Protein Bars: Gluten-Free, Whole Foods, Fiber (2026)

Think of protein bars arsenic grab-and-go snacks, not repast replacements. They're astir adjuvant erstwhile full foods aren't disposable oregon erstwhile your docket won't let for a due meal. The astir beneficial sources of macromolecule travel with fiber, steadfast fats, and different nutrients. (That’s wherefore registered dietitians urge full foods implicit ultra-processed alternatives.) So, portion high-protein snacks whitethorn boast awesome counts connected the label, they’re not ever the healthiest option.

After consulting the nutrition experts astir cardinal ingredients to look for (and what to avoid), we've rounded up the champion macromolecule bars that conscionable those standards. For much tips connected protein, cheque retired our usher to the Best Protein Powders and How Much Protein Do I Need?

What Should I Look For successful a Protein Bar?

Start with the Nutrition Facts label. The archetypal happening to cheque is serving size, since each fig connected the statement applies to that portion. For astir macromolecule bars, 1 barroom equals 1 serving, but it’s inactive worthy confirming.

Scan the Calories

What’s “right” depends connected your caloric needs. If it’s a snack betwixt meals, astir the 200-calorie scope mostly makes sense. If you’re trying to summation value oregon looking for a repast replacement, you mightiness privation thing person to 350 calories. That said, experts don’t urge macromolecule bars arsenic stand-ins for meals. They’re champion utilized to supplement full foods, which connection a wider scope of nutrients that snack bars conscionable can’t replicate.

Check the Protein Content and Source

“Ideally, we’d similar to spot macromolecule bars connection 10 to 20 grams of protein,” says Jamie Mok, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Just arsenic important arsenic the quantity is the source; macromolecule derived from milk, soy, peas, oregon nuts are each common, effectual options.

Don’t Forget Fiber

Fiber helps stabilize humor sugar, supports digestion, curbs cravings, and keeps you fuller for longer. According to Mok, astir 5 grams of fibre per vigor barroom is simply a bully benchmark, preferably from whole-food ingredients, similar nuts, seeds, oregon oats.

Ingredients to Avoid

In general, the shorter and much recognizable the constituent list, the better. High-protein bars tin beryllium arsenic delicious arsenic a Snickers. “They could besides sneakily battalion a batch of added sugar, and crook into a candy bar,” says Mok. There’s nary authoritative cutoff, but astir 5 grams of added sweetener oregon little is simply a tenable benchmark. Check some the nutritional statement and constituent list: Syrups and concentrates are usually indicators of added sugars.

Many brands little their sweetener number by utilizing sweetener alcohols (like erythritol, maltitol, oregon sorbitol). These supply less calories than sweetener and don’t spike humor glucose the aforesaid way, but they tin origin bloating, gas, oregon GI discomfort for immoderate people, particularly successful higher doses. If you announcement tummy issues aft eating macromolecule bars, sweetener alcohols are often the culprit. You mightiness tolerate 1 barroom conscionable fine, but eating respective successful a time tin get uncomfortable.

It’s besides worthy limiting bars that trust heavy connected hydrogenated oregon partially hydrogenated oils, which are much processed forms of fat, arsenic good arsenic those packed with agelong lists of artificial sweeteners (i.e., sucralose), colors, oregon flavors.

Our Favorite Protein Bars

Best Overall

RxBar present offers a mates of antithetic macromolecule bars, but the Classic 12G remains the best. Made from full foods, the basal is simply a premix of ovum whites—a implicit protein—dates for sweetness and binding, and nuts (pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, almonds). I've taste-tested the Chocolate Sea Salt, but RxBar besides sells Blueberry, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Vanilla Almond, Coconut Chocolate, and Strawberry. It has an uber-chewy, sticky texture, truthful if that's not your taste, there's a Nut Butter & Oat Variety Pack that swaps the dates for rolled oats.

Highest Protein Content

David's macromolecule bars are named aft Michelangelo's David, with the implicit committedness that this barroom volition springiness you a akin physique. This circumstantial barroom has been truthful hyped that it's hard to not consciousness similar the institution has to beryllium a joke; David adjacent sells pocketable cod filets connected their site. I bought the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk. While it is existent that I volition devour astir thing that's peanut-butter-flavored, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk bars are really good! I find the chewy texture appealing, with cocoa chunks and atom Krispies coiled done that are shocking successful their verisimilitude, since it besides has nary added sugars. Actually, it tastes mostly similar a peanut food PowerBar, but with much absorbing mix-ins and beauteous unbelievable specs. —Adrienne So

Best Gluten-Free

As I mentioned before, my kids and I volition devour beauteous overmuch thing that has peanut food successful it oregon is made from peanut butter, and that's fundamentally what a Perfect Bar is. You person to store them successful the fridge, which makes them a small little convenient than immoderate of our different picks. It besides has much than doubly the fig of calories of immoderate of our different picks, if that matters to you. However, I'm addicted to these things and bargain them from Costco monthly. It conscionable tastes similar a small palm-sized barroom of peanut food and honey. As a testament to its flavor, my 8-year-old and 10-year-old volition often drawback these retired of the instrumentality if they don't consciousness similar cutting up an apple. —Adrienne So

FAQs