Protein powder question

start with using scooby's calculator to establish what your protein needs are.
don't overdo the protein: eating more than what you need won't give you more muscle.

try to get all or most of your daily requirements using whole foods.

I would use a protein shake after your workout if you find it convenient.

around 24g- 40g should be more than enough- one scoop depending on the brand
and what you mix it with (water vs skim or soy milk).

Lets say you weigh 200lbs and its recommended value for protein is 1g/lbs. So you need 200g of protein a day. You eat 4 meals throughout the day which a meal consists of 46g protein.

46g x 4meals = 184g
200g-184g=16g

You need an extra 16g to fulfil your daily protein needs. So as long as your protein shake is at least 16g, you're good to go.

When to take protein shake

I recommended 2 servings of protein powder a day... MAX.

sounds to like you are able to meet your macros without a shake.

you don't need it.