Bar Battles! Which Nutrition Bar is the Best?
Bar Battles! Which Nutrition Bar is the Best?
Hey guys!!
So last night I was at Trader Joe’s looking through the supplement section and I thought…hmmm…I should just buy a buffet of bars to try out! Cuz…I can!?
I actually wanted to do a head to head nutrition bar battle against some of the most popular brands out there. I steered away from the traditional “protein bars” because I honestly think they taste too dry. And…I am on a mission to find the perfect pre-workout and post-workout snack when on-the-run. You should eat whole, real food when you can. But let’s be realistic. When you can’t, you have to have backups! Let’s see the competitors!
| Brand | Cals | Fat | Carbs | Protein | Sugar | Taste |
| ThinkThin Crunch Orig. Mixed Nuts | 190 | 13g | 15g | 8g | 4g | The best of them all! It wasn’t too sweet. I liked that I could see all of the nuts I was eating and the slight glaze was a fine touch. Although I enjoyed the soy crisps (made it taste like a rice krispy) I normally woudn’t eat that. I appreciate the low sugar and the least amt of carbs in this bar. |
| ThinkThin Creamy Peanut Butter | 240 | 9g | 22g | 20g | 0g (11g alcohol sugar) | Oops! Had no idea this one had chocolate in it so I couldn’t test it until my friend came over. He said it was dry and very “protein-y”. |
| Luna Peanut Butter Cookie | 180 | 6g | 26g | 9g | 11g | Very good tasting. This one tasted like a rice krispy treat and had a peanut butter cream base underneath the soy crisps and oats. Too carby for me. |
| Larabar Cashew Cookie | 230 | 13g | 23g | 6g | 18g | TOO SWEET! You could make this yourself with crushed cashews and mushed dates. |
| Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie | 220 | 12g | 23g | 7g | 18g | TOO SWEET even with no added sugar! Checked the label and it’s just peanuts, dates, and salt. I would recommend just making this yourself. |
| Kind Bar Almond & Coconut | 190 | 12g | 21g | 3g | 12g | A very talked about brand! I didn’t particularly enjoy the coconuts but overall, it reminded me of the ThinkThin Crunch. I personally thought it was a little too sweet, but appreciated that I could see all of the ingredients whole. |
After tasting each one like a proper connoisseur, I was able to declare a clear winner! The bar I liked best was the ThinkThin Crunch Original Mixed Nuts. The nutrition label also seems the best to me. It has the least amount of carbs, a decent amount of protein, and very little sugar. (Great to avoid blood sugar spikes.) I am not really concerned about the fat grams since it’s coming from nuts, so that is all good.
I would highly recommend giving that bar a try! I’m def not being paid by any of these brands, so please do not worry about any biased opinions! This really was just a “ooohhhh bars! let’s buy em all” type of impulse buy thing. Hahahaha.
Also, I want to ask you POPsters something! If I ever came up with the ULMTIMATE bar…what would you want in it? What would it be called? What flavors!?
Please let me know in the comments below!! I’m kinda serious…let’s make the perfect bar that isn’t already out there! Can’t wait to hear your responses!
<3 Cassey
129 thoughts on “Bar Battles! Which Nutrition Bar is the Best?”
There are 129 comments posted by our users.
hahaa! especially double chocolate! 😀, wow
Why did Cassey freak out when she found the Crunch bar had chocolate on it?
I don’t like chocolate!
Quest Quest Quest!! all the way 😀 .. especially double chocolate! 😀
i like bar that not sweet, high protein/ fiber. it would be great if they are whole grain and no added sugar
I particularly like bars that have almonds and maybe cranberries in them. The fruit will give it all the sweetness you need without having to add any extra sugars or sweeteners. If it’s something I would make myself (which is what you are trying to do) I would prefer ingredients that are easy to come by and not too expensive. 🙂
You’ve got to try Power Crunch bars! They are DELICIOUS. Low carb, moderate fat and moderate protein. Vanilla and peanut butter are my favorite flavors.
