Are protein powders really necessary?

I think it depends on your diet. For me, they are necessary because of dietary restrictions. Do you have any? (Vegetarian, gluten, eggs?)

I am thinking about cutting out the post work out protein powders because I feel they are making me bloated. Will doing this really hurt my progress & results from strength training? Any suggestions on what I could eat instead that has a good amount of protein? Thanks!

So long as you are getting enough protein in your food, then they are not necessary at all. Mostly people use them because they aren't getting enough protein from food.

Absolutely not. Total daily protein intake is what matters.

That's exactly true, but for me, it's hard to meet my protein goal without my protein powder. I don't do protein bars b/c they're mostly sugar (and expensive), but I buy a cheap protein powder at Walmart and have 1-2 scoops/day mixed with water and crushed ice. It helps me meet my goal without killing my sugar or calories.

I'm retarded. I read that you're cutting out your protein "bar" instead of "powder." It's been one of those days.

Depends on your habits. Your body does not make a difference regarding the source - just considers the nutrient. If you find it easy hitting your daily protein requirement with your diet, or see plausible to change it to hit them; then you can perfectly leave the powder. If you find it difficult, take it. Just search for a powder low in carbs and fat to make sure you're consuming mainly protein and not adding other things. But it won't hinder anything if you're hitting your macros correctly and your caloric needs.