Protein Bars that aren't actually candy...

I have been trying to find a good line of Protein Bars that aren't really just a candy bar dressed in a package that says its healthy. A friend of mine referred me to Clif Bars, which seem decent - they taste pretty good anyway - but I was wondering if you guys might have some good suggestions for truly healthy protein bars that also don't taste like chalk. FYI I'm lactose intolerant, so if any of them are heavy on some kind of dairy product, please leave those out of your suggestions, otherwise I'd appreciate any input =)
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Replies

  • JoJo__Fit
    JoJo__Fit Posts: 258 Member
    Quest Bars
    Oh Yeah Victory Bars

    Do clif bars even have protein tho?
  • iifym_girl
    iifym_girl Posts: 46 Member
    Yeah, Quest bars FTW.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Quest Bars
    Oh Yeah Victory Bars

    Do clif bars even have protein tho?
    Clif Protein bars have 20g protein, so yes.
  • JaniePapageorgio
    JaniePapageorgio Posts: 142 Member
    I'm thinking about ordering some quest bars, but they are expensive! What are the best flavors?
  • This link explains things pretty clearly and is in my opinion one of the best ways to find the best protein bar for your needs. Definitely worth the read.


    http://www.leanitup.com/review-the-protein-bar-power-rankings-30-popular-bars-torn-apart-and-ranked/
  • I'm thinking about ordering some quest bars, but they are expensive! What are the best flavors?

    My favourites are chocolate chip cookie dough, double chocolate chunk, strawberry cheesecake, chocolate brownie, peanut butter supreme, and chocolate peanut butter. In my area you can buy a box of 12 for $33.oo.
  • This link explains things pretty clearly and is in my opinion one of the best ways to find the best protein bar for your needs. Definitely worth the read.


    http://www.leanitup.com/review-the-protein-bar-power-rankings-30-popular-bars-torn-apart-and-ranked/

    Wow thanx, very informational and I see Quest Bars are listed as #1 - i will have to look into them, thx guys =)
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Why waste money on bars when you could buy meat for the same price?

    food for thought

    In the midwest I can eat organic chicken for cheaper than quest bars (gram for gram, dollar for dollar). Ive noticed considerably higher pricing for meat out West.
  • EvilPink
    EvilPink Posts: 94 Member
    My fav. is Pure Protein. They're cheaper than most brands, fewer calories, and actually have more protein than carbs. For example, a Pure Protein peanut butter bar has 200 calories, 20 protein, and 16 carbs, 2 sugars. The Clif peanut butter bar has 270 cals, 20 protein, but 30 carbs, and 20 sugars. I'm sorry but, to me, a protein bar should have MORE protein than anything else. I find Pure Protein bars are one of the few who fit that profile. But, that's just a personal preference; depending on your exercise plan, eating plan, etc., more carbs and sugar may not be an issue for you (I have PCOS and am IR so I need the fewer carbs/high protein).

    I usually find them at Safeway and often times they have them on sale for a buck a bar and they don't taste too bad at all. If you don't have Safeways in your area, you can always find them at Wal Mart or Target for about $6.50 - $7 for a box of 6 bars.

    Quest bars, nutrition/calories wise are similar to P.P.; their cals are a little less (about 40 less) but their carbs/protein ratio are still higher but not too bad at all (25/20 ish); almost even and only 1 g of sugar. So they'd probably be a good option, too but I've never actually eaten one so I can't attest to taste.
  • Why waste money on bars when you could buy meat for the same price?

    food for thought

    In the midwest I can eat organic chicken for cheaper than quest bars (gram for gram, dollar for dollar). Ive noticed considerably higher pricing for meat out West.


    I can't put chicken in my backpack and eat it during class...
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member

    I can't put chicken in my backpack and eat it during class...

    why not? i often sit at my desk with a pack of turkey or ham as my afternoon snack when i need more protein.
  • tiddles_yeah
    tiddles_yeah Posts: 117 Member
    Dont Quest bars have whey protein in them? I thought whey protein often had lactose in it?
  • tiddles_yeah
    tiddles_yeah Posts: 117 Member
    I make my own protein balls that are dairy free and a lot cheaper than buying bars, especially the quest one (no offence to Quest, but on a uni budget they would be out of my league even if they didnt contain heaps of things im allergic to)

    The recipe can be found here:

    http://superallergyfood.blogspot.com.au/
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Why waste money on bars when you could buy meat for the same price?

    food for thought

    In the midwest I can eat organic chicken for cheaper than quest bars (gram for gram, dollar for dollar). Ive noticed considerably higher pricing for meat out West.

    Because sweet tooth. Doh.

    Oh and chicken doesn't have fiber in it.
  • ginnyntonic
    ginnyntonic Posts: 28 Member
    You can get a box of 12 Quest bars from Amazon. They are about $25 and ship free if you have prime membership. They are great for when I am traveling and don't want to eat expensive airport fast food.
  • Why waste money on bars when you could buy meat for the same price?

    food for thought

    In the midwest I can eat organic chicken for cheaper than quest bars (gram for gram, dollar for dollar). Ive noticed considerably higher pricing for meat out West.