Not sure if they were mentioned, but I love Clif bars! The carrot cake one is the best, and is chocolate-free c:
I personally love KIND bars. They recently came out with some with less sugar/honey, although I know at least 3 of them have some form of chocolate–just a drizzle, but worth mentioning. KIND also has fruit & nut bars, which are much less sweet than the almond & coconut you tried! (I had one today, trust me!)
Cassey this is awesome!
I was soo tired trying protein bars for hiking and backpacking only to have them be disgustingly sweet, hurt my teeth and make me nauseous. My regular grocery store only has the ThinkThin creamy peanut butter bars and chucky peanut butter. Since your friend didn’t have a lot of discriptors for it I would like to add that my husband and i both thought it was sweet, but not too sweet. To me it was like eating a peanut butter rice crispy. For 240 calories I think this would be too much for me after a regular workout and I will hunt down those original ones you suggested. These are perfect for backpacking because when you hike 10 miles a day, on a steep incline, at 8,000 feet, for 2 days, you get HUNGRY. Also, I think this will be good for my husband to keep at work in case he doesn’t have time for lunch. I am not a fan of meal replacement by any means, but do think that the high protein bar and an apple would be better than the $12 of Taco Bell he would eat otherwise!
Thanks <3
Taco Bell things are literally 99 cents half the time 0_0 how do you spend 12 dollars there?? 😛 THAT is what I call a TON of food!! :]
If it has nuts and a little drizzle of natural sweetness like honey, I’m all for it. But lots of us have a big soft spot for chocolate so I would love that. Maybe some fruity bars too. I don’t want it to have a lot of sugar because I hate when bars taste too sweet and some are diabetic so we should consider those options.
Anything that doesn’t have nuts in it!! I can’t eat nuts, so finding a bar like this is very hard!
You might find some recipes online for homemade ones. I had a little girl in my class that was dealthy allergic to nuts so her mom made her homemade ones, they had a rice crispie and oatmeal type base. We kept them in the teachers fridge for her so if she ever forgot her snack or something. Her mom said she made giant batches at a time and froze them. She would put a weeks worth in the fridge to thaw. Then her mom packed them in her backpack for snacks. Sorry I can’t be more helpful. I’ve never seen ones without nuts.
Hey guys, quick question. Why did Cassey freak out when she found the Crunch bar had chocolate on it? Is she allergic to chocolate or just simply avoids it at all costs?
Apparently, when she eats it, her tastebuds are really sensitive to chocolate. The sensitivity makes the chocolate taste really bitter. She mentioned it in the red velvet recipe that I just read.
Good greens protein bars!
I think your sample is a bit skewed because Larabar has some fine bars but all of the ones you try in your sample are nut bars. I hear people rave about Larabar fruit bars, somewhat reasonably priced at Target.
i think u should make a hazelnut bar, with dark chocolate! i think it would taste great!
or a strawberry and chocolate one
x
A “clean” bar (non-GMO ingredients) that is a combination of chewy and creamy, sweet and salty. Sounds like Im describing chocolate w cruncny peanut butter. Hey, maybe a sweet and spicy (hello Sriracha!!) bar.
I really adore the Lärabars :] I’ve even made the cashew cookie ones, they’re delicious! But I prefer buying them, all flavors are awesome! The kind bars are delicious too. I’ll try the bar you recommended though 🙂
If I made a bar, I’d make a pumpkin pie flavored one, with pumpkin, vanilla bean, and cinnamon, possibly topped with dried cranberries and the crust can be like a date and cashew combination. Mmmm I love Thanksgiving food lol (this would be without all the calories and food babies developing) 😀
Love ya girl!
