Which Protein Bars Actually Taste Good? Editors Weigh In

"Not really a bar person, RXBAR immediately won me over with how simple and clean they are. As the cute packaging clearly displays, they are made from all-natural, whole ingredients — absolutely nothing else (or as they say "No B.S."). As someone who does not eat dairy, it's nice to have a go-to bar that doesn't rely on processed soy protein or brown rice syrup. With eight flavors to choose from, my current faves are chocolate sea salt, coffee chocolate, and coconut chocolate; sensing a theme there? As for how they taste, RXBARS are slightly chewy and the dates clearly come through, as do the specific flavors of the bar itself." — Michele Foley, content director, Fitness

"I'm gonna be straight with you. I don't really like bars in general, with very few exceptions. This, however, is a bar that changed my mind. I'm so into the Clif Nut Butter Bars, especially peanut butter, because honestly, if I could eat peanut butter with a spoon, I would, but there are people around and I don't need to subject anyone to that. Oh, sorry, back to the bars. They're delicious. It's like a PB-filled cookie, but good for you." — Dominique Astorino, assistant editor, Fitness

"My feelings for pre-workout continue to change as I discover new bars with better ingredients. Right now I'm committed to Oatmega bars. It's hard to find protein bars that aren't essentially just candy bars, but I've been pretty happy with Oatmega so far. They use grass-fed whey protein from grass-fed cows, which feels above and beyond for a bar. My favorite flavor is Brownie Crisp. It's dense and satisfying, and there's no atrocious aftertaste because it's made with monk fruit and not icky sugar substitutes." — Rebecca Brown, editor and producer, Native

"I eat a lot of Quest bars (usually for breakfast) because they're relatively low in sugar and calories but high in protein. They also keep me full until lunch. My favorite flavors are Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and the new Mocha Chocolate Chip." — Sarah Siegel, editorial assistant, Shopping and Products

"Quest bars are my favorite before a workout (S'mores flavor in particular)! They keep me full and give me a great energy boost to get through the gym after a long day at work." — Caitlin Hacker, editor, Celebrity

"I am extremely picky as I have tried them all, looking for that perfect balance of low sugar and high protein. At last I found the Quest Bar! It's like having a dessert but without the sugar spike. I go for the more textured flavors like Cookies 'n Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Cinnamon Swirl. They fill me up and cut the cravings!" — Ricki Rubin, senior merchant, Must Have

"I love Vega's Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Sport Bar. I try and avoid eating these unless I've had a hardcore cardio workout, but they are great for recovery. It's like eating a protein-packed Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, only with crunchy peanut butter!" — Anna Roberts, editor, Food

"I love PowerBar's Performance Energy Bars, specifically in Peanut Butter Chocolate. They don't have the normal grainy/mealy texture most protein bars have, and I like my bars chewy. They keep me full for a workout without overdoing it!" — Ashley Cooke, intern, Editorial

"I'm obsessed with Luna's Lemon Zest bars for two main reasons. First of all, they're a perfect quick breakfast option before my early morning workout classes during the week when I don't want to wake my boyfriend up by blending a smoothie or don't have time to actually make something. Second of all, they're so delicious that they trick me into thinking they're dessert (this is important for obvious reasons)." — Quinn Keany, assistant editor, Celebrity

"I'm not as proud of my post-workout bar choice (Power Crunch Original Peanut Butter Fudge Protein Bar), because a recent study done by Labdoor gave it a pretty laughable rating (tests revealed average ingredient safety and projected efficacy). That said, they are high in protein and low in carbs, and they satisfy my need to taste something sweet and filling after working out. Warning that these flake like crazy and melt quickly, so I usually eat them standing outside so they don't get all over my clothes. It's made with stevia extract, so it is a little sweeter than I'd like." — RB

"As mentioned, I'm not a bar person, but Bulletproof also really turned me with this vanilla-shortbread-collagen-cashew-butter-coconut-oil goodness. It's creamy, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness with 12 grams of protein and no added sugar, and it's just SO SATISFYING. Plus . . . collagen. Waaay into collagen." — DA