Pick Classic Chocolate if you want a caffeine-free hot chocolate you can drink any time of day, Mocha if you love coffee flavor but not caffeine, Caffeinated Chocolate if you want a morning coffee swap, and Chai if you'd like warm spice instead of chocolate. Only Caffeinated Chocolate has caffeine, 60mg per scoop. Classic Chocolate, Mocha and Chai have none.
In this article
Every flavor of Bone Broth Protein Mix has 14g of protein, 10g+ of naturally occurring collagen and 0g sugar per 21g scoop, sweetened with organic monk fruit and made with coconut and oat milk. So the choice really comes down to taste and caffeine. Here's how I'd think about it.
The four flavors side by side
| Flavor | Tastes like | Caffeine per scoop | Carbs | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Chocolate | Rich, nostalgic hot chocolate | 0mg | 3g | Any time, evenings, families |
| Mocha | A coffee-shop mocha, coffee flavor with chocolate | 0mg | 3g | Coffee lovers avoiding caffeine, afternoons |
| Caffeinated Chocolate | Classic hot chocolate with a lift | 60mg | 3g | Mornings, replacing a cup of coffee |
| Chai | Warm chai spice and vanilla, no tea | 0mg | 4g | Anyone who wants a break from chocolate |
Classic Chocolate, Mocha and Caffeinated Chocolate are 80 calories a scoop, and Chai is 90. Full nutrition panels and ingredient lists are on our facts page.
The caffeine facts, plainly
- Caffeinated Chocolate is the only flavor with caffeine: 60mg per scoop, from green coffee beans. That's in both the 26-serving and 12-serving bags. 60mg is about two-thirds of an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee.
- Mocha tastes like coffee, but it has 0mg of caffeine. The coffee taste is flavor only. This is the one people most often assume has caffeine, and it doesn't.
- Classic Chocolate has 0mg.
- Chai has 0mg. There's no tea in it, so no tea caffeine either.
One thing to remember: whatever you mix it into counts too. Mocha stirred into coffee has the coffee's caffeine. If you want the full comparison with coffee, espresso and regular cocoa, see how much caffeine is in chocolate, mocha and coffee.
If caffeine makes your heart race, keeps you up, or your provider has told you to limit it (common in pregnancy, with high blood pressure, or with certain medications), stick with Classic, Mocha or Chai. Ask your provider if you're not sure how much is right for you.
Which flavor for which time of day
This is how I'd match them to your day:
- Early morning: Caffeinated Chocolate, in place of your first or second coffee. Keep it to the morning so it doesn't touch your sleep.
- Afternoon: Mocha, for that coffee-shop taste at 2 p.m. without caffeine in your system at bedtime.
- Evening: Classic Chocolate or Chai. I think of these as the evening flavors, and neither has caffeine.
If you drink it more than once a day, I'd keep two bags open: one for the morning, one for later.
Which flavors are OK for kids?
If you're making a mug for your kids, choose Classic Chocolate, Mocha or Chai, the caffeine-free flavors. Caffeinated Chocolate is for adults. Check with your pediatrician about how much makes sense for your child, especially if they're under 2, have food allergies (every flavor contains coconut and is made with oat milk) or have a medical condition.
I'm a mom of three boys, and I wrote a whole guide on this: bone broth hot chocolate for kids.
How to tell the bags apart
The flavor name is printed on the front of every bag. A few habits make mix-ups less likely:
- Read the ingredient list if you're unsure. Caffeinated Chocolate is the only flavor that lists caffeine (natural caffeine from green coffee bean). Chai is the only one without cocoa.
- Keep the caffeinated bag on its own shelf, away from the bag the kids or the evening drinkers use.
- Check your flavor before you check out, and again on your order confirmation email. If the confirmation shows the wrong flavor, email hello@raebasics.com right away with your order number, and we'll try to fix it before it ships.
If we sent the wrong flavor, email us within 7 days of delivery with your order number and photos of the bag, the outer shipping box and the seal, and we'll send the right flavor at no cost. The details are in our guarantee and returns guide.
Want to try before you commit?
The 12-serving bag is the easiest way to try a flavor without buying a full bag. It's $32.99, one-time, and comes in Classic Chocolate, Mocha and Caffeinated Chocolate. Torn between two? Get a small bag of each and see which one you keep reaching for.
Once you know your favorite, the 26-serving bag is $59.99 one-time or $52.99 on Subscribe & Save, delivered every 4, 6 or 8 weeks with free shipping. One-time orders of $75 or more ship free too, and smaller one-time orders ship for a $5 flat rate. You can swap flavors on a subscription any time, and our guide to managing your subscription shows how.
A note on Chai
Chai is our newest flavor, and it's in stock now: $59.99 for a 26-serving bag, or $52.99 with Subscribe & Save. It isn't hot chocolate. There's no cocoa, no tea and no caffeine, just chai spice and vanilla with the same grass-fed bone broth base. For now it comes in the 26-serving bag only. For ideas, see our caffeine-free chai latte.
Ready to pick? Every flavor is on the Bone Broth Protein Mix page.
Quick answers
Which Rae Basics flavors are caffeine-free?
Classic Chocolate, Mocha and Chai all have 0mg of caffeine. Caffeinated Chocolate is the only flavor with caffeine, at 60mg per scoop.
Does Mocha have coffee in it?
It has coffee flavor, not caffeine. Mocha has 0mg of caffeine per scoop unless you mix it into coffee.
Which flavor is best before bed?
Classic Chocolate or Chai. Both are caffeine-free, and Mocha is too if you want the coffee taste in the evening.
Is there a smaller bag I can try first?
Yes. The 12-serving bag is $32.99, one-time, and comes in Classic Chocolate, Mocha and Caffeinated Chocolate.
Is the nutrition the same in every flavor?
Almost. Every flavor has 14g of protein and 0g sugar per scoop. The chocolate flavors are 80 calories and 3g of carbs, and Chai is 90 calories and 4g of carbs.
