view on protein powders?

If you have trouble getting the amount of protein you are looking to intake use them. They reduce soreness and help promote recovery. I would suggest getting some Branced Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) as well. 

Get a high quality protein powder, some of the lower quality cheaper ones use arsenic in their manufacturing process.

Good advice right here.  It's a supplement to real food and can be used to promote muscle growth/recovery.  For instance there really is little substitute for whey protein after a workout.  A protein blend with some oats is a great meal replacement.  Casein is great pre-bed because it's slow digesting and will feed your system all night long.  Just keep in mind your diet plan should revolve around real food and use protein powder to fill in holes.

I agree completely with this. Don't let GNC, Vitamin Shoppe or any other nutrition shop talk you into paying 70 bucks for 5 lbs of protein powder (you should be able to get ten pounds for that price no problem). I use supplementwarehouse.com for my protein powders as they have the lowest prices I have found and good customer service.

As far as brands go: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard, EAS protein, and Dymatize proteins are one's I like personally.

I'm not familiar with trutein, but I just bought the 25 lb bag of Recession Ultra Whey for about $140 and it should last me at least 2 years. Another thing I've heard is that when GNC discontinues a product, you can get it pretty inexpensively, but that's too much work for me.

GNC has always been a rip off... but Vitamin Shoppe???  I get 5lbs of Gold Standard there for $37. It does not get much better or much cheaper. Costco has some, but afraid to try.

I do Gold Standard... there are plenty of quality proteins out there, what does it for me is simply taste and how easy it mixes. I do not like milk at all so it has to be right in water... GS rich chocolate is actually GOOD. Probably would not drink for the heck of it, but mixes easy in cold water and actually tastes pretty decent.

And as for yes or no... there is just no way I can eat that much meat in a day... and I love meat. But eating general requirements for us is a LOT of meat. So after a work out, mid morning snack.. what ever... usually two a day to supplement my normal diet that has plenty of protein.

Haha.  Right.  I was thinking Trunutrition Science.  I always get the 2 mixed up.  As for closeout deals.  They're always good.  If you can find closeout or expired protein you're golden.  Expired supplements are usually good for 6 months to 2 years after their date of expiration.

That part in bold is good to know. I've always wondered.

I should qualify that with "If stored in a cool/dry place".  Whey is obviously on the shorter end of that because it's a food product where as say creatine or the like is good forever almost.

That's funny, because I've always gotten better deals at GNC.  If you have their Gold Card, and you watch for specials, I've always found their prices to be 1/2 of Vitamin Shop's.  The regular pricing at both of these stores is a complete ripoff, though.

Online, I've also bought from www.dpsnutrition.com

www.proteinfactory.com - incredible selection, lots of exoctics too - especially if you have allergies to certain proteins. 

I am allergic to whey, so I use beef, egg and peptopro. Peptopro is my favorite, especically for pre-during and post training. It's extremely light - does not fill you up and it's absorption is the best of all. 

The have a "Lab" that allows you to completely customize your protein, MRP, PWO drink, whatever. 

As for Brick and Mortar store Vitamin Shoppe will basically match online prices. 

It's also not very competitive in the price per serving arena.

That's because it's a recovery supplement and not really a protein powder.  Recoverite appears to be pretty much carbs, bcaas/eaas, electrolytes, and minimal protein.  Great for reduced soreness and to stave off muscle wasting, but not really a protein supplement.

I switched from whey to hemp protein.   It is an acquired taste, though.