protein bar

protein bar

Protein bars seem like the miracle snack: They promise the protein you need to feed your muscles, while boasting flavors so delicious you’ll want to sub them for dessert.

But the sad truth is, many of these protein bars are just candy bars in disguise. They’re chock-full of sugar, empty calories, and shoddy sources of protein.

Finding a bar out there that stands out from the gut-busting crowd can be difficult—and discovering one that tastes good while doing so can be even harder.

Related: What and When You Should Eat to Build Muscle

So we asked Men’s Health nutrition advisor Alan Aragon, M.S., to devise a checklist of the nutritional criteria you need to use when picking your perfect protein bar.

His advice: Look for a bar with at least 20 grams of protein (from a dairy-based source, like whey, casein, or a combination of both), 300 calories or fewer, 15 grams of fat or below, and at least 5 grams of fiber.

We called in dozens of bars that met these benchmarks, and our Men’s Health staffers taste-tested each one of them to find out which ones scored highest on flavor and texture.

The result? Read on to find the 10 best protein bars for men—and stash one or two in your gym bag for the next time hunger strikes.

Related: THE 21-DAY METASHRED—an At-Home Body-Shredding Program That Strips Away Fat and Reveals Rock-Hard Muscle

Rachel Agranove

#10: QUEST APPLE PIE

Quest’s Apple Pie was the only fruity bar that earned a high score from our testers’ discerning palates—“tastes just like apple pie,” one wrote. Our testers loved the small chunks of actual apples, as well as the subtle taste of cinnamon throughout the bar.

12 Bars For $24, Buy It Here

190 calories, 20 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 23 grams carbs (14 grams fiber)

#9: GRENADE CARAMEL CHAOS

With its chocolate coating, Grenade’s Caramel Chaos looks like a candy bar. And some of our testers thought it tasted like one, too. Picture a happy marriage between Snickers and Nestle Crunch, thanks to its caramel/milk chocolate combo and crunchy crisps.

Related: The 10 Best Road-Trip Snacks to Pack

12 Bars For $27, Buy It Here

210 calories, 23 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 20 grams carbs (7 grams fiber)

Rachel Agranove

#8: DETOUR SIMPLE CHOCOLATE CHIP CARAMEL

We’ve all tried protein bars that tasted like chalk or cardboard, so when a tester writes, "Tastes like candy!” you need to take notice. We loved how the rich chocolate coats a sweet layer of caramel and chocolate chips.

9 Bars For $11, Buy It Here

210 calories, 20 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 25 grams carbs (6 grams fiber)

Rachel Agranove

#7: QUEST DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHUNK

Chocolate fiends, you’ve found your protein bar: Our testers raved that this bar’s rich chocolate flavor and chewy texture was “just like eating a brownie.” One even admitted he went back for seconds.

Related: 4 Treats You Could Make With Protein Powder

12 Bars For $24, Buy It Here

180 calories, 20 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 23 grams carbs (13 grams fiber)

#6: QUEST S’MORES

The S’mores bars by Quest are anything but boring: Real pieces of graham cracker crumbles—which added a healthy bit of crunch—and big chunks of chocolate complement its cinnamon-sweet base.

12 Bars For $25, Buy It Here

180 calories, 20 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 23 grams carbs (13 grams fiber)

Rachel Agranove

#5: QUEST COOKIES & CREAM

The Cookies & Cream bar from Quest drew a different candy comparison from our testers—“tastes just like the cookie dough bites at movie theaters,” one wrote. That’s thanks to the big hunks of real chocolate cookie crumbles sprinkled throughout the bar, which meshed nicely with its sweet dough-like base.

12 Bars For $25, Buy It Here

190 calories, 21 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 20 grams carbs (14 grams fiber)

Rachel Agranove

#4: QUEST MINT CHOCOLATE CHUNK

This bar received the highest compliment you could hope for in a mint/chocolate combo—three testers compared it to the famous Thin Mint Girl Scout cookie. Real peppermint oil gave the bar a refreshing feel that really pops from the rich, smooth chocolate taste in every bite.

Related: 8 High-Protein Breakfasts That Aren’t All About Eggs

12 Bars For $22, Buy It Here

190 calories, 20 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 21 grams carbs (15 grams fiber)

#3: SOURCE BAR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH

Sourcewell Nutrition's cookie dough bars is a nice combo between soft and crunchy that makes you feel like you're having a candy bar. 

12 Bars For $30, Buy It Here

230 calories, 20 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 25 grams carbs (12 grams fiber)

Rachel Agranove

#2: GRENADE CHOCOLATE CREAM

This triple-layer bar stacks an airy, crispy, cookie-like center—which gives it a lighter feel than a lot of the heavier bars, as one tester wrote—with chocolate cream and caramel, all topped off with a rich layer of chocolate. “It just melts in your mouth,” another tester raved.

Related: 8 Foods That Pack on Muscle

12 Bars For $30, Buy It Here

220 calories, 23 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 20 grams carbs (7 grams fiber)

Rachel Agranove

#1: DETOUR SIMPLE SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE DOUGH

Cookie dough is a stacked flavor category for protein bars, but this one takes it to the next level: The addition of salted caramel adds an interesting, tangy jolt to regular old sweetness. With its smooth coating of rich chocolate, we found it hard to believe we weren’t just chowing down on a candy bar.  

12 Bars For $25, Buy It Here

230 calories, 20 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 22 grams carbs (6 grams fiber)

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