Emily
My ultimate protein bar would be one without any soy ingredients. If you research modern soy (look at Dr. Kaayla’s video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ij14ET-8Fg), I think you’ll see that what marketers are feeding us is not true. Soy is not good for us. So, a great bar for me would be one using all natural ingredients and one without any GMO’s. It would also contain a great balance of protein, carbs and fat. Depending on whether someone could not handle dairy, there would be a plant based and a dairy variety 🙂
I love RIckland Orchards Greek Yogurt Bars. Admittedly, they’re pretty sweet and a little pricey, but you can get a pack ant Costco and you wont’ regret it =D
Strawberry bar: 150 Cal, 4g total fat, 23g total carbs, 7g protein, 5g sugar = AWESOME
I eat a mint chocolate balance bar every day for breakfast with a pint of lowfat organic milk. It’s the only tasty high protein bar I could find.
Hey Cassey!
I’m really glad you did a post about nutrition bars!! I’ve always wanted to discover the perfect bar for me and I actually was going to ask for your opinion!
Anywayy the perfect bar for me would be a high fiber, high protein bar that would KILL my cravings throughout the day! I’ve been trying Fiberone bars, but the sugar content and carbs were just way too high…in the end, I just want a bar that I could eat during mid day and not worry about getting those craves, and something that would keep me full and satisfied for a while 🙂 hope that helped.
Hmm…My dream energy bar would have flavors or flavors like cherry, chocolate, almond, a combination of all three, red velvet, apple cinnamon, coconut, cashew, banana and almond butter, maple pecan chia…It’s a good thing I’m writing this AFTER dinner
and it would have to have the right ratio of carbs, fat, and protein, of course
Almonds are my must have! And coconut too =) pistachios, dried blueberries, dark chocolate, and some cashews =) and I’d want it to be as low carb, low sugar, and low cal as possible
hey i was just wondering why dont you eat chocolate?
The perfect bar, for me, would HAVE to incorporate some banana flavoring. Possibly dark chocolate, too, and coconut. But the bananas are a must; seriously, if I could eat nothing but bananas for the rest of my life I would be so happy. Another thought is adding uncooked quinoa. I recently tried a recipe for protein bars using bananas, quinoa, walnuts, and dried cranberries. It was vury delicious.
Have you tried Clif Builder’s Protein bar? It’s one of my faves. Rise bar has only 3 ingredients! http://risebar.com/products/almond-honey/
Yeah, I think most of them are way too sweet, so my dream bar would be less sweetener with dried cherries and almonds and orange – and NO soy products. 😀
i also love Clif bars! I’ve never tried the Rise bar. I’ll have to check them out. I’m totally right there with you on the no soy part!
Mm…I would want it to be like Luna Bar or MOJO Cliff Bar consistency, sweet, and yummy 🙂 But not so much sugar and fat…CLIFF’s bars have 21 grams of sugar in their 250 calorie White Chocolate ones!! My mom purchased several last weekend; I’m going to return them ASAP :O
I found this RIDICULOUS recipe for breakfast bars just before I saw the post for today and they are ALL PALEO! SOOO delicious and so easy!! check it out! http://www.elanaspantry.com/cherry-vanilla-power-bars/ links at the bottom take you to more.
And for other really mouth watering EASY paleo meals (High Protein, No/Lo carb) you should check out http://www.Punchfork.com/paleo Im in love with this recipe site I hope you guys find it useful. You’ll find everything from cauliflower mash potatoes to crock pot meals and desserts! Good luck ladies!!
Something high protein, but not too sweet, yet tasty. And healthy! … That was vague. Cranberry is good! I would say peanut butter but I’m really into the Think Thin peanut butter bars, and I’m already addicted to peanut butter as it is…
my dream bar would be super high protein (as a vegetarian, I need all I can get!) with chocolate and peanuts… but also proteiny tasting (cause I like that)… okay, I think I need several different flavours! all kinds of nuts plzzzz /ramble
I have been on the lookout for a healthy (vegan if possible) bar (with minimal ingredients as possible), very high in protein, yet under 200 calories. So far Boomi Bars (almond honey) is pretty darn good, but almost 300 calories (20 grams of protein and 3-4 ingredient) so I have to split them in half. Definitely low in carbs would be awesomesauce!
the almond & coconut KIND bar is so good! I tried it once and loved it
wow, do all nutrition bars in the usa have so many calories?!
the ones i eat here in brazil have 70 cals
The most perfect bar ever would be one with :
1.) Whole ingredients-a very small ingredient list.
