More categories
More categories

Smart Shopper is reader supported. When you shop our picks, we may receive a commission.

Trying to find the best protein bars? These 9 are our picks

Who needs a candy bar when you can have a good protein bar?

Published Feb 20, 2024
3 min. reading time
three of best protein bars including pure protein, kind and barebells

Sure, chocolate and sugar-filled goodies taste oh-so-good when you're craving sugar. 

But when it comes to post-workout recovery and gaining lean muscle, high-protein bars are a great alternative. 

With carbs, protein and vitamins in every bite, these convenient snacks are an easy way to satisfy your cravings while adding nutritional value to your diet.

So, if you’re ready to find an awesome new snack, these are the best protein bars to get your hands on.

Read more: Shop the top running shoes for men

Our favorite protein-filled snacks

KIND Breakfast Healthy Snack Bar in dark chocolate nuts and sea salt
For taste
KIND Breakfast Healthy Snack Bar
$13.98 at Amazon
Quest Nutrition Ultimate Variety Pack Protein Bars in a blue box
High in protein
Quest Nutrition Ultimate Variety Pack Protein Bars
$29.50 at Amazon
Pure Protein Bars, Chocolate Peanut Butter in blue and orange packet
To stay full
Pure Protein Bars, Chocolate Peanut Butter
$16.14 at Amazon
Gatorade Whey Protein Recover Bars in an orange box
Designed for post-workout
Gatorade Whey Protein Recover Bars
$17.08 at Amazon

This pick has finally achieved what everyone looks for in a healthy protein bar — nutrition AND flavor!

Made with nutritionally dense ingredients like nuts, fruits and whole grains, KIND bars offer a variety of health benefits without sacrificing taste.

You'll enjoy the rich flavors of dark chocolate, sea salt, and heart-healthy almonds while getting 6g of protein per bar.

Looking for a high-protein snack approved by buyers? Rated an average of 4.3 stars from over 82,700 reviews, this pick fits the bill.

Quest's variety pack is a delicious way to try all of their most popular flavors, including cookies and cream, blueberry, and chocolate peanut butter with fewer carbs and low-sugar and keto-friendly ingredients.

Best of all? Each pack contains up to 21g of protein and less than 1g of sugar!

If you're a health-conscious shopper or fitness enthusiast, it’s time to introduce Pure Protein to your snack collection.

Boasting plenty of flavor, it promises to keep you full for longer without extra calories or junk.

Its gluten-free ingredients make it suitable for even sensitive stomachs, its proteins are packed with energy and its sugar content is just enough to suppress cravings and maintain energy levels throughout the day.

Designed for post-workout

When you need a boost of energy after a workout, this is the perfect snack.

The Gatorade bars promote strength and recovery by providing you with up to 20 grams of whey and milk protein that restore your energy and help you build and maintain your muscles.

In case you need more convincing, this protein bar is used by major sports leagues including the NFL, NBA and MLB!

With its organic ingredients, Aloha leads the way when it comes to clean protein bars.

This vegan chocolate chewy cookie dough selection contains sunflower butter for iron, organic cocoa for improved heart and brain health and organic vanilla extract for antioxidant benefits.

Most importantly? Each bar packs up to 14 grams of brown rice protein.

This high-fiber snack turns one of America's favorite and tastiest combinations, peanut butter jelly, into a nutritious treat.

With a low sugar content and plenty of flavor, these protein bars feature 100% naturally sourced ingredients, nutritious carbs and fats and prebiotic fiber to support muscle growth and gut health.

In short, it's a guilt-free, low-sugar protein bar with heaps of nutrition!

This protein bar contains just 200 calories! 

But it doesn’t skimp out on nutrition, flavor or satisfaction either.

Perfect for breakfast, post-workout or just a mid-day snack, this bar features a tasty caramel core, real cashew nut chunks, no added sugar and 20 mighty grams of protein for on-the-go energy.

Great for maintenance

As a 'treat without the cheat,' this five-layered bar satisfies your sweet cravings while helping you reach your protein intake goals.

With 20 grams of protein for muscle growth, a chewy yet soft core and four grams of sugar, this nutritional bar is perfect for cutting, bulking or maintaining a healthy diet.

This pick proves that you don't have to sacrifice your love for chocolate snacks when it comes to maintaining a balanced diet.

Using simple but key ingredients like egg whites, almonds, cashews and dates, this chocolate pack fuels your body and satisfies sweet cravings pre or post-workout.

What are the best protein bars?

The best protein bars offer nutrition and taste and work to satisfy any cravings you may have. So, if you're still searching for the perfect bar, these are a few of our favorites:

  • KIND Breakfast Healthy Snack Bar: Protein snacks are usually associated with artificial flavors, but this pick goes the extra mile with nutrition and good taste, making it one of the best-tasting protein bars on the market.

  • Gatorade Whey Protein Recover Bars: Featuring 20 grams of whey and milk protein, this pick is one of the best protein bars for muscle growth and restoring your energy after exercise.

  • Pure Protein Bars: A great snack for keeping you full for longer as well as providing nutritional benefits, this is one to consider.

Cheers to (protein) snacking!


Did you like this article? For more great deals and shopping ideas, find us now on your favorite social networks: Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!


Prices updated on 02/20/2024. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.

Lauren Pascal Professional Headshot
Written by
Lauren Pascal

A self-proclaimed ‘obsessed TikTok user,’ Lauren Pascal uses her knowledge to help readers shop for trendy new products. Lauren is also an experienced travel writer and recently wrote informative pieces for travellers during the pandemic.