updated 10/29/20
I don’t know about you, but the protein/granola bar section of the grocery store (and the market in general) can be very overwhelming. I feel like there’s a new kind of bar, a new company, or a new flavor of bar every darn day. I’ve honestly tried almost every bar out there (maybe not every flavor, but the kind of bar), and I’ve narrowed down my favorites.
This really was not easy. There are things I like and don’t necessarily love about each bar (usually), but all things considered, there is one bar that stands above the rest. Read on to find out what it is, as well as what others I felt are worthy of sharing.
There is also a list at the end of bars that didn’t make my rankings, in case you’re wondering for comparison.
The winner…
Larabar
Tastes like: Strongly depends on the flavor, but they all taste very much like the flavor listed on the package. They’re perfectly sweet, in my opinion.
Texture: Soft and chewy, but not chewy in a bad way!
Made with: Dates, nuts, and occasionally fruit and/or spices.
Nutrition: Around 200 calories with 9 grams of fat and 15-20 grams of sugar (0 added). The new protein line has about 10 grams of protein as well.
Favorite flavors: Mint chip brownie, cashew cookie, and all the new protein bars!
Where to buy: Larabars are very accessible. They’re sold in most grocery stores, as well as on their website and on Amazon. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: These are perfect on-the-go because the taste and texture aren’t affected by heat or being smashed in a purse. There are also TONS of flavors!
4 Runners-up…
Perfect Bar
Tastes like: A legitimate block of nut butter.
Texture: Super soft and melt in your mouth!
Made with: Nuts, obviously! There’s over 20 superfoods in each bar, and they’re sweetened with honey or dates (vegan options available).
Nutrition: Average around 300 calories with 10-20 grams of fat, 10-15 grams of protein, and about 15 grams of sugar from the honey.
Favorite flavors: Dark chocolate peanut butter, coconut peanut butter, and trail mix!
Where to buy: Perfect Bars are sold on their website, on Amazon, and in most grocery stores! Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: These are stored/sold in the fridge, but they’re good for up to a week at room temperature!
Orgain
Tastes like: Raw cookie dough. If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with raw cookie dough 🙃
Texture: Soft and the slightest bit chewy with giant chocolate chips throughout.
Made with: Mainly made from a blend of pea protein and brown rice protein, along with tapioca syrup, a small amount of erythritol (sugar alcohol), nuts, and chocolate.
Nutrition: 150 calories, 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of erythritol.
Favorite flavor: S’mores.
Where to buy: Orgain bars are sold on their website, on Amazon, and they can be found in select grocery and supplement stores. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: The above notes are discussing the “Organic Protein Bars” line, but I do like the “simple” protein bars as well!
Hope Bars
Tastes like: A rice krispy treat that actually has flavor, and it’s perfectly sweet and rich!
Texture: A soft rice krispy treat.
Made with: Quinoa and millet puffs, nuts, hemp seeds, and brown rice syrup.
Nutrition: About 160 calories, 7 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and 7 grams of sugar. They feel bigger than that!
Favorite flavor: Peanut butter chocolate.
Where to buy: Find Hope Bars for sale on their website.
Special notes: These bars are truly UNIQUE. It’s different than the other 8 million bars on the market. I love supporting this small company, too!
R Bar
Tastes like: Very similar to a Larabar!
Texture: A soft chewiness, again like a Larabar.
Made with: Nuts, dates, dried fruit. Always 7 ingredients or less.
Nutrition: Usually just under 200 calories. About 9 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein.
Favorite flavor: Lemon Poppyseed and Chocolate Peanut Butter. Also the Honey Nut protein bar!
Where to buy: You can get them on their website.
Special notes: I love a simple bar, and these bars deliver big time in the flavor department. Super tasty and naturally sweet!
Honorable mentions:
RX Bar
Tastes like: Depends on the flavor, but somewhat similar to Larabars. However, these are much more dense and slightly sweeter.
Texture: Soft (as long as they’re fresh) and very, very chewy with chunks of nuts and/or chocolate throughout.
Made with: Nuts, dates, egg whites, and any necessary fruit and/or chocolate add-ins. “No B.S.” 🙂
Nutrition: About 200 calories, 9 grams of fat, 12 grams of protein, and 13 grams of sugar (0 added).
Favorite flavors: Chocolate sea salt, lemon, and maple sea salt.