2.) Has Grain free and Grain options
3.) Loaded with protein.
4.) Taste sweet-not like an artificial sweetener.
Can we please find a way to do this??
My personal favorites are Larabar and Cliff:) Cliff Toffee Buzz and Larabar Carrot Cake-or Cherry Pie…OH MY GOSH.
try power crunch. soo good! 🙂
I’m a big fan of Balance Bars,
Now you have me thinking about the ingredients… hmmm. They have a good amount of protein and about 200 calories in each. They keep me full!
The COOKIE DOUGH FLAVOR is to die for!! Smores is also good, they are like candy bars! BUT they do have substance!
I suppose I should check out those “other ingredients” ;/ hope I’m not too disappointed but I have a feeling I will be :/.
Someone in the comments said they make their own nutrition bars. That’s really interesting! I would be super stoked if you put a recipe up here Cassey. (Sweetened with dates???… hint hint :P)
xoxo
If we’re looking for optimum health and natural tastey goodness I would look for:
Low fat, No refined sugar, No nasty protein powder, Vegan.
All whole nuts, seeds, quinoa, rice crisps, dried fruit like apricots, cherries, strawberries, etc.
POP bar like someone suggested earlier seems like a great fit.
I have always love anything that has to do with Larabar bars. I miss them, haven’t had them in years.
I love the KIND Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate ones…soooo good.
i would want lots of almonds in it..also loads of dark chocolate..:)..as for the name “POP Bar”!
😉
I am a huge fan of the kind bars. I tried a sea salt dark chocolate almond bar a few weeks ago and really liked how the salt complements the sweet in the chocolate. I like when a protein bar has fruit, dark chocolate and almonds. I like when I can see the actual ingredients.
Great Post! I might try the ThinkThin bar.
Have you tried the Vega Energizing Smoothie? It’s Plant Based and Vegan and taste great. You just add water and go. I think you should try it.
perfect foods bars are my favorite because they are all whole foods and there is not any of that soy lesatin emulsifier which makes everything shelf stable, and instead these are refrigerated. I tried making my own with peanut butter, honey, protein powder and nuts and they turned out delish!
one bar that you didn’t try is Zone’s Perfectly Simple bars. I LOVE them. there are only 10 ingredients or less, so it’s one of the more natural kinds of bars. I’ve tried the cranberry almond and the toasted coconut and they’re delicious! I’m tired of the chemical taste of most protein bars so I was pretty happy to find a tasty one with few ingredients.
I’ve never heard of the Zone’s Perfectly Simple bars. I’ll have to add that to my list of ones to check out.
I love larabars pre workout or for those days where I am in need of a little dessert but don’t want to go overboard! I’ve never tried the think think crunch bar but if sounds amazing. Looks like I’ll be making a trip to Sprouts today to pick up some! I’m a sucker for crunchy bars
Quest bars are my favorite! You should try looking them up online. Vitamin shoppe is the only place by us that has them. Cinnamon and apple pie are my fav but there are a lot to choose from. Theyre high in protein and fiber and make me feel satisfied and energized.
I would love a bar with honey and almond butter. I like almond better than peanut butter. I also try to look for protein bars with not a lot of soy in them.
We don’t have any of these in England I don’t think but we have these bars called ‘nakd’ which are AMAZING and so healthy and are perfect for pre and post workout 🙂 Or just any time of day, I love them! 100% vegan too I think, they are just amazing 🙂
and 100% raw too!
I would prefer a recipe for us to make ourselves rather than a bar to buy. Sell the recipe even! 🙂
I always carry around a lara bar as an emergency meal, i wouldn’t eat it as just a snack or a regular granola bar to my lunch. They are sooo natural (i make my own sometimes), naturally junk food tasting and super filling. My favorite is the coconut cream of chocolate chip cookie!
