That's what I have for breakfast actually. 2 cups of milk, 1 scoop whey, 1 scoop casein, 1 cup of oats, 1 tbsp of olive oil blended. Tastes good and has tons of calories, whoel grains and is a good day starter for someone who doesn't have time to cook breakfast.
You make a good point that whole food is most definitely better than a shake. I'm with you on that one for sure. Anyone who argues against it is retarded.
However, if you can't get a solid meal in, depending on the person schedule and life, throwing in a shake in place of a meal is not only useful, but perhaps necessary.