By blog team member, Kiran. To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page!
Walk through any grocery store and you'll notice the increasing amount of shelf space committed to snack bars. They've even invaded places like gas stations and have a decent retail presentation in stores such as Target and Walmart.
No one can argue that snack bars are not convenient. They are the perfect size for tossing into your purse, throwing into a lunch box, or taking with you when traveling. But if you buy those bars and pat yourself on the back for selecting a "smart snack" that's nutrient dense, you may be confused like so many others. Because let's face it, breaking down all the different bars can be just that - confusing. Laundry lists of ingredients that are hard to pronounce may make you falter, but when combined with a food label that shows lots of vitamins and minerals, it makes you second guess things. They're healthy, right? Not so fast.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
Pros and Cons of Popular Snack Bars
- LÄRABARs have long been a favorite bar of ours. They contain minimal ingredients and no added sugars. They are readily available in many stores and are the perfect pick-me-up for adults and kids alike, offering sound, real nutrition.
- Quest Bars have been touted as the #1 bar for athletes and others, and with claims of packing 20 grams of protein and 17 grams of fiber into a super sweet bar, I can see how they try to make that claim! But look a little closer at the ingredient list, and you'll see very little that resembles anything found in your kitchen.
- Raw Crunch Bars are made by a couple based in our beloved hometown of Charlotte, NC. The bars offer a tasty blend of seeds and nuts with just a touch of honey to bind the bar together. Growing in popularity, you can now find them easily at many health food stores.
- Clif Bars were forever the choice of sustained nutrition for outdoor enthusiasts, but a closer look at their ingredient list may have you less enthusiastic. Beginning with organic brown rice syrup (aka refined sugar!), the list, unfortunately, goes downhill from there.
- Created by Clif's co-CEO, Kit's Organic Bars are the world's "better than their brother" bar (i.e., Clif) and are a far superior choice in my opinion. All ingredients are also organic - bonus!
- Recently slammed by the FDA, Kind Bars give the appearance of being a better bar, boasting nuts and dried fruit, but don't be fooled. The addition of other additives makes it a no-go in our book.
Snack Bar Comparison Chart
| LÄRABAR | Quest Bar | Raw Crunch | Clif Bar | Kit's Organic | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Bar (prices will vary) | $0.92 | $2.39 | $2.50 | $0.99+ | $2.08+ | $1.19+ |
| # of Ingredients | 2 - 9 | 8 | 10 | 17* | No more than 8 | 13+ |
| Added Sugar? | No | Yes (sucralose) | Yes (honey) | Yes (brown rice syrup, cane sugar) | No | Yes (glucose, apple juice) |
| What We Like | Minimal, non-processed ingredients | Not much unfortunately | Handmade in small batches, organic, non-processed ingredients | Contains rolled oats, walnuts, & bananas* | Minimal, organic ingredients | Contains dried fruits and nuts |
| What We Don't Like | Nada! | Added protein & fiber, non-nutritive sweetener | Nada! | Too many processed ingredients, added protein & fiber, natural flavors, refined sugar | Nada! | Added fiber, soy lecithin, vegetable glycerine, refined sugar |
| Extra Info | Gluten, Dairy & Soy Free, non-GMO | N/A | Raw (contains living enzymes), paleo | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*We looked at the Banana Nut Bread Bar
Shopping Tips
Ingredients to look for when seeking a healthy bar:
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Dried fruits (without added refined sugar)
Put down that bar if it contains these ingredients:
- Refined sugars - Including (but not be limited to) sugar, cane sugar, cane juice, brown sugar, barley malt, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, agave, and more. Basically anything that includes the word "malt," "syrup," or ends in an "-ose." We give a nod to those products with naturally occurring sugars from dried fruit or more natural added sugars used in moderation (such as honey and maple syrup).
- Highly processed additives you would not cook with in your own kitchen.
- Added protein, fiber, or caffeine.
What's your favorite real food snack bar? Or, if you can't make up your mind, you could always make your own! Or, try these Healthy Snack Ideas!
Kathy says
I've been buying Element Bars for several years now and really like them. They are "made to order" so you can choose your own ingredients. www. elementbars.com
Aimee says
Have you ever reviewed the Mariani honey bars? The one I am holding has peanuts, honey,peanut butter, almonds, almond butter, crisp brown rice, salt. I got them at Walmart.
