After taste-testing several products and reading hundreds of user reviews, we've narrowed down a list of the best protein bars. Here are the ones to keep in your snack drawer.
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In terms of taste, ingredients and convenience, RXBAR Protein Bars stand out from the crowd. They come in a variety of flavors, including Chocolate Sea Salt, Blueberry and Peanut Butter, and the bars contain a surprisingly short list of real food ingredients—no artificial additives here.
Most RXBAR Protein Bars contain 12 grams of protein, and reviewers rave about their delicious taste: “This bar is amazing and exceeded all my expectations by far,” writes one reviewer of the Chocolate Sea Salt flavor. “It’s perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, plus the dates make it chewy like a brownie.”
Certain RXBAR flavors do contain a bit more sugar than other protein bars—generally between 12 and 15 grams—but you can’t beat them for a healthy snack on the go.
Some protein bars have a chalky taste that lingers in your mouth—not exactly appealing. If you’re looking for bars that taste great, you can’t go wrong with the Power Crunch Whey Protein Bars. They’re made from crispy wafer cookies sandwiched around a rich filling, and they come in flavors like Peanut Butter Fudge and Chocolate Mint.
These protein bars contain 13 grams of protein and 5 grams of sugar, and reviewers rave about their superior texture and flavor: “These bars are so good! It is just like eating a Kit Kat. Crispy wafers with peanut butter filling in between and covered in chocolate. Yum!”
If you’re looking for a protein bar to help along your weight loss journey, the No Cow High Protein Bars are a top pick. They contain 21 grams of protein and 17 grams of fiber per bar, yet they’re extremely low in sugar and net carbs. There are a wide range of flavors available—including Crunchy Peanut Butter, Blueberry Cobbler and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough—and they’re made with plant-based protein, making them suitable for vegans.
Reviewers love that the No Cow bars have more protein than other vegan snacks, and most agree the taste is good, though the texture can take a while to get used to. Just keep in mind that these bars do contain 5 grams of sugar alcohol.
When you’re focusing on building muscle, it’s important to eat high-protein foods, so stock up on FITCRUNCH Protein Bars. While they are quite pricey, these bars contain a whopping 30 grams of protein each, making it easier to meet your daily goals. Plus, they taste more like candy bars than traditional protein bars, sporting a six-layer design with a cakey core and crunchy peanuts, all dipped in chocolate: “The peanut butter flavor is easily the best protein bar I’ve ever had,” writes one reviewer. “It’s not quite a candy bar, but it’s not far off either. The textures are so good, and the flavor is all there.”
The FITCRUNCH Protein Bars contain 380 calories each, and you’ll want to keep in mind that they contain quite a bit of sugar alcohol—16 grams per bar, to be precise—which may cause a bit of upset if you have a sensitive stomach.
It might seem tricky to eat a lot of protein if you’re vegan or vegetarian, but with the right protein-packed meals and foods, you’ll have no problem hitting your nutrient goals. The ALOHA Organic Protein Bars are made using plant-based protein, making them a great choice for vegans looking to incorporate more protein into their diet. Each bar contains 14 grams of protein with just 5 grams of sugar, and they’re quite high in fiber, as well, with 10 grams per bar.
These vegan protein bars are available in a variety of flavors, including Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Vanilla Almond Crunch and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and reviewers have positive things to say about the taste and texture: “I like the chewy texture, and it somehow winds up feeling more hearty of a snack without feeling heavy. Not overly sweet, but sweet enough it feels a little like a treat.”
The JIMMYBAR Beauty High Protein Bars are designed with women in mind. Not only does each bar contain 13 grams of protein and 190 calories, but they also contain a collagen supplement, which can help improve skin, hair growth, joint health and more.
Some reviewers do note that the White Berry Bliss flavor can be a bit dry, and they’re fairly expensive at full price. However, the good news is that you can frequently find them on sale, allowing you to pick up a box at a more reasonable cost.
Trying to cut back on sugar in your diet? Then you’ll definitely want to stock up on the uber-popular Quest Nutrition Protein Bars, which have just 1 gram of sugar per bar. These tasty bars contain 20 grams of protein, and most flavors have more than 10 grams of fiber, too.
There’s no shortage of Quest Bar flavors to choose from—reviewer favorites include Birthday Cake, Lemon Cake and Double Chocolate Chunk. And many reviewers commented on the brand’s new recipe, which is softer and easier to chew. Sounds like a good improvement to us!
The Extend Nutrition Anytime Bar is designed for people with diabetes and pre-diabetes, and these bars are clinically proven to help control blood sugar for up to nine hours. The bars contain between 9 and 12 grams of protein, depending on the flavor, and they’re low in calories as well, with less than 160 per bar. These protein bars don’t contain any added sugars, and you can get them in a variety pack or flavors like Peanut Butter or Rich Chocolate.
The reviews are filled with anecdotes from people living with diabetes who have had great results with these bars: “My 9-year-old daughter has Type 1 diabetes, and we could not find a bedtime snack that stabilized her overnight blood sugar—until her diabetes educator recommended the Extend Bar,” writes Sandra, a verified Amazon buyer. “It REALLY does what it claims to do—stops blood sugar from going too low overnight.”
To maximize your protein intake, you’ll need a product like the MET-Rx Big 100 Colossal Protein Bars, which is extremely high in protein. Designed as a meal replacement bar, they contain 30+ grams of protein, are between 300 and 410 calories, and have a variety of vitamins and minerals. There are also five flavors to choose from. Just keep in mind that certain flavors contain a lot of sugar—for instance, the Peanut Butter Pretzel flavor contains 28 grams of sugar per bar.
Reviewers say these protein bars are extremely filling, and many like the texture and flavor, too: “These are very large and filling, which I am guessing is the point,” says one reviewer. “It has a ton of protein, and I typically break it up into smaller portions to eat throughout the day.”
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a lower calorie option than the Protein One Protein Bars, which contain just 90 calories each. They come in flavors like Chocolate Chip, Strawberries and Cream, and Salted Caramel Crisp. Despite being low in calories, each bar packs 10 grams of protein with only 1 gram of sugar. (They do contain 4 grams of sugar alcohol, though.)
According to reviewers, these protein bars aren’t the best-tasting option out there, but they’re convenient and affordable. “They have a nice satisfying chewy texture and a little bit of chocolate for your sweet tooth,” writes one reviewer. “The 90 calorie count is a bonus for when you want a small snack without racking up too many calories.”
If you follow a keto diet, which involves eating high levels of fat and protein and limited carbs, the think! Keto Protein Bars are a great snack to keep in your kitchen cupboard. Each bar has 10 grams of protein and just 4 net carbs, and there are a few flavors to choose from, including Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie and Chocolate Mousse Pie.
Many reviewers say the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor tastes similar to a Reese’s, but they do warn that the chocolate coating of these bars is prone to melting in hot weather—so they’re probably not the best option to carry around in your bag.
Be sure to try our recipe for keto-friendly protein pancakes, too!
To compile this list, we relied on a combination of personal experience and user reviews. We’ve tried several of the protein bars included, but for those we haven’t tested, we looked for highly rated products and read through dozens of user reviews, evaluating what reviewers said about the product’s taste, texture and price.
We selected products that contain 10 grams of protein or more, and the majority of our picks are less than 300 calories and contain less than 10 grams of sugar. (There are a few exceptions, which we qualify below.)
