A note from Kate
I made 4 mugs. 1 was mine.
Saturday it rained all day, so I made hot chocolate for the kids. The packet kind. Marshmallows. The whole thing.
I made 3 mugs and I stood at the stove with the pot, and I did not make one for me.
I want to be clear that nobody told me not to. I just didn't. I had the thought, that's a lot of sugar, and I put the pot in the sink. Then I ate 2 of their marshmallows off the counter like a raccoon.
My husband noticed. He said, why don't you ever make yourself one. I didn't have a good answer. I still don't, really, except that somewhere along the way I decided the sweet thing was for them and the version of it for me was feeling guilty.
A friend from school pickup had posted about a hot cocoa made with bone broth. I'd scrolled past it 3 times. The 4th time I actually read it. 25g of protein in a mug of hot chocolate. 5g of sugar.
I ordered it mostly out of spite at myself.
It came Thursday. Friday night I made the kids their packets and I made mine next to theirs, with warm milk, same stove, same spoon.
I was sure it would taste like soup. It does not taste like soup. It tastes like chocolate, the dark kind, with a little salt. My 6 year old tried mine and asked why hers wasn't as good.
So that's the rule now. When it's cold and I make cocoa, I make 4 mugs. 1 is mine. It has a lot of protein in it and not a lot of sugar, which means I don't have to think about it, which means I actually drink it instead of standing at the sink.
That shouldn't feel like a big deal. It kind of does.
What's in mine
It's called Kaive Bone Broth Hot Cocoa. It's a powder in a pouch. You stir 1 scoop into warm milk and it's hot chocolate.
What's different is what's in it. The protein comes from beef bone broth and hydrolyzed collagen, so 1 mug is 25g of protein. It's sweetened with coconut sugar and monk fruit, so it's 5g of sugar and 140 calories. The ingredient list is 7 things long and I can pronounce all of them.
That's why it works for me. It's the sweet thing I wanted anyway, and because of the protein it actually fills me up instead of making me want more.
See Kaive Bone Broth Hot CocoaWhat's in one mug
Made with warm milk. Per the label, 1 scoop.
What each one is doing in there
Beef bone broth
This is where most of the protein comes from. You don't taste it. I keep saying that because it's the only question anyone has.
Hydrolyzed collagen
The rest of the protein. It dissolves clean, no grit, no film on the mug.
Cocoa powder
Real cocoa, not cocoa flavor. It's the dark kind.
Coconut sugar and monk fruit
The sweetness. Enough to taste like a treat. Not enough to count as one.
French grey sea salt
The thing that makes chocolate taste like chocolate. You'd notice if it wasn't there.
Also in it: non-fat dry milk and cocoa. The label is 7 lines long and that's all of it.
How I make it
Warm a mug of milk. Stovetop or microwave, it doesn't matter.
Add 1 scoop and stir. A small frother makes it smoother, a spoon works fine.
Sit down with it. That part is not optional.
Does it taste like broth
No. I was sure it would. Everyone is sure it will. It tastes like rich hot chocolate with a little salt in it, the way good hot chocolate does.
If you need to be sure, make the first one with milk, not water, and don't tell anyone what's in it until after they've had a sip.
What actually changed
Friday
Made mine next to theirs. Same stove, same spoon. My 6 year old asked why hers wasn't as good.
Week 1
Started making 4 without thinking about it. Nobody commented. That's how you know it stuck.
Week 3
I don't stand at the sink anymore. I sit down with them. That was the point.
The other things I was reaching for
| The packet | The shake | Kaive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tastes like | Sugar and powder | Vanilla and chalk | Hot chocolate |
| Protein | About 1g | About 20g | 25g |
| Sugar | About 12g | Depends | 5g |
| Temperature | Hot | Cold | Hot |
| How I feel after | Want another | Fine, I guess | Done |
What other people said
★★★★★5.0
After dinnerI was sure I would taste the broth. I did not. It tastes like the hot chocolate my mom made, a little salty, and I have not opened the pantry after 8pm in 2 weeks.
Megan R., Ohio
Verified customer
★★★★★5.0
In my coffeeA scoop in my morning coffee turns it into a mocha and I am not hungry again until lunch. The vanilla shake in my cabinet has been retired.
Dana K., Minnesota
Verified customer
★★★★★5.0
The whole familyI make the kids their packets and I make mine next to theirs. My 7 year old asked why hers was not as good. 3 bags lasted us about 5 weeks.
Lauren P., North Carolina
Verified customer
If it's not for you
Kaive has a 30 day money back guarantee. Drink half the bag. If you don't look forward to it, send the rest back and they'll refund you.
The deal right now
Kaive is running up to 60% off, and the 3 bag bundle is the best price per bag.
I went with 3 because 1 bag did not last me the month.
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†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
*Reviews reflect individual experiences. Results vary.