    I can't put chicken in my backpack and eat it during class...

    exactly... i need something to eat after work, before i go to the gym, so I'm not crashing after the workout. i'm not carrying around chicken in my backpack for that...
  • MLR930
    MLR930 Posts: 95 Member
    I get my Quest bars at GNC and buy them individually instead of by the box and they are usually buy 3 get 1 free.
  • ON Strawberries and Cream are around 30g protein for about 40g Carb, pretty good and very nice :)
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    I say try making your own! I love to do this when I have the time. They taste good, are cheaper than buying, don't have preservatives, and don't waste packaging.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    I make my own protein balls that are dairy free and a lot cheaper than buying bars, especially the quest one (no offence to Quest, but on a uni budget they would be out of my league even if they didnt contain heaps of things im allergic to)

    The recipe can be found here:

    http://superallergyfood.blogspot.com.au/

    I am with you on making your own protein bars. In fact when shopping and bought all the ingredients needed to make my on bars.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Chicken on a stick
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    I make my own protein balls that are dairy free and a lot cheaper than buying bars, especially the quest one (no offence to Quest, but on a uni budget they would be out of my league even if they didnt contain heaps of things im allergic to)

    The recipe can be found here:

    http://superallergyfood.blogspot.com.au/


    Thanks for the link
  • Curleycue0314
    Curleycue0314 Posts: 245 Member
    Try Larabars....You also get a full serving of fruit in some of them!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    My fav. is Pure Protein. They're cheaper than most brands, fewer calories, and actually have more protein than carbs. For example, a Pure Protein peanut butter bar has 200 calories, 20 protein, and 16 carbs, 2 sugars. The Clif peanut butter bar has 270 cals, 20 protein, but 30 carbs, and 20 sugars. I'm sorry but, to me, a protein bar should have MORE protein than anything else. I find Pure Protein bars are one of the few who fit that profile. But, that's just a personal preference; depending on your exercise plan, eating plan, etc., more carbs and sugar may not be an issue for you (I have PCOS and am IR so I need the fewer carbs/high protein).

    I usually find them at Safeway and often times they have them on sale for a buck a bar and they don't taste too bad at all. If you don't have Safeways in your area, you can always find them at Wal Mart or Target for about $6.50 - $7 for a box of 6 bars.

    Quest bars, nutrition/calories wise are similar to P.P.; their cals are a little less (about 40 less) but their carbs/protein ratio are still higher but not too bad at all (25/20 ish); almost even and only 1 g of sugar. So they'd probably be a good option, too but I've never actually eaten one so I can't attest to taste.

    Yup, and the chocolate deluxe ones even have a slightly better macro protein to calorie ratio, though 1 gram of carbs more but still only 2g sugars, 3g fat, so 44.5% protein
  • LFDBabs
    LFDBabs Posts: 297 Member
    My fav. is Pure Protein. They're cheaper than most brands, fewer calories, and actually have more protein than carbs. For example, a Pure Protein peanut butter bar has 200 calories, 20 protein, and 16 carbs, 2 sugars. The Clif peanut butter bar has 270 cals, 20 protein, but 30 carbs, and 20 sugars. I'm sorry but, to me, a protein bar should have MORE protein than anything else. I find Pure Protein bars are one of the few who fit that profile. But, that's just a personal preference; depending on your exercise plan, eating plan, etc., more carbs and sugar may not be an issue for you (I have PCOS and am IR so I need the fewer carbs/high protein).

    I usually find them at Safeway and often times they have them on sale for a buck a bar and they don't taste too bad at all. If you don't have Safeways in your area, you can always find them at Wal Mart or Target for about $6.50 - $7 for a box of 6 bars.

    Quest bars, nutrition/calories wise are similar to P.P.; their cals are a little less (about 40 less) but their carbs/protein ratio are still higher but not too bad at all (25/20 ish); almost even and only 1 g of sugar. So they'd probably be a good option, too but I've never actually eaten one so I can't attest to taste.

    I have to agree. My personal trainer turned me on to Pure Protein. They taste way better than a quest bar and not nearly as many carbs. I usually keep them in my desk drawer. I'm out of Pure Protein today, so HALF a quest bar will have to do today, but I'm not at all happy about it!
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I use Clif Builder's Bars. Love them.
  • stephaniemarie416
    stephaniemarie416 Posts: 49 Member
    I'm thinking about ordering some quest bars, but they are expensive! What are the best flavors?

    I agree, they are expensive, but they are "better" than most of the protein bars on the market. I have tried several of the flavors, but many of them are sweetened with sucralose, which I try to avoid for the most part. They do have some from their "natural" line that are sweetened with stevia and sugar alcohols instead of artificial sweetener (sucralose).

    For the naturally sweetened bars, my favorite flavors are double chocolate chunk (tastes kind of like a double chocolate cookie and has big chunks of chocolate) and cinnamon roll (I love this one heated up with a little cinnamon and low fat cream cheese drizzled on top). I like the coconut cashew and strawberry cheesecake flavors as well, but they're not as good as the other 2 I listed in my opinion.

    For the artificially sweetened bars, the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor is amazing (as most people will agree) especially if you bake it in the oven for a few minutes or microwave it for a bit. It really does taste like a chocolate chip cookie. I also really like the new cookies and cream flavor. It has chunks of oreo-like cookie and white chocolate. I eat these as a "treat" on occasion even though they contain sucralose because they're too yummy to pass up!

    You can always buy a couple of individual bars and give them a try before you commit to a whole box. Most people love them, but some also hate them. They sell them singly on the Quest website and bobybuilding.com

    Good luck!
  • Yeah, Quest bars FTW.

    This^^^^
  • sportyredhead01
    sportyredhead01 Posts: 482 Member
    I like the ALT Protein Bars, made by Larabar if I can't make them myself.
    The regular Larabars are good, not sure about protein content but here's a link where you can make them yourself.
    I have a tiny food processor I can make like 2 weeks worth for next to nothing.

    http://www.budget101.com/copycat-clone-recipes/make-your-own-copycat-lara-bars-4047.html
  • Also,

    they have peanut butter cups that are less calories than a reeses (not by much) but huge difference in sugars and protein!