Hi Cassey!
First, I want to share the bar I luv: Pure Protein in the flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter. It has a just 2g of sugar and 20g of protein. Very low glycemic index. However, you have to build up an acquired taste for it. Lara bars are awesome for quick energy, but this bar will sustain your energy for long-lasting runs and workouts.
To answer your question, I think my dream energy bar should definitely have bluberries!
Take care!
Lara bar has a blueberry muffin flavour?
I am a Larabar fan through and through! They are so nutritious (so few ingredients, raw, no sugar added!) and delicious, in my opinion! The think thin bars are too processed for me!
The winner sounds great but very bummed to read it has soy in it. Avoiding soy at all costs for it’s hormonal influence right now. I’ve made my own Larabars and it’s nice to adjust the sweetness. I think the storebought ones are too sweet too!
Do you have a recipe for your Lara bars? I also do not do soy. Thanks!
I would want all natural ingredients ; peanuts, coconuts, mango, ETC.
You could name one Beast Mode 🙂
Hey Cassey,
I think the best would be nuts, oat, and different fruits inside like barries, or banana… I also like coconut…maybe there could be two tiped banana with coconut, and barries. If it is not taste enough maybe a we could add a little honey or something which sweetens them 🙂
Vik
Anything with maple syrup, just because of the flavour. I personally don’t like added sweetness, but as a pick me up/ on the go a little maple syrup would do the world of good. 🙂
My perfect nutrition is banana 🙂 And some nuts. And actually these kind of bars are super easy to make at home. You should try it Cass!
I’ve actually been perfecting a recipe, and I think I finally came up with the perfect recipe
http://healthyrevelations.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/all-natural-low-calorie-protein-bars/
I also have made a few larabars (which i make into lara”bites”) and superfood energy bites
http://healthyrevelations.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/homemade-larabars-recipe-cashew-cookie/
http://healthyrevelations.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/homemade-larabars-peanut-butter-and-jelly-flavored/
http://healthyrevelations.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/homemade-larabars-peanut-butter-cookie-flavored/
http://healthyrevelations.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/superfood-preworkout-energy-bites/
I’m not sure what I’d like in it, but I agree that a lot of the protein bars out there are dry and it makes them difficult to even chew! :/. A big problem for me is that I discovered a few years back that I was lactose intolerant and I’m also allergic to cashews and walnuts…so all things chocolate and milk/butter/whey is a big no-no for me and since basically all bars have cashews, well it’s difficult. Also, here in Sweden the assortment of bars aren’t all that great. I guess I’d like something like dates in them, to get it chewy in a nice, soft way…
I found this bar a few weeks ago:
Nakd Nudies: Gingerbread Raw Wholefood Bar 35g.
It was quite delicious actually, but it’s not all that much protein in it so it’s more like a snack thing maybe. http://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/fruit-bar-raw-nakd-gingerbread.html
Just thought I’d share it at least 🙂
Like Tiffany, I am also allergic to all nuts. I would like something with no nuts but gives you all the above mentioned nutrients because of people with allergies!
I would make a bar with nuts, oats and honey. And some seeds on top!
That does sound delicious!
A pecan bar! I just love pecans and would die for a nutrition bar filled with them. It would be sugar free as well, or at least with very little sugar and a bunch of peanutbutter in it.
truebar is my favorite, I don’t know where they are based out of so they might not be everywhere.
Oh Cassey 🙂 you are amazing 🙂 What we have done without you ? :)))))
I’ve never tried those bars, but I do love larabars. I guess I’ll have to give the winning bar a try.
I looooooove think thin!!! But…1.69/bar…it’s a splurge. I like larbars and Yes I make my own and Yes they are sweet but the sugar is from fruit and I personally don’t think it’s that bad! I’ve had that kind bar while traveling recently and it’s pretty good.
I would like to see a bar with greens, vegetables instead of fruit, with much protein and maybe quinoa or oats and maybe a little bit of nuts.
