I Tried Every Protein Bar At Trader Joe’s To Find The Best

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If you love Trader Joe’s like me, you’ve probably walked by the protein bar aisle and wondered, “which one of these bars are actually good?”

Well, I’ve now tried every one and ranked my favorites. 

Remember, we’re talking about protein bars here, not energy bars or meal replacement bars.  

So, the criteria I used was pretty simple. 

The Criteria

1. Protein Content

I evaluated the total protein content and what percentage of the calories in the bar come from protein.

Since these are explicitly marketed as protein bars and not “energy” bars, a significant portion of the calories must come from protein. 

• Excellent: 35% or more of the calories come from protein

• Good: 30-34.9% of the calories come from protein

• Acceptable: 25-29.9% of the calories from protein

• Unacceptable: Fewer than 25% of the total calories come from protein

2. Taste

I specifically chose flavors that were appealing to me, but I acknowledge that these might not be everyone’s first choice. 

I have tried to be as specific as possible when describing the flavor to provide you with a good snapshot of what to expect. 

3. Cost

I have evaluated the cost per serving of each bar but also assessed the cost per calorie and cost per gram of protein.

Protein bars are more expensive than protein powders and have a lot more variety in their cost due to bigger variances in size, density, and ingredient quality. 

I have tried to account for this in my evaluation to help level the playing field. 

4. Ingredient Quality

Some brands prioritize whole food sources and all-natural ingredients. Others focus on targeting a specific nutritional need (i.e. low sugar) and use artificial sweeteners or ingredients to provide a specific benefit.

When assessing the protein bars, I evaluate the quality of the ingredients used, how many artificial ingredients or preservatives are added, and whether or not the company has quality control measures in place.

Fulfil Protein Bar

Overview

• Flavor: Chocolate Salted Caramel
• Protein: 15g
• Carbs: 14g
• Sugar:1g
• Fats: 6g
• Calories: 160
• Protein Percentage: 37.5%

Key Features

• Contains 2g net carbs
• Delicious taste – similar to a commercial chocolate bar 
• Gluten-Free

First of all, don’t judge a book by its cover. This one had a bit of a rough go while I was traveling, causing it to flatten and the caramel to ooze out.

Fulfil Protein Bars feature a soft and chewy nougat center with some added layers of mini crispies and chocolate coating. I really enjoyed these different layers because they provided differences in texture while eating the bar. I find bars that are one, mushy texture to be far less pleasant to eat. 

I really loved the taste of this bar overall. I personally tried the Chocolate Salted Caramel flavor and I often find myself disappointed in “salted caramel” flavored snacks because the salted aspect is missing. That’s not the case with the Fulfil protein bar. It had a true salted caramel taste giving this bar potential to be one I try to keep on hand. 

Fulfil protein bars have 15g of protein, which puts itself right in the middle for protein content out of the bars found at Trader Joe’s (Barebells and Think! Had more with 20g of protein each, where the other three bars had fewer grams of protein). 

With 15g of protein and 160 calories, approximately 37% of the calories come from protein making this bar an excellent protein source.

Fulfil calculates their total net grams of carbs as 2g per bar. This is calculated by taking the 14g of total carbs found in one bar, subtracting 1g of fibre, 6g of sugar alcohols, and 5g of vegetable glycerin. (14g – 1g – 6g – 5g = 2g remaining). 

This low net carbs makes this bar a keto-friendly option. The trade-off is that some people experience gastrointestinal upset with sugar alcohol consumption. This shouldn’t be an issue with only one bar eaten occasionally, but could become an issue if you are eating multiple bars per day. 

With only 160 calories, this bar isn’t very calorie-dense and won’t be satisfying as a meal replacement. It does make a good snack option before/after workouts or between meals.

Fulfil bars are gluten-free but do use whey protein powder, making them unsuitable for individuals following a vegan diet or those with significant lactose intolerance. 

Note: my experience is that even with a lactose sensitivity, I tend to tolerate protein bars much better than I do protein powders, especially if I only eat them occasionally. If you don’t have a significant allergy, it’s possible that you can tolerate the whey protein in these bars just fine. 

Fulfil does use some palm kernel oil and artificial sweeteners which some individuals may choose to avoid for personal health reasons. 

Fulfil costs $1.89 per bar, which is a great, budget-friendly option. The cost per bar is the cheapest of any other bars on this list. 

To help us evaluate this bar against the others, this works out to $1.18 per 100 calories and $1.26 per 10 grams of protein. This makes it the most expensive bars for its calorie content, but one of the best values for protein content. Only Think! And Barebells offer a slightly better value for the amount of protein you get. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this bar and would have no problem fitting it into my regular rotation.

Available Flavors: Chocolate Salted Caramel, Triple Chocolate, Chocolate Hazelnut, Chocolate Peanut Caramel, Chocolate Peanut Butter

Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar

Overview

• Flavor: Triple Chocolate
• Protein: 13g
• Carbs: 11g
• Sugar:5g
• Fats: 13g
• Calories: 220
• Protein Percentage: 23.6%

Key Features

• Contains 5g of added sugar and equal parts fat to protein
• The crispy wafer provides a unique texture different from other bars

Initially I was going to apologize for the way this bar also got a bit compromised during my travels, but upon reflection I think this actually raises a really important point about this bar. 

One appeal of a protein bar is its convenience and transportability. With the Fulfil bar, even though it got squished during travel it was still edible. That was not the case with my Power Crunch Bar. I opened it up to a massive mess of wafer crumbs and chocolate crumble which made it virtually impossible to eat the entire bar, not to mention extremely messy.

I did really like the taste of this bar (I tried the triple chocolate flavor), so if I knew that I was always taking the bar straight from my pantry to my lunch kit then I would be more open to buying more of these. 

