What To Look for in a High Protein Bar

Which protein bars are best for a healthy lifestyle? What should you look for when choosing a high protein bar? How do you know if it will even taste good?

Asking these questions when your tummy starts grumbling in the morning, or when you’re ready for a post-workout snack, isn’t exactly a recipe for success. When you’re hungry and in need of some fuel, it’s hard to figure out what’s best for your body. Instead, you can do a little legwork beforehand and choose the right high protein bar for you. That way, when you’re ready to snack, you’ll have the perfect high protein bar on hand.

Here are a few nutritional characteristics and questions to consider when picking out a high protein bar:

Protein

If you’re looking for a high protein bar, protein will naturally be your starting point. But it’s not just about quantity — quality matters, too.

How Much Protein Should Your Ideal Bar Contain?

The amount of protein you’ll want in a high protein bar will depend on your lifestyle and goals. For instance, if you’re trying to make some serious gains at the gym, the research shows that a post-workout snack with about 20-30 grams of protein will help you repair and build muscle.

But, if you’re looking for a high protein bar for breakfast to keep you feeling full until lunchtime, that won’t be necessary. Instead, a bar offering at least 12 grams of protein could be just right.

What Are the Sources of Protein?

When you come across a high protein bar with upwards of 20 grams of protein, it’s likely that protein powders have been added, such as whey protein isolate and other ingredients you might not be able to explain.

A more natural and pure protein bar will get its nutritional value from clean, whole food ingredients that inherently have higher levels of this macronutrient. Since Perfect Bar only contains real ingredients like peanut butter and a blend of 20 superfoods, the most protein you’ll find in a single bar is 17 grams.

Nutritional Profile

It’s great if protein is your priority! But you don’t necessarily want to overlook other aspects of the nutritional package you’re getting from a high protein bar. Spending a little more time on the nutritional label can help you decide if it really ticks all the boxes for you.

Does the High Protein Bar Meet Your Other Nutritional Needs?

In order to lead a balanced lifestyle, you need to consume the three macronutrients: carbs, fats, and proteins. Additionally, your body requires micronutrients including key vitamins and minerals to function properly.

Beyond that, you might have specific dietary needs to meet. For instance, if you’re looking for a gluten-free or vegan protein bar, or a snack that meets a certain calorie intake level, carefully check the nutrition label for more information.

And remember that there’s not always a one-size-fits-all answer. For instance, if you’re looking for a high protein bar for a child in your family, pay attention to the portion size. We created Perfect Kids as a pint-sized version of our original Perfect Bar to meet the different nutritional needs of little ones. They’re made with gluten-free oats for additional grams of fiber and a unique blend of superfood ingredients suited to tiny tummies. (But some of our grown-up customers love them as smaller-sized snacks, too!)

How Is It Sweetened?

In addition to considering which essential nutrients and ingredients you want to work into your diet, it’s also important to think about the ingredients you ought to enjoy in moderation. A dash of sugar can certainly turn a protein bar from dull to delish. However, too much artificial sweetener won’t do your body much good.

To find out how your high protein bar gets its taste, look for added sugar on the nutrition label. Note the number of grams of sugar listed in the “added sugar” category. A number closer to zero here indicates that there may be more naturally occurring sugar sources in the mix. However, a bar sweetened with natural ingredients such as honey and maple syrup will also show a certain amount of added sugar, per the updated FDA regulations.

The trick is to skim the ingredient list to find out whether the recipe contains these better-for-you ingredients or chemically processed additives like sugar alcohols, syrups, and concentrates. Natural, slow-burning sugar sources like honey will treat your taste buds while helping keep your blood glucose levels steady.

Taste

Your taste buds are definitely going to want a say in what type of high protein bar you choose. Treat them to a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a lineup of amazing flavors that hit the spot.

Are You a Fan of the High Protein Bar Flavors?

There’s nothing more satisfying than a better-for-you bar that actually tastes great. If you like the classic chocolate-peanut butter combo, you’ll love our most popular Perfect Bar flavors: Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter. But you can mix it up throughout the week with a variety pack featuring Almond Butter, Blueberry Cashew, and more.

And we’re always dropping exciting new flavors! This fall, customers are loving our Pumpkin Pie Perfect Bar. The perfect sweater weather snack, each batch is made with seasonal spices, organic dried pumpkin, and pumpkin seed oil. Keep an eye out for more limited-edition, small-batch releases as the seasons change!

What Else Is on the Ingredient List?

If your high protein bar ticks all the flavor boxes, you might want to double check what’s behind the rest of the ingredients included. We’re talking about responsibly sourced, Fair Trade dark chocolate chips and organically grown, non-GMO superfoods. They’re great for you and even better for the planet and people who produce them.

Convenience

Now that you’ve got the nutritional factors and flavors covered, what about convenience? Ideally, you’ll want a high protein bar that can keep up with your busy lifestyle.

Can You Snack on the Go?

It’s important to have some healthy snack foods on hand wherever you are. Whether you’re working from home or heading to the office, running around the track or running errands, you’ll want something you can pop in your bag and enjoy on the go.

How Should You Store Your High Protein Bars?

Some high protein bars are shelf-stable. But this typically means they’re made with chemically processed ingredients and artificial preservatives. But you took the trouble to find a protein bar featuring the right nutritional profile and superfood protein sources. So, you probably won’t fall for mystery ingredients designed to keep your snack fresh.

Like you, we’re more excited about real, whole food ingredients and nature’s own preservative powers. That’s why we make fridge-fresh snacks that are also deliciously enjoyable at room temperature. Perfect Bar can chill when you chill, and it’s ready to go when you’re on the move.

If you’re craving a super refreshing snack, you can even pop our high protein bars in the freezer. But some of our customers like to let them warm up until they reach that soft, cookie-dough-crumble texture. You really can’t go wrong either way!

Still Searching for the Perfect High Protein Bar? We Got You!

We know it’s not easy to find a high protein bar that lives up to your expectations. That’s why we’re bringing our original family recipe to your fridge. Explore our Perfect Bar lineup and we’ll ship them straight to your door. Or, use our store locator to find the closest snack source in your area.