Deanna says
Perfect Foods bars are yummy. A few flavors. Based out of San Diego. They are large though so either need to be split in half or replace a meal. Only downside is they must be refrigerated.
Deborah Handley says
Thanks so much for this very informative article. While I don't eat these bars on a regular basis as you mentioned they are very handy to toss in your purse for those times you are on the road and need a quick snack. Before this lately I've been standing in front of the huge array at my local Whole Foods reading the backs of the labels of bars trying to make a decision on which new bar to try next. I've gotten so tired of my usual choice which was the Pure Organic brand. I'm so excited to have some new choices to try that I know now are healthy ones. Thanks again! Love your blog and I've learned so much!
Morgan says
Thoughts about Perfect bars?
Tori says
Larabars are a staple in our house, but so are Picky Bars (based in Bend, Oregon). My husband is an athlete and swears by them for pre-workout energy. They are available online and at REI. I would love to know what you think about them. :)
Candace Johnson says
Not all Quest bars have sucralose in them.
Kacey says
We usually buy or make traditional larabars, but my gym friends really like the ALT version because of the extra protein. I haven't looked into them much, but they say they use pea protein. What do you think about this version? I also wish mini larabars were more readily available. They are a more acceptable kids size and more the size I cut when we make them at home.
Lauren says
Kit bars are soooo yummy.... my dad actually calls them candy bars. LOL
Christine says
Why is it bad to have added protein and fiber?
lauren says
Although the Kind bars do in fact contain glucose syrup and soy lechin, it is my understanding that they are under FDA notice for their fat content. The FDA is saying that something with that amount of fat doesn't fit in their definition of healthy. So, while I agree they do have additives, I don't necessarily agree with the FDA.
For store bought bars, we like to keep larabars on hand. We like the peanut butter ones best, as they have less sugar and more protein than some of the others.
I make these http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/05/11/cashew-coconut-snack-bars/ with honey and raw almonds for my kind bar loving husband.
Meghan says
Mariani Honey Bars (Trail Mix and Granola varieties) are delicious and you can find them at Walmart.
Sharon says
These bars are geared more towards athletes and the need for fueling while out on a long run or bike ride. They are also made with real food and no preservatives.
http://www.pickybars.com
Tara says
We no longer buy bars- we make them or don't have them. I like using recipes for the store bought lara bars tho!
Darla says
Enjoy Life gluten-free bars in Caramel Apple and Sunbutter Crunch are my go-to bars for breakfast on my morning commute. I'm not into the whole gluten-free thing, but these aren't sweet and haven't gotten boring.
Michelle says
I'm a little confused, the Larabars I have here (uber) all have brown rice syrup in them.
Lisa says
The Uber bars do, but traditional Larabars do not. Except the ones with chocolate, those have some sugar in them.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Michelle, try the "regular" ones (not Uber) as we don't recommend the Uber line. HTH!
Kate says
Michelle,
I know which ones you mean! LARABAR has several different products. If you visit this page you can find out more about each: http://www.larabar.com/products. The ones referred to here are the original LARABAR. Generally they are made from a combination of dates, other fruits, and nuts (& those are the only ingredients!). I hope this helps!
Jessica says
You have KIND bars listed in your Costco shopping list. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/09/19/costco-shopping-list/
Amber says
The Costco shopping list was written by someone named Amy. It says "Amy’s Pantry Real Food Rule Benders" and then she explains that they eat clean about 80% and then lists some things she buys at Costco that are not "clean." She explains that she buys Kind bars because they have less sugar in them, she notes that they have glucose and soy lecithin in them.
We don't buy Kind bars as I think they're expensive and unnecessary. We buy Lara Bars when we find them at Big Lots for half the price of Costco. We eat clean about 80% of the time too, but if I want to eat something with soy lecithin in it, it better be chocolate! LOL
Joani says
While I completely agree that Quest bars are full of non-real food compliant ingredients, they're also the only bar I've found that packs that much protein for the amount of calories and carbs. I lift heavy weights 4-5 times a week but also have severe sugar issues. Quest bars offer me the protein I need while staying low on carbs (which I have to watch carefully). I have yet to find a real-food alternative, even using natural ingredients, that meets all of these criteria.
That being said, I try to eat real food as much as possible! Quest bars are one of my only "exception" foods. :) Great post!
E G says
I feel the same way about the quest bars, at least one of them. I have tried many and most of them contain artificial sweeteners. The Brownie one is the only one that doesn't that I like and I eat that one as my go to quick snack. I like the balance of carbs to protein to fat in it.
