These Are The Healthiest Snack Bars Ranked From Best To Worst
SHARE
Flickr/jamieanne
Picking solid snack bars these days might possibly be one of the most stressful healthy food decisions we make. There are endless labels to read, and the majority of them secretly say one thing: you shouldn’t buy me if you give a damn about nutrition. So we’re going to narrow things down a bit for you.
Below is a list of snack bar options from more health-minded brands ranked from best to worst. The ideal bar would be under 250 calories, which we consider generous since they’re meant to be snacks and not meal replacements. It would also have at least 5 grams of protein, at least 3 grams of fiber and no more than 8 grams of sugar. And, of course, we won’t forget to check that ingredients list. The fewer the ingredients, the better, and the more natural (read: whole) ingredients, the better. Since many bars are loaded with good-for-you nuts and seeds, which also tend to skyrocket the fat content, we’ll address that on a bar-by-bar basis rather than assigning an ideal value for across the board.
Happy snacking!
1. Mint Chocolate RXBAR
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 12 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Sugar: 14 grams
We have a pretty clear winner here. This powerful bar gives you double the protein and fiber amount we’re aiming for and in just 210 calories. The real reason we love these little guys, though, is their ingredient labels. Everything on it — which is usually less than 10 items — could be found in your own kitchen. Now, the sugar content is almost double our goal, but since it’s entirely derived from natural ingredients like dates (and everything else about this bar is #goals), we’re making an exception.
2. KIND Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Bar
- Calories: 200
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
- Sugar: 5 grams (4 grams from added sugar)
This go-to sweet snack from KIND provides a lot of staying power for its size. It racks up 15 grams of fat, but 12 grams of that comes from its stock of almonds and peanuts, so we’re cool with that. And with a whopping 7 grams of fiber, you’ll definitely feel full and satisfied until your next meal. Our biggest disappointment here is the added sugar throughout the ingredients list, but hey, it could be way worse than 4 grams.
3. Larabar Cashew Cookie Bar
- Calories: 230
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugar: 18 grams
This classic Larabar has some good things going for it. It hits the protein and fiber marks within a reasonable number of calories. At first, we wince when we see 18 grams of sugar on the label, but all of them stem from the bar’s two natural ingredients: cashews and dates. Try finding another snack bar with only two (real) ingredients that also successfully curbs a cookie craving.
4. Health Warrior Coconut Chia Bar
- Calories: 110
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Sugar: 4 grams
These little bars pack quite a nutritional punch in just 110 calories. They bring the fiber, limit the sugar and add a hefty dose of omega-3 fatty acids to your diet via wonderful little chia seeds. The main downside here is the protein content, which comes in at 2 grams less than our ideal bar. But hey, everything else stacks up pretty well.
5. NuGo Banana Nut Fiber d’Lish Bar
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 4 grams
- Fiber: 12 grams
- Sugar: 8 grams
These babies are clearly called fiber bars for a reason. They might be a little skimpy when it comes to protein, but they make up for it with 12 grams of fiber in just 140 calories. Plus, they even keep the sugar in check. We’re not in love with the ingredients list, but it certainly beats those of other bars on this list. The flavor list is also pretty crave-worthy. Good job, NuGo.
6. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Quest Bar
- Calories: 190
- Protein: 21 grams
- Fiber: 14 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams (2 grams of erythritol)
Yes, Quest Bars are technically protein bars, but they are so often eaten as snacks, we figured we should include them for you. And wow, are they the surprise on this list! They pack crazy amounts of protein and fiber into a tiny space and have 0 grams of sugar. The only caveats there is that they are using a sugar alternative, erythritol, and the ingredients list includes things like sucralose and stevia. So yay for no real sugar, but boo for fake sugar.
7. Morning Harvest GoMacro Bar
- Calories: 240
- Protein: 5 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Sugar: 15 grams
Just because a bar is made with organic ingredients doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best for you. This one, for example, has a healthy amount of protein and fiber, but well overdoes the sugar content. And surprise surprise, organic brown rice syrup (AKA sugar) is the first ingredient to appear on its list. At least they’re made with good-for-you apples, dates, oats and walnuts, and you can pronounce everything that goes in them. But you can still do better.
8. Kashi GoLEAN Plant Power Honey Pecan Baklava Bar
- Calories: 200
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Sugar: 7 grams
Well, look at Kashi coming in hot on this list! These plant-based bars definitely deliver on the protein and fiber front while keeping the calorie content incredibly reasonable. They also do a pretty good job keeping the sugar in check. We aren’t necessarily obsessed with the ingredient list here, but we aren’t offended, either.
