Protein Bar Reviews

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company mentioned in this or any other blog post. Any content provided is my own opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual.

I'm a big fan of protein bars (and cookies, etc) as a handy, portable snack. I've tried a huge number of protein snacks over the years and I wanted to compile my thoughts into a blog post (that I intend to update) so that others can determine if they'd like to spend money on these products. I don't usually take pictures of these snacks but I will make a concerted effort to do so and add them to this post.

Brand: Barebells

Flavors Tried: Creamy Crisp, Cookies & Cream, Peanut Caramel Soft Protein Bar, Hazelnut Nougat

Review: I haven't met a Barebells flavor I didn't like! My favorite flavor is the Creamy Crisp, which I think tastes like a Milky Way bar with the crispy rice you'd associate with a Crunch bar. There is no overwhelming protein aftertaste to any of the bars. The hazelnut flavor really comes through in the Hazelnut Nougat bar. The Peanut Caramel bar really has the softest, chewiest texture of any protein bar I have ever tried. It tastes like a candy bar! Cookies & Caramel also tastes like a candy bar, from the cookie dough center with thin caramel coating to the crispy rice on the outside.

Rating: 9/10

New boxes of Barebells bars

Brand: David Protein

Flavors Tried: Blueberry Pie, Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cake Batter

Review: I bought the sample pack, which contained one bar of each of the four flavors that David Protein makes. The Fudge Brownie was my favorite because it contained fudgy chunks that added a delicious flavor and texture. the Blueberry Pie was also good and an unusual flavor for a protein bar, but it did have a protein-powder aftertaste. The Cake Batter bar was the least objectionable of any of the cake batter flavored bars I have tried; it's not a flavor I generally choose to purchase. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough had a definite cookie dough flavor but it had a strong protein aftertaste. For the macros, these bars were very good but I would not repurchase at the current price (~$4 per bar).

Rating: 6/10

Brand: Misfits Health

Flavors Tried: Cookie Butter

Review: I noticed that Misfits has totally changed their lineup of bars over the past few years, so I may need to try their new releases. These are plant-based bars, so they are great for folks following a vegan lifestyle. I really enjoyed the cookie butter flavor when I bought it in 2022. It does taste like cookie butter and did not have a protein aftertaste. The sale pricing is also good.

Rating: 8/10

Brand: Legendary Tasty Pastry

Flavors Tried: Red Velvet, Hot Fudge, Chocolate Cake, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon

Review: I haven't met a Tasty Pastry I didn't like. Granted, I have not tried the Cake Batter flavor (not my thing) or the Strawberry flavor. The texture was less crispy and more cakey than a regular toaster pastry like Pop Tarts. I think the Tasty Pastry is more satisfying due to the macronutrient content. You do NOT put these in the toaster oven, but you can warm them up in the microwave. I generally do but I have been burned by the filling a few times.

Rating: 8/10

Brand: Legendary Protein Sweet Rolls

Flavors Tried: Cinnamon, Chocolate, Wild Berry

Review: All three flavors are very enjoyable, especially after being warmed in the microwave. You really feel that you are having a sweet treat eaten with a nice hot beverage, but it is made more satisfying by the protein content. The Wild Berry tasted like blueberry, for the record.

Rating: 9/10

Brand: Dive Bar Nutrition

Flavors Tried: Dump Truck Brownie, Trash Can Cookie, Or-yo Cheezcake, Monster Mash

Review: I had heard such good things about these bars from Weight Watchers influencers on Instagram that I wanted to try them. Not a single one of the flavors was particularly appealing to me, and none met my expectations at all. Or example, if a protein bar is "Oreo cheesecake" flavored, I expect it to taste like Oreo cookies and have a little tang from the cream cheese. There was a faint chocolate flavor and nothing more. The trash can cookie tasted like a hardened sugar cookie with a few mini M&Ms. The flavor of the other two bars was similarly unremarkable. The texture was so hard/chewy that I was afraid to lose a filling, and there was a weird greasy sheen on the bars themselves that made them very hard to eat out of the wrapper (which I had to do to keep my fingers clean). Finally, the bars are tiny compared to competitor bars.

Rating: 2/10

Brand: Healthy Eating On the Go

Flavors Tried: Low-Carb Chia, Peanut, Chocolate Oat,  Chocolate Protein, Chocolate Mint, Cranberry, Blueberry Dark Chocolate, Coffee, Coffee Mocha, Apple Pie, Banana Crunch

Review: This company has the shortest ingredients list and contains the most whole food products of any protein bar producer I have tried. This is also a small, family-owned business. Their bars are sweetened with a few grams of honey, so not suitable for strict vegans but good for those who cannot tolerate artificial sweeteners. They are nut-based so they are not suitable for people with peanut and tree nut allergies. There are dairy-free options but I have not personally tried them. I have bought the sample pack, which allows you to try many of the bar flavors, and cases upon cases of the Chocolate Protein and Low-Carb Chia bars.

The Low-Carb Chia and Chocolate Protein bars are staples for me. I keep cases of each in my desk drawer at work and usually eat one with my morning cup of coffee. They are the most satiating flavors, in my opinion, and ensure that I eat enough healthy fat in the morning while also getting in some protein. All of the bar flavors I have tried are truly delicious, with no protein powder taste whatsoever. I cannot recommend these bars enough.

Rating: 10/10