What we love: These bars are a great option for anyone who dislikes a typical dense protein bar. They’re crispy and light despite packing a hefty 15 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, and they truly do evoke that familiar lunchbox goodie. They’re available in a wide range of flavors (think Snickerdoodle, Matcha, Banana Bread, Vanilla, and Chocolate Chip), so I’d recommend picking up a variety pack if it’s your first time trying them.
What we’d leave: If whey protein powders tend to give you tummy troubles, we’d recommend steering clear of these bars.
How we tested protein bars
To test protein bars, we did what was necessary: tasted a lot of protein bars. To find those bars, we sourced recommendations from fellow BA staffers and browsed grocery store aisles to find new-to-us brands. We tried to taste multiple flavors of a given brand when possible and made notes on taste, texture, and nutritional content for each bar.
Other protein bars we like
Most protein bars resemble a large eraser made up of thick, uniform paste. Gluten-free Kind Protein Bars, on the other hand, have actual texture and crunch. They’re quite similar to the original Kind bars in taste and appearance—they’re packed full of almonds and peanuts, but they have double the amount of protein and keep you full longer thanks to 5 grams of fiber from chicory roots. The main protein supplement here is soy protein isolate, so if you have any soy sensitivities, these should be avoided.
The Perfect Bar Dark Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter
Perfect Bar
Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Protein Bar
According to contributor Nicki Campo in her 2021 review, the Perfect Bar completely lives up to its name. Made by Perfect Snacks, it vaguely resembles a chewy candy bar and also kind of tastes like one. With a powdered blend of 20 superfoods that include things like tomato and carrot, the bar keeps things healthy with lots of vitamins and minerals that’s balanced with an addictively sweet taste reminiscent of a Reese’s peanut butter cup courtesy of some freshly ground nut butter—which Campo also calls one of the brand’s secrets to “perfect texture.”
Think’s High Protein bars come in 13 flavors and have an impressive 15 or 20 grams of protein depending on which one you choose—plus they’re pretty easy to find out in the wild. These ranked in the middle of the pack in our taste test—not terrible, but they have a soy-protein-forward aftertaste we didn’t love. They’re a perfectly edible option should you come across them at a gas station or grocery store.
Misfits is similar to Barebells in that their bars read like high-protein candy bars. The flavors we tried were pretty tasty, but we ultimately liked Barebells flavor, texture, and protein content more and would opt for one over a Misfits bar if given the choice.
Mush
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bar
You may know Mush from their single-serving overnight oats, available in flavors like Blueberry, Apple Cinnamon, and Vanilla Bean in grocery stores next to the yogurt. The brand now has a line of protein bars with a similarly simple, whole-foods-focused ingredient list made up primarily of rolled oats. They’re bound with coconut oil, honey, and dates—no artificial sweeteners in sight. The protein comes from a milk protein concentrate and clocks in at a very solid 15 grams. We thoroughly enjoyed the taste and texture of these, though it is worth noting that like the brand’s other products, they need to be refrigerated. They come in three flavors: peanut butter chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, and maple cinnamon.
I was intrigued by these whey-based bars because of their incredibly short (3–5) ingredient list. They’re essentially whey protein isolate bound together by nuts and honey, and while that may sound gross, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of these bars. That said, I wouldn’t necessarily reach for them over any of the top picks on this list—I found the flavor a bit flat and thought these could’ve benefitted from a dash of sea salt.
The best way I can describe Pure Protein bars is that they taste like a quintessential protein bar—you know, a chewy brick made up of protein and miscellaneous processed ingredients that’s relatively tasty (if very unnatural). I didn’t mind the flavor of these, but they were outperformed by the bars that made our top picks.
