Quick Bites: Protein Bar Reviews (Round 1)
January has been a bit of a blur. I can’t say I don’t know where the time is going… I know exactly where it is. I’ve got 10 million activities going on. But that’s how I like it, so I’m not complaining 🙂
That said, it’s a little tricky to stay on track with healthy eating, when there is barely time to stop and eat, much less prepare something. I’ve been snacking on protein bars in the afternoon, to carry me between lunch and dinner, since sometimes dinner is later than my stomach would prefer.
Let me start by saying I’m not generally a big fan of protein bars. I feel like most of them have too many calories, too many weird ingredients, and not enough protein and fiber. I’d much prefer a bowl of Greek yogurt and some fruit. Unfortunately, that doesn’t exactly travel well. Anyways, I’ve accepted that protein bars can be necessary, and even tasty. These are some of my favorites (and least favorites) that I’ve tried recently.
Kashi– Go Lean Crisp!
160 calories, 5g fiber, 8g protein. Less calories and a great taste. It’s the perfect bar to tide you over before dinner, but it won’t necessarily keep you full for hours. The cinnamon flavor was great, and it didn’t have that artificial flavor that some bars do.
Clif Builder’s Bar
270 calories, 4g fiber, 20g protein. This one packs in lots of protein, but also a lot of calories. Again, the ingredients list isn’t my favorite, but more importantly, I didn’t like the taste at all. It had that chalky protein powder taste. I won’t be getting this one again.
KIND Apple Cinnamon
180 calories, 5g fiber, 3g protein. I absolutely love the taste of KIND bars and the ingredients list is awesome. It’s less protein and fiber than some of the other bars, but I think the trade offs for ingredients and taste are totally worth it. It didn’t keep me full forever, but it did taste awesome. (And they have them at Starbucks, so that’s a bonus!)
My favorite bars are Clif Mojo! I only eat them before I teach my Group Ex classes, but they work, have decent stats, and taste great!
That coffee cake bar sounds great! I love luna bars of all sorts, but I know some people don’t like their protein bars!
Oh I do like Luna bars! I want to try the fiber ones!
i would love to know what you think of the think thin bars! mainly the nutrition information. i know that they aren’t “real food” and always feel conflicted when i eat one. they are super convenient though, and i love the white chocolate ones so much that they feel like an indulgence 🙂
any of these soy free?
Have you ever tried Lara Bars or Pure Bars? I love them especially the chocolate brownie pure bar YUM! Literally tastes like a brownie especially if you heat it up 🙂 I enjoy making my own bars as well, saves money + you know EXACTLY what ingredients are inside. I have several recipes throughout my blog but my favorite is: http://blog.starsystemz.com/2012/12/holiday-cheer-healthy-gift-ideas/ I would add protein powder in the oatmeal stars but promise they are AMAZING + Simple to make! Love + Shine C
Pure bars are really tasty. A little lighter on the protein but all natural ingredients!
Hey! I’m not really into protein bars as they often have a weird texture! We have some great raw vegan bars in the uk called nakd bsrs, which i love. When i was in NYC i did pick up some Luna bars, which were nice. I’d recommend the s’mores one 🙂
I am not an advocate of protein bars/cereal bars… But if people do need to have one, I would only recommend Lara Bars because they only have whole natural ingredients with no fillers. But honestly, if people ask me what to eat on the go for protein I recommend grass-fed beef jerky (sugar free) or hard boiled eggs. Those are the best protein sources on the go for sure… And if you’re vegetarian/vegan, go for nuts and seeds or hemp seeds!
Try Think Thin bars. No sugar! I had the chunky peanut butter bar for breakfast a couple of days this past week and they have 280 calories and 20 grams protein!
mmm I love cliff bars. You should try ThinkThin bars!