Where to buy: RX Bars are sold in most grocery stores, and you can also buy them on their website or on Amazon. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: There is literally a flavor option for EVERYBODY!
Gratisfied
Tastes like: It almost tastes like banana bread. It’s not fruity though. It’s slightly sweet and super soft.
Texture: Think banana bread meets Larabar. I can’t even describe it, but it’s GOOD.
Made with: Almond butter, seeds, coconut, and some pea protein.
Nutrition: About 200 calories, 15 grams of healthy fats, 12 grams of protein, and only 2 grams of sugar.
Favorite flavor: I’ve only tried the Empower bar. There is a cacao bar and a vegan version.
Where to buy: Currently these are in stores in select states, or you can get them on their website. Click here for their store locator.
Special Notes: Another small company that I am happy to support 🙂
Clio
Tastes like: Cheesecake. No joke. With a chocolate coating. SUPER sweet and rich!
Texture: Soft like cheesecake on the inside with a thin chocolate coating that “snaps”.
Made with: Greek yogurt, chocolate, cane sugar, and a little bit of whey protein.
Nutrition: About 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, and 10 grams of sugar.
Favorite flavor: Vanilla.
Where to buy: You can buy these online and in select stores such as Walmart, but they’re not always easy to find. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: These are also a really unique bar. Since they’re made with greek yogurt, they contain probiotics (gut health). 🤓 I love putting mine in the freezer!
Kate’s Real Food
Tastes like: A Clif bar, but 20x better. It’s not as dense, and the nut butter flavor is pretty strong.
Texture: Soft! Also dense, but still light. Slightly chewy.
Made with: Oats, honey, nuts, and necessary chocolate, fruit, and/or seeds.
Nutrition: (for entire bar) About 250 calories, 10-12 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, and 15 grams of sugar.
Favorite flavors: Peanut butter hemp & flax and peanut butter dark chocolate.
Where to buy: These are making their way to stores around the US. You can always find them online though. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: The wrapper lists these as two servings… but they aren’t 🙃
Rise Bars
Tastes like: Similar to a Perfect Bar in that the taste resembles a block of nut butter. They’re pretty sweet, and you can taste the honey (in the flavors that use it). Very simple, yet incredible, taste!
Texture: Soft, smooth, and not hard to chew. No chunks of anything.
Made with: Nuts, protein, and honey or coconut nectar to sweeten.
Nutrition: 250-300 calories, 10-15 grams of fat, 15-20 grams of protein, and about 15 grams of sugar.
Favorite flavors: Chocolatey coconut (plant-based) and almond honey (whey).
Where to buy: You can find Rise Bars in many grocery stores, especially more “health focused” ones. You can also get them on their website and on Amazon. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: I tend to stick with the plant-based flavors. The almond honey bar is WAY good though (and literally just the three ingredients!). Pop these in the microwave for a soft, warm treat!
Elemental Food
Tastes like: Sweet and nutritious. I’m not sure how else to describe this one 😂 but I love it!
Texture: They’re soft but super seedy/crumbly, which requires some chewing.
Made with: Buckwheat, nuts and seeds, honey, and flavor additions. They are FULL of nutrients!
Nutrition: About 220 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and 8 grams of sugar.
Favorite flavors: I love all four of the original flavors equally. I haven’t tried the newest flavors!
Where to buy: These are sold in very select stores, such as Natural Grocers. Your best chance to find them is in California. You can also buy them on their website. Click here for their store locator.
Special notes: Store these in the fridge to keep them fresh. They’re good one week on-the-go!
What didn’t make the list?
For reference, some of the bars I’ve tried that did not make the list include:
GoMacro, Health Warrior, Quest, ONE bars, Clif, Ancient Nutrition, Olly, Bulletproof, Costco protein bars, KIND, FitJoy, 88 Acres, Powercrunch, Exo, Hemplete, Square bars, NuGo, Pure Protein, Detour, FitCrunch, Primal Kitchen, Farm & Oven, Epic, Garden of Life, Autumn’s Gold, Oatmega, Luna, Think Thin, Eat Your Coffee, No Cow, Nuzest, Z-bars, Kodiak Cakes crunchy bars Bella Bars, and some of the more common name brands such as Nature Valley, Quaker, and NutriGrain.
This doesn’t necessarily mean I DON’T like those bars, but for various reasons, I prefer the ones above.
If there’s any bars you love that weren’t on this list, leave a comment below and let me know! I’d love to know your favorites, too 🙂