I was at Trader Joe’s yesterday and couldn’t help but pick up a few myself! I actually don’t eat bars that often, but I bought one for a “healthier” dessert to quench cravings and another to bring along in my bag in case I don’t have anything to eat and I’ve been out for a while (I also like them for hikes).
I picked up the Pure Organic Chocolate Brownie Bar (for dessert). I think this might be too sweet for you, if the others are too sweet (because the base is made up of dates… and I’m a huge fan of the Kind Almond & Coconut that you said was too sweet, but I have a HUGE sweet tooth and love honey. This is a bit less sweet than that though). I really enjoyed it though… fudgy and sweet. Not quite like a brownie, but it was a good stand-in.
I also picked up the Trader Joe’s Five Seed Almond Bars (flax, poppy, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin seeds and almonds). I haven’t tried it yet, but the nutrition label isn’t that bad (110 cal, 16g carbs, 8g sugar, 4.5g fat. Not much protein though).
And the Think Thin White Chocolate Bars for my mother (she’s diabetic and it has 0g of sugar… Otherwise, she tends to buy sweets from the vending machine). She really enjoyed it. I was too scared to try it though.
Oh! And I was sent 2 bars from the Two Degrees Line (haven’t tried yet… Apple Pecan and Cherry Almond. Might save these when craving dessert).
Wouldn’t you want a preworkout bar to have a different composition of nutrients than a postworkout bar? (i.e. a preworkout would have a high percentage carbs and smaller amount of protein and fat b/c carbs are much easier to digest quickly; whereas a postworkout would have more protein, a moderate amount of carbs and some fat to replenish your muscle glycogen stores and repair muscle.) Plus, if you are trying to eat the version closest to real food, rather than eating a lot of additives, the lara bars win by a mile.
Ive heard a lot of good things about Quest bars, but im from NZ so have to order them in. Im going to give them a go in a few weeks 🙂 If anyone else is from NZ and has a cheaper local option holla at me?! 🙂 If you were to invent a new bar Cassie id be keen to see some without nuts! Not a huge fan, and also some more fruity ones? With actual natural fruit? A lot seem to have processed flavours just to get that fruit flavour when they could just easily add some yummy fruits 🙂
I always look for a lot of protein in a bar, usually more than 10 grams (ideally about 20) and around 200 calories or less. I was a little disappointed when I looked back at the luna bars in my pantry and saw they only have 8 grams of protein. They are very tasty though and a nice but filling portion.
Have you had the Odwalla Protein bars? I used to eat those a lot and really liked them (the flavor I usually had though was chocolate.)
Try (or have your friend try) the ThinkThin CRUNCHY peanut butter bar! It’s somehow better than the creamy one, but is also creamy. Tastes great to me, and I love how much protein it has.
I really love wellness food’s the simply bars! they’ve usually got less than 10 ingredients that are pronounceable, with fewer grams of sugar than fibre (3 g of sugar vs 4g of fiber), and about 16 grams of protein; all for only about 160 calories! and the perfect bar would HAVE to include peanut butter!
I think it would be wonderful to have a gluten-free bar that tasted great and was good for you. It would have plenty of nuts and seeds, in particular, sunflower, chia, millet, and peanuts. And it would come in different flavors, like honey, berry, and chocolate for those sweet-toothed people. 🙂 a name? I have no idea.
i love the Vega bars. the Vega One (like the shakes but in a bar, say whattt) are out now but i couldn’t get my hands on em just yet, can’t wait. i love a bar who gives me grains, fruits, little bit of fat too. something complete, with protein, who counts as a “small complete meal” (okay, okay, small complete snack :p), cus i can’t eat on a regular schedule when i’m at work (cashier in a pharmacy, i have breakfast at 7 and lunch at 2pm, ugh!) so i sneak in a bar and nibble when no client is in sight 🙂 (shh don’t tell my boss 😡 )
The perfect bar would be vegan and gluten free. I want to try so many of these bars but they aren’t vegan or gluten free so I can’t have them!!!