Liz says
Go raw bars are great (I believe they are different than raw crunch). As someone allergic to gluten and peanuts they are perfect and have very few ingredients.
Kathryn says
Another energy bar to note and they're DELICIOUS:
http://www.rbarenergy.com/
From their website:
Gluten free. Dairy free. 7 ingredients or less.
No Syrups. No Pastes. Just real food.
"We make RBars because on-the-go people need delicious, healthy & easy to eat food. Our customers feel better, healthier and accomplish more by fueling with our hand-crafted products."
-Founder & CEO Brian Cornelius
Delicious, Healthy and Easy to Eat.
RBar Energy was created by athletes and food enthusiasts who were tired of dry and hard nutrition bars that are difficult to eat. Our project started small, experimenting in a home kitchen with only a handful of ingredients. As RBars became more popular we've found unique ways to ramp up production yet keep our products as simple as day one.
Made By Us. Always Fresh & Simple.
Just like the first 150,000 bars that we literally hand-pressed in our first three years, RBars are still made by us because our mission hasn't changed. Our mission is to make delicious, healthy nutrition bars that are easy to eat and always fresh. RBars have seven recognizable, whole ingredients or less in every bar. And those ingredients are fresh, arriving at our facility from farmers and people we know and trust.
Designed From the gRound Up.
"But why are they round," you're wondering? Well, yes, we do like to be different but there's more to it than that. Have you ever opened a rectangular shaped bar and half of it falls on the ground? Round RBars are more compact, easy to carry and always remain in one piece. Every part of an RBar is designed with your busy and active lifestyle in mind.
Make the delicious, healthy and easy to eat choice. Make RBar, your bar!
Lindsey @ Simply Lindsey says
I love larabars! My favorite is the peanut butter chocolate chip. :)
Tiffany says
Boy do people like to complain. Pretty sure the title of this post was SNACK bars...NOT protein bars. Lisa and her team members are wonderful bloggers that work hard to provide others information on REAL unprocessed food, products, etc. that work for their family. Lisa has stated in a previous post as to why HER family doesn't concern themselves over grams of protein (or grams of anything). This isn't an exercise/workout blog...it's a real food blog. Are you only concerned about bars that contain protein? You can't get your protein other ways? Try Nutvia's Hemp Protein. Or...continue eating whatever protein bars you've been eating that contain whatever processed junk they contain and stop complaining about why this blogs families didn't include them in their chart.
Lori says
I, for one, was not complaining. I just trust this website and the advice given and was hoping they had some good suggestions for something that would also fit into my life style. No need to attack those of us who are also looking for additional protein in their snack bars just because you aren't!
Brooke says
Hey Lisa, I love your blog and it's one of my favorite places to read about whole foods!! I wandered about the RX bar . It is listed as one of the whole 30s accepted bars, and I have been very pleased by It. In the coffee cacao it has 1 fig, 8 almonds, 3 egg whites, 2 dates, and that is it!! 200 cal, 12g protein . I still love Lara bars, and the RX bar is a little more expensive but I prefer it ! Just thought it was worth mentioning !! I agree with you about the quest bar and all its ingredients !!!
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Hi Brooke,
Yes - we are also fans of RX Bars! Good mention!
Kiran
Erin says
Thank you for this information. I was a regular Cliff-bar eater for years - I'm glad I have stopped that habit. Has anyone tried to make their own Lara or Kind type bars? I'm thinking it wouldn't be too much work and much better!
Tiffany says
Lisa's made larabars before! I've tried her recipes and my children and I love them. https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/07/01/recipe-homemade-larabars-4-ways-including-nut-free/
Michele says
Thank you for this article, is have a good friend that is a nutrtrisionist and she recommended the Quest Bar. She said it was clean, when I looked at the ingredients I did not agree. I didn't feel like arguing so I let it go. As I can see by many of the comments above many people like to argue about what is really clean eating. I appreciate your honest, no-nonsense advice.
Noreen says
I make my own protein bars. The sweetness comes from using medajool dates. The bars are easy to make and taste soooo much better then the ones purchased in the store. There are a lot of different recipes online and it only takes a few minutes to make once you find the recipes you like.
claudia says
Would you be able to share those websites?
Natasha says
Wondering what is wrong with added protein and fiber in moderation in a bar?
