Homemade oat, milk and banana mass shake
A homemade weight-gainer far cheaper than store-bought: milk, oats, banana and peanut butter blended into a calorie-dense shake to drink right after training.
Nutrition values per serving, computed from the ingredients.
Ingredients
0/6Method
- 1Put all the ingredients in a blender.
- 2Blend for 30 to 45 seconds until smooth.
- 3Add a splash of milk if the shake is too thick.
- 4Drink immediately after your session.
In this recipeexpand_more
Key takeaways
- check_circle760 kcal, 50 g protein, 101 g carbs: a complete gainer made from real food.
- check_circleIdeal around training or as a snack when eating enough is hard.
- check_circleIt adds to your diet, it does not replace it: reserved for bulking.
- check_circleAdjust peanut butter and oats to move calories up or down.
A homemade mass-gainer, far cheaper than store-bought
Store gainers are often just fast sugar and whey sold at a premium. This homemade shake does the same job with real food: milk, oats, banana, whey and peanut butter, blended into a 760 kcal drink with 50 g of protein and 101 g of carbs. Enough to add a large calorie hit without cooking or chewing a full meal.
The point of a liquid gainer is how easily the calories go down: for anyone who struggles to eat enough when bulking (small appetite, busy days), drinking 760 kcal is far easier than forcing down another plate.
When and how to use it
The best time is around training, especially right after: the carbs from the banana and oats refill glycogen and the whey kick-starts muscle repair. It also works well as a snack between meals, or as a quick breakfast on rushed mornings.
One caution: a gainer adds to your diet, it does not replace it. It is meant for people bulking who struggle to hit their calorie surplus. If you already eat enough, these extra 760 kcal can make you gain fat faster than intended.
Getting it right and adjusting it
Blend for 30 to 45 seconds until smooth; add a splash of milk if it is too thick, more oats or ice if you want it thicker. A ripe banana sweetens naturally and adds creaminess, which avoids added sugar.
To push calories higher, add a second spoon of peanut butter or a handful of oats. To lighten it, cut the peanut butter and switch to a lower-fat milk. The whey guarantees the 50 g of protein either way.
Prepping it ahead and taking it with you
A shake is ideally drunk freshly blended, but you can save time. Prep the dry part ahead (oats and whey powder in the shaker) and add milk and banana just before blending: two minutes flat. To take it with you, blend it all and carry it in a well-sealed insulated bottle.
Drink it within 3 to 4 hours and keep it cool: beyond that, the oats keep swelling and the mix thickens (just add a little milk and shake). Avoid leaving it at room temperature too long, especially milk-based. Made in the morning, it holds fine until your afternoon snack.
The mistakes that ruin this shake
The first mistake is not measuring anything and eyeballing it: peanut butter and oats are calorie-dense, and one overly generous spoon can add 100 kcal without you noticing. The second trap is pouring the oats in last with a weak blender, so they stay lumpy at the bottom. Always add the liquid first (milk), then the soft ingredients (banana, peanut butter), and the oats and whey last: it blends better and the texture stays smooth.
Another common mistake is adding the whey at the start of a long blend, which can warm it slightly and form small sticky clumps. Add it last and blend just enough — 30 to 45 seconds is plenty. Finally, do not sip this shake too slowly over an hour: the oats keep soaking up liquid and the texture thickens sharply, almost turning to porridge. If you cannot drink it in one go, keep a splash of milk in reserve to loosen it before finishing the glass.
What to pair it with
Need liquid calories or fast recovery? These drinks and breakfasts play the same role around training.
Frequently asked questions
Is a homemade gainer as effective as a store-bought one?
Yes, and often better: same calories and protein, but from real food (oats, banana, peanut butter) that is more filling and cheaper than most powders, with no unnecessary additives.
Can you drink this shake without whey?
Yes: increase the milk and add quark or skyr to make up the protein. The protein total will drop slightly without powder, but the drink stays a good source of calories and carbs.
Does a gainer make you gain fat?
Only if you exceed your calorie needs. A gainer is a tool to reach a surplus when eating enough is hard; used beyond that need, its extra calories are stored like any others.
Can you swap dairy milk for a plant-based drink?
Yes, no problem: oat, soy or almond milk all work well. Soy milk is the most interesting choice since it also adds protein; almond or oat milk are lighter in calories but slightly lower the shake's total energy. Adjust the amount of oats or peanut butter if you want to make up the difference.
What if my blender is not very powerful?
Soak the oats in the milk for 10 minutes before blending: they soften up and blend far more easily. Also blend in short bursts rather than continuously, scraping down the sides between passes. If lumps persist, strain the shake through a fine sieve, even though you lose a little fibre in the process.
Can you flavour this shake differently?
Easily: a spoon of unsweetened cocoa for a chocolate version, cinnamon or vanilla powder to add flavour with no extra calories, or frozen berries in place of some of the banana for more freshness. The milk-oats-whey ratio stays the base, you just play with the flavours depending on the day's mood.
Is this shake suitable for lactose intolerance?
Not as written, since regular milk contains lactose. Swap it for lactose-free milk or a plant-based drink, and check that your whey is well tolerated (an isolate contains very little residual lactose). With those two swaps, the shake stays essentially the same in calories and protein.
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Nutrition values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and quantities: they vary by brand and cooking. For information only, not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or dietitian (allergies and special diets: seek advice).