9. FiberOne Cookies & Creme Protein Bar
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Sugar: 7 grams
FiberOne is another surprising bar on this list, nailing each of our nutritional markers. In under 150 calories, these guys give you plenty of protein and fiber to make you feel satisfied without giving you a major sugar rush. The only disappointing aspect of these bars is the ingredients list — way too many items, and way too many sugar derivatives and alternatives appearing at the top of the list. Sigh.
10. Pure Organic Wild Blueberry Bar
- Calories: 190
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugar: 19 grams
These bad boys are giving us Larabar flashbacks… all the yummy, natural ingredients and all of the nutritional markers met except for an out-of-this-world sugar content. With that said, it stems from the fact that dates are the first ingredient on the list, and agave nectar is third. But when the list also includes things like apple juice concentrate and “blueberry favor,” we begin to think that there is still some room for improvement.
11. PRO BAR bite Coconut Almond Bar
- Calories: 190
- Protein: 6 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Sugar: 10 grams
This organic option isn’t too shabby… but we’d expect a little more from a brand so focused on health. Yes, it meets the protein and fiber requirements without exceeding 200 calories, but it misses the sugar mark by 2 grams and the ingredients list begins with tapioca syrup, AKA a replacement for sugar. When a sweetening ingredient is the first to appear, meaning it’s most prominent, we tend to turn the other way — even if it is paired with wholesome ingredients like almonds and coconut.
12. 18 Rabbits Fig, Cranberry & Hazelnut Granola Bar
- Calories: 190
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugar: 11 grams
These organic, non-GMO bars actually look very similar to the classic Nature Valley crunchy granola bars when you check out the nutrition label. For a solid snack portion, they skimp a bit on protein and fiber and overdo it a tad when it comes to sugar. However, the ingredient list is simple and full of whole grains, fruits and nuts, which is what makes these bars so damn tasty.
13. Lemon Zest Luna Bar
- Calories: 190
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugar: 9 grams
Poor Luna, so close yet so far away… This tangy bar option offers plenty of protein within 190 calories, but it has one too few grams of fiber and one too many grams of sugar, which both affect how well it keeps you feeling full as a snack. The ingredients list isn’t too offensive, but organic brown rice syrup (sugar) appears second and there are still a few questionable items on there. For example, can you tell me why sodium bicarbonate needs to be in my food?
14. Chocolate Chip Clif Bar
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 9 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Sugar: 21 grams
Unless you are literally about to go for a hike (or do some serious exercise in general), you’re probably getting way more than you bargained for in a snack with Clif Bar. We struggled to find a flavor that snuck in at our maximum calorie count, but chocolate chip did the trick. It’s 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber are definitely commendable, but holy sugar… 21 grams is almost an entire day’s worth. And, of course, the first ingredient on its list is a sugar: organic brown rice syrup.
15. Nature Valley Oats ‘N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars
- Calories:190
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugar: 11 grams
This classic childhood favorite always seemed so healthy, but it’s no match for some of these newer brands. Coming in at 190 calories, it doesn’t quite have enough protein or fiber to make it a truly satisfying snack and the sugar content is a little higher than we’d like. With that said, props to Nature Valley’s solid ingredients list! Sugar might appear sooner rather than later, but at least the company calls it what it is (and everything else is recognizable, too).
16. ZonePerfect Fudge Graham Nutrition Bar
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 14 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugar: 15 grams
Okay, so these nutrition bars are really protein bars under another name… and protein might be the only real thing these guys have going for them. They barely hit our fiber recommendations and they almost double the amount of sugar we want to see. And don’t even get us started on the ingredients list. The first thing you see is “soy protein nuggets” and then a laundry list of chemicals and sugars follows. We think we’ll take our snack craving elsewhere, thank you.
17. Cookie Dough Balance Bar
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 15 grams
- Fiber: less than 1 gram
- Sugar: 17 grams
So, we’re confused here. Besides the 15 grams of protein, these guys might as well be candy bars. There is barely any fiber to account for, and the sugar content is pretty damn high. And then you take a look at the ingredients list and there’s even less to be excited about. You can’t pronounce half of it, and the part you can suggests sugar, sugar and more sugar. Not to mention, more than half of the fat in these bars is the kind (saturated) you don’t want. We’ll pass.
Next on