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
We just prefer to get protein and fiber naturally as occurring in foods.
Lori says
Excellent info, thank you! What I struggle with the most as someone who works out a lot is finding a good, healthy nutrition bar with enough protein in it to sustain me through an hour of weight lifting or for recovery purposes. Unfortunately the 3 bars you love above (Larabars, Raw Crunch, Kit's) typically have 5 grams or less of protein, which is not really enough for me. Do you have any recommendations for any bars that are better for me but have more protein for those of us that work out regularly?
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Lori,
I absolutely understand where you are coming from. I have been into fitness for 20 years and an athlete growing up. I honestly don't watch my protein as much as lifters do, though, as I'm more into cardio and do little lifting (in all honesty). What about coupling one of the bars mentioned along with a hard boiled egg? Or a glass of milk? At this time I don't personally have a good protein bar to recommend, but am curious to hear if other readers do. Sorry I cannot help more!
Kiran
Noreen says
Take a handful or two of pumpkin seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc. They are high in protein and delicious. There are no added ingredients either!
Felicia says
RX bars are great for more protein. Protein comes from egg whites (you don't taste them) and the rest of the ingredients include things such as dates, nuts, fruits etc. No added sugars. Super tasty.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Great mention. We love RX Bars!
Rachel says
I have to wonder if Larabar is a sponsor or supporter of the blog? Because it sure seems like they're getting an easy pass here.
You note as "extra" that Larabars are gluten free and non-GMO...so is KIND, but that's not noted. You list KIND as having 13+ ingredients...the basic bars I see (Vanilla Almond) have 7. If you're going to include the more complex 'protein' type bars for one brand, you should do that for all the brands. Larabar makes protein bars that have added sweeteners (brown rice syrup) and proteins and ten or more ingredients.
While it's not a refined sugar, Larabar's reliance on dates as a main binder and sweetener means the bars still have a LOT of sugar -- 16 to 25 grams! Lots of unrefined sugar is still too much sugar. I'll certainly admit they taste good, but our family doesn't buy Larabars (or any other snack bars) that often anymore because I'd rather just hand my child a banana if we're going to load up on fructose.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Rachel,
You are correct that I left out the information on KIND bars being non-GMO and GF. I stand corrected. I did note that I looked at one brand of KIND bars (Banana Bread). I just looked at the Vanilla Almond one that you mention, and here are the ingredients:
Mixed nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts), honey, non GMO glucose, chicory root fiber, crisp rice, madagascar vanilla, soy lecithin.
We do not choose these bars because of the glucose, chicory root fiber or soy lecithin. In addition, you mention the LARABAR protein bars - but those are not the bars that we are referencing above. We agree that those have ingredients that we don't consider *real*, but the traditional ones are very much in line with our "rules".
I hope this helps.
claudia says
Problem is none of the alternatives offer the same amount of protein we get from Quest. If we simply needed a non-protein/pick-me-up bar the Larabar would be great. However, we need a specialized bar, thus Quest.
Would you be able to put together a “best protein bar” list.
Lori says
Agree!
Joani says
Agreed. And if you do find one with that much protein, the calories and carbs are way higher.
Viktoria says
Hello Claudia,
There is special kind of LARA bars that contains more protein, and it was designed for people who need more than there is in 'usual' LARA bar. They are a bit bigger and called ALT, http://www.larabar.ca/products/alt.
Also, there are Epic Bars (http://epicbar.com), packed with protein and made from clean ingredients. My husband loves them!
Hope it helps,
Viktoria
Viktoria says
Little correction on my side, the protein LARA bars unfortunately contain sunflower oil :(
But other than that, I was thinking, that maybe you can do homemade LARA bars with added clean protein powder (like Vital Proteins). That could be nice!
V.
claudia says
oh yes! that is a great idea. I am a horrible baker/cook so I would need to find some great recipes. Thank you for that.
Viktoria says
I thought that making homemade bars would be too complicated, but it actually is pretty easy and quick. You can also roll then into 'energy bites'. Lisa has lovely recipe: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/07/01/recipe-homemade-larabars-4-ways-including-nut-free/
Or Katie from wellness mama has some great ideas:
http://wellnessmama.com/1047/energy-bars/
http://wellnessmama.com/5475/chia-seed-energy-bars/
http://wellnessmama.com/7942/chocolate-coconut-energy-bars/
I will try to experiment with adding protein powder to these soon, and will let you guys know about the results:)
Have a lovely day!:)
Jenny says
Maybe a meat based bar like Epic Bars or Tanka Bars, or RX Bars which are similar to Larabars but have egg white added for protein.