I love bars with almonds, coconut, peanut butter, chocolate etc. Not as big of a fan of dried fruit bars personally. I want something filling, that will be satisfying and a good booster mid day!
Yum! The chocolate coconut one sounds fantastic. Of course, I am just a coconut fan. It would be like a healthier Almond joy!
I love peanut butter in my bars! (Well, always!) Right now peanut butter and cranberries are striking me as a good/interesting combo. Maybe some oats for a bit of crunch too 🙂
haha… meant to say I love peanut butter in everything!
Try the Pure Bars, next time. Full of whole ingredients and they taste delicious, low in carbs and all natural sugars too!
we don’t have those brans in México >_-< i buy here some bars with fruit in the center but i don't know if that bars are good for snack (i'm sorry for my super bad english)
we don’t hace those brans in México >_-< i buy here some bars with fruit in the center but i don't know if that bars are good for snack (i'm sorry for my super bad english)
IMO the ThinkThin bars with the alcohol sugar have almost a tangy, numbing sensation on the tongue. They also lead to some very unfortunate bad breath unless you follow up with an entire bottle of water (and sometimes even then you get bad breath). That being said they are quite filling. The white chocolate flavor is the best, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like white chocolate!
My favorites are the Luna bars. Some are overwhelmingly sweet, I think the yoghurt covered are the worst offenders in that category. My favorite of those is the caramel brownie, which sounds really sweet but isn’t. Second is the peanut butter cookie (I believe that’s what it’s called).
I love Positrim Berry Protein Bars, they have 22g protein and only 4g carbs and they taste delicious!
white chocolate macademia luna bars or chocolate peanut butter cliff builders bars!!
I love Luna bars! The KIND bars were a bit too blah/dry to me. I can see why they would appeal to others though since they are very “natural” tasting..idk haha. But Luna bars fill me up! I like the yogurt glaze, with some fruits in it, a bit crunchy. I’m not much of a peanut butter person, but the Nature’s Valley peanut butter bars are good!
If possible, something with high fiber and protein but low carb/sugar and fat! and some more morning-friendly flavors – i.e. not all desserty and chocolate act. what about fresh flavors like fruits? and oatmeal? even coffee…:)
I like this battle of the bars!
I actually prefer to make my own protein bars – so I know what’s in them and then simply freeze the batch and when I have a busy day, I throw it in my purse and by the time I need to eat it, it has thawed out. If I do have a bar, I rely on something low in sugar and higher in protein.
I acutally really like Larabars, especially the cherry and pumpkin pie flavors. They’re not ideal, but to me they taste the least “healthy” of all the bars I’ve tried! If it were up to me, we’d be looking at a world of pistachios, dried cherries, and those yogurt bites that come in cereal…mmm…. 🙂
I love my Luna Bars!!! Great post! And if you were to make an original bar, I would want variety of flavors!!! Low carb if possible, but I do need my carbs so…
ohhhh man!! i thought you’d never ask!! haha i LOVE almonds!! and im definitely with you on not liking anything too sweet.. i had a “trail mix” bar once and it wouldve been great but it was waaayyyy too sweet and it ruined it for me!! i prefer sweetening things with dried berries and fruits! omg i wonder if you could use dried bananas??? that would be amazing! and of course it needs peanut butter! everything tastes better with that in it!! lol man i should really start experimenting on my own with some of these ingredients!! haha
QUEST! You have to try these. They are the best bars by far. None of these compare to a Quest bar. My favorites are Cinnamon Roll and Cookie Dough (warning: chocolate in this one) But they have Coconut Cashew, Apple Pie, etc.
I usually have the Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe Bar…i love those, it has 20 grams of protein, 2 grams of sugar, 180 calories.
