes
can you leave out the instant dry milk powder if you plan on mixing this up with milk instead of water?
i was planning on using milk instead of water. has anyone tried it with out the instant dry milk?