Heather says
We love Perfect Bars, but they have to be refrigerated, which isn't always convenient.
Erika says
I agree, we love perfect bars also. We live in San Diego County so I also love supporting a local company. That's it bars are also tasty. Honestly I don't know how people choke down Quest bars. I bought one and ended up throwing it out because it tastes gross.
terry dduley says
what is your favorite recipe for a healthy snack bar?
Erin Colleran says
I love Lara Bars thanks to your insight, can sometimes make them at home as well.
I just recently found the fruit bars Thats It! at Costco and love them. They contain only two ingredients which are both fruit, hence the name Thats It!
I keep them in my bag and give them to my kids when we are on the go at snack time.
Amy says
We really like those too! Those are a good suggestion for the person above looking for bars without nuts.
Lori says
Those are great! I first tried one when I spotted them at Starbucks.
Terri says
Love the Larabar's but where do you find them for .92??
Kris says
Terri, I think she just meant that a box of them averaged at .92 cents a piece....I could be wrong though.
Jennifer says
We but Larabars by the box. 16 bars for $16.00 at The Superstore in Canada.
Jodi says
I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a bar that has NO nuts, seeds, or chocolate? My son loves a Larabar for an occasional on the go snack but finding one my daughter is willing to eat is so hard! She isn't allergic, but just has a hard time with the texture of nuts and seeds and even oatmeal sometimes. We have plenty of real food snacks for her, but I would like the convenience of leaving something in my purse and knowing she will eat it if need be!
Heather says
This article was right on time for me. I just bought some Luna bars and brought 1 to work with me today. Only to find that its not as good for me as I thought..The 2nd and 3rd ingredients are organic Cane Syrup and Dried Can Syrup. Further down the list are a few ingredients I definitely don't have in my kitchen and are hard to pronounce..big sign! Thank you!
Amy says
I wish I could have seen the entire chart. It was hidden behind advertisements.
K says
It did the same thing for me also, until I opened the browser window the full width of my monitor.
Roberta says
I have been baking my own crackers lately. Finally perfected them. I use sprouted organic garbanzo bean flour and ground flax/ hemp seeds with equal parts water. Add a ton of no salt seasonings. Really tasty with salsa or nut butter.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Sounds yummy, Roberta. Care to share the recipe?
Emma says
How do you make them? I have some left over garbanzo bean flour!! :)
Mary says
I would be interested in the recipe for those crackers you make with bean flour.
roberta says
To make a single batch of about 40 crackers I use
1 Cup of bean flour and 1/4 Cup of ground flax seeds/hemp
I like to season it with ground pepper, garlic powder, basil and oregeno and tumeric. mix with 1 and 1/4 cups of water. I let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour sometimes overnight, I've been getting the same results regardless. The dough does thicken up. I drop a teaspoon of dough on my cookie sheets, they do spread a little while baking. I found my pizza stone cookie sheet and newest non stick one
( Nordic Ware) work great, They just slide right off!
I bake at 350 on convection setting in my oven for 20 mins, flip them over for another 10-12 mins, Then I shut off my oven and just let them hang in there for awhile. I have found that this helps them to crisp up more and stay crispy even when stored in my pyrex bowl with lid on.
Hope you try them out...really simple to make and I love them!
Amy says
We've followed this guidance for a while and we love Lara bars. However I've been disappointed that they seem to have launched new sub-brands that don't meet the same standards of the original. I love Lara bars because they have just fruit and nuts, no sugar, no flavorings, no renamed sugar. The new bars like Uber and Alt have things like brown rice syrup, brown rice flour, sunflower oil and "natural flavors". Its like they missed the message on why the original was so popular and expanded with bars that are just like all the others. I actually thought of you while reading the labels in the store and was curious about your take on these sub-brands.
Muriah says
When I managed to set some time aside, my favorite is the bar I make myself.
Nancy says
I agree Muriah! I have several recipes for snack bars and prefer them to the store bought ones.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
I also agree! Homemade is a great way to go, too!
Star says
I agree the taste so much better then the store bought ones Most of them to me taste like the box they come in... I don't like eating wood either (cellulose) . Plus I thought that would be more like "real food"