If i were to make an “ultimate bar”, it would be coconut or chocolate or maple almond butter flavored. YUM-OH!
ohhhh man! i thought you’d never ask!! i LOVE almonds! haha im definitely with you on not wanting something too sweet! i prefer using dried berries and fruits to sweeten things:) man i wonder if you could use dried bananas?? that would be amazing!! and of course it needs peanut butter!! that tastes amazing in everything!! haha i really think i should start experimenting on my own with some of this stuff!!
I actually really like these 2 degree bars; not sure if they’re at trader joes… but they have a mission to donate a meal for each bar they sale!! http://twodegreesfood.com/mission/our-approach/
i think they taste pretty good too 🙂
My favorite is the QuestBar. They have many different flavors and I like them all 🙂
I totally agree! I love the think thin bars! The only problem with it is that I love them so much I want a couple…and then I think you know what happens after that! Lol! Don’t let me get stuck on an airplane! Thanks for sharing!
I’m quite intimidated by supplements and bars and shakes so I really wouldn’t know but I am interested in everyone’s answer!
I like Candice Foods Chocolate Cherry protein bars (they have other flavors too). They are free of gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs and corn. I was skeptical but they really taste good!
I don’t really like many of the bars you used. but I LOVE Luna bars! Try the peppermint (tastes just like a YORK pattie) and blueberry ones! They’re the best!
Also, Kroger’s Simple Truth Organic brand makes some pretty yummy bars too. If you have a Kroger or Kroger banner store near you that sells them, pick up a chocolate one!
I love the Luna Bar in Lemon Zest, it seems like such a treat! (while still being mostly good for you).
I’d love a bar packed with protein without so, full of nuts and cranberries 🙂
I normally buy the luna protein bars! [not mentioned here] They’re super tasty (mostly just the chocolate ones :X) and have tons of protein. Last year, after training for about three months with no muscle/strength gain, my brother (who is a weight trainer) suggested adding more protein. I already eat three squares and snacks in my day so I had no idea how! I also limit my calorie intake (to a reasonable amount) so a lower calorie – higher protein bar was ideal. This post is great though!
honey, almonds, and walnuts! 🙂
I like Candice Foods Chocolate Cherry (they have other flavors too). Candice Foods offer protein bars that are free of gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, soy, eggs and corn. I was skeptical but they’re really good!
The best bar would have absolutely no peanut-y stuff since I’m deathly allergic to them! But it would have lots of seeds I love: like pumpkins and sunflower. Lots of fruit is yummy too!
What if there was a “green monster” version of a bar??? So cool. 🙂
Oh my gosh. A green monster version of a bar would be FANTASTIC. Great to get some veggies in. 🙂 I always try to make everything “green monster,” haha, but never thought of a bar!
craisins & cashews or pistachios & chocolate chips
with oats & honey of course
Strawberries or cranberries, mixed nuts, yogurt “glaze”
Something involving peanuts or peanut butter:) oats, or something to add the “crisp” excited to see what you put together!:)
I like Trader Joes own brand of granola bars.. their sweet trail mix ones, yum! per bar: 150 cals, 5g fat, 23g carbs, 3g protein and 9g sugar. I need a lot of carbs so they’re good for me; theyve got some nice fiber ones too… If i was gonna make my own itd have oats, maple sugar/syrup, regular and chocolate almonds (yes, chocolate almonds are a real thing), cranberries, and cinnamon :3
i am all about my herbalife bar….15 grams of protein, 3 grams fiber, 15 grams of carbs and 8 grams of sugar in a tasty cookies and cream :0)
I really like LaraBars – well some of the varieties – since they are paleo and gluten free – that is what I look for in a bar. I don’t want refined sugar at all.
Thank you for posting this.
I agree with you on Think Thin. The sugar containing ones actually curb your appetite, at least that happened to me :/
It would have almonds, cranberries, cashews, pumpkin seeds, oats, and a touch of honey 😀
That sounds amazing! Julie, you should get on this!
One problem I’ve dealt with over the years with the bars is that they all seem to have some sort of nut. I’ve not always been able to have those due to allergies. So..maybe something nut free might be nice. Maybe? 🙂