It’s hard to eloquently describe what the best protein bars have in common. Ultimately, most of them could best be classified as sweetened globs. We don’t mean this in a negative way; in fact, many of us on staff here at Bon Appétit would count these things as integral to our diets. Because as much as our livelihoods revolve around cooking and, well, real food, at the end of the day we staffers are still desk job-working humans who are are perennially short on time. Nothing beats the convenience of a protein bar when you need some fuel for your morning commute, a quick pick-me-up between meetings, or a filling snack to tide you over when those 3 PM hunger pangs strike.
- The Bar With the Simplest Ingredients: Shop RxBar
- The Bar With the Most Protein: Shop David
- The Most Filling Protein Bar: Shop Quest Protein Bar
- The Bar for Trail Mix Lovers: Shop Kind Protein
- The Bar With a Sustainable Protein Source: Shop Exo
- The Best Vegan Protein Bar: Shop Aloha
- The Best Low-Carb Protein Bar: Shop IQBar
- The Best High-Carb Protein Bar: Shop GoMacro MacroBar
- For Those Seeking a Superfood Kick: Shop Send
- The Best Texture: Shop Barebells Protein Bar
- The Best Snack Bar That Happens to Have Protein: Truvani The Only Bar
- The Bar for Overnight Oats Lovers: Shop Mush
That’s why we set out to find the best protein bars—both sweetened glob-like and not—for every type of protein bar eater. We tasted our way through bars of all kinds, and in so doing found a dozen we can vouch for. And while the texture and taste of even the best protein bars is not entirely…natural, not all of them are the stereotypical PowerBar of the ’90s. The taste profiles of protein bars in 2025 are so varied that even the most epicurean among us can find an energy bar we like. Whether you’re into bars full of whole foods that taste practically homemade, or you’d rather your protein bar look and taste as much like a candy bar as possible, we’ve got you covered.