As a busy parent, my protein bars, more often than not, end up thrown into my crowded gym bag or shoved down to the bottom of my purse. I am not confident that these Power Crunch bars would survive. 

Power Crunch has 13g of protein and 220 calories per bar, offering a protein percentage of 23.6%. I would technically place this into the unacceptable protein percentage for something that markets itself as a “protein” bar. 

With 13g of fat, Power Crunch has as many grams of fat as it does protein. 

Power Crunch does technically call this a “Protein Energy Bar” which I think reflects the fact that it offers a higher amount of calories with a modest amount of protein. I am critiquing this aspect here because Trader Joe’s has specifically marketed this product as a protein bar, not an energy bar.

Power Crunch has taken the opposite approach to Fulfil in the way their bars are sweetened and flavored. They specifically avoid the use of sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, opting instead for natural sources like stevia and monk fruit. 

This addition of nutritive (calorie-containing) sweeteners means that Power Crunch has 5g of added sugar and 11g of total carbs, making it unsuitable for keto or low carb dieters. 

Power Crunch also contains milk and wheat which may eliminate it as an option if you have a gluten or dairy sensitivity. 

At $1.99 per bar, Power Crunch costs the same as most commercially available protein bars. To break this down into a cost comparison, Power Crunch is $0.90 per 100 calories, making it among the least expensive in this category. 

On the other hand, it costs $1.53 per 10 grams of protein, making it one of the more expensive options if your ultimate goal is protein. 

Power Crunch tasted good, but the low protein percentage and the fact that I don’t think I can reliably spend a whole day with it intact in my gym/work bag make this an unlikely pantry staple for me. 

That being said, the long list of flavors is very enticing. While I might not keep this one on hand all the time, it is one that I would likely buy on a whim when I am out and about and need to grab a quick snack. 

Available Flavors: Triple Chocolate, Red Velvet, Peanut Butter Fudge, Cookies & Creme, Salted Caramel, Strawberry Creme, Chocolate Mint, French Vanilla Creme, Peanut Butter Creme, Lemon Meringue, Chocolate Coconut, S’mores, Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Cinnamon Roll, Peanut Butter Honey

RX Bar

Overview

• Flavor: Chocolate Sea Salt
• Protein: 12g
• Carbs: 23g
• Sugar:14g
• Fats: 8g
• Calories: 200
• Protein Percentage: 24.0%

Key Features

• Contains only 4 whole food ingredients + 4 natural flavor sources
• For those whose #1 priority is quality ingredients

Among the various options for protein bar companies who stick to a high quality, minimalist attitude, RX Bar is one of my favourites. If you are looking for the ingredient list, it really is right there on the front of the label.

Dates, egg whites, cashews, almonds, plus in this case the addition of chocolate, cocoa, natural flavors, and salt to taste. The RX Bars have no preservatives or artificial additives and feature only whole food ingredients in their formula.

There is one small catch – you definitely have to like dates to enjoy this bar. I personally like the taste and texture of dates and have more than once grabbed an RX bar for myself on the go. If you don’t like dates then it’s probable that no matter which flavor or RX bar you try, you are not going to like it. 

The other big thing to note with RX bars is the texture is incredibly chewy and quite tough. This is not the kind of bar you want to grab if you are about to hop on a phone call or have to engage face to face with someone right away. The bar is a bit tough to chew and it takes a few dedicated minutes to get all of the residue off of your teeth. 

The total grams of protein is a bit lower in RX Bars compared to others on this list, at 12 grams per bar. This particular flavor only contains 24% protein per serving which also drops it out of our criteria for being an acceptable protein percentage for something marketed specifically as a protein bar. 

Similar to the GoMacro Bar, I think that the RX Bar provides a great, nutrient dense energy bar that happens to have some protein added to it. I think it falls short in what is becoming a competitive market of protein bars due to its low protein content.

RX Bar costs $1.99 per bar, which makes it a good value for the total calories it provides ($0.99 per 100 calories) but a terrible value for protein at $1.65 per 10 grams.  

Still, for individuals whose priority is whole food ingredients with zero additives, the RX bar is a more affordable and better tasting option than the GoMacro Vegan alternative.

Available Flavors: Chocolate Sea Salt, Strawberry, Vanilla Almond, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Blueberry, Chocolate Coconut with occasional seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Spice or Gingerbread.

Think! High Protein

Overview

• Flavor: Brownie Crunch
• Protein: 20g
• Carbs: 24g
• Sugar:0g
• Fats: 8g
• Calories: 230
• Protein Percentage: 34.7%

Key Features

• Gluten Free & Low GI
• High protein content
• Good satiety

When it comes to our key criteria, Think! High Protein Bars pretty much take the top spot across the board. 

They have 20g of protein (tied for the highest spot on this list) and protein makes up around 35% of the total calories, putting it into the highest category. They offer the best value for both total cost per 100 calories ($0.86) and cost per 10 grams of protein ($0.99). 

I also found the Think! High Protein bars to have the best satiety of all of the bars on this list (Barebells being a close second). I had this bar for breakfast around 9 am before an extremely busy day working in retail and I didn’t feel the need to sit down for lunch until around 4 hours later.

From a health standpoint, I don’t necessarily recommend just having a protein bar for breakfast, but it’s good to know that if you are really in a bind, this bar comes through for you. 

One major con I noticed with this bar was how dense it was and how much it dried out my mouth. The taste itself was fine. I tried the Brownie Crunch flavor, and it provided a good flavor without being too sweet. I had to run to find a glass of water to drink, though, because it seemed incredibly dry. 

I have often wondered what customers meant when they said they didn’t like the “chalky” texture of protein bars, but I am pretty sure this is the texture they are describing. 

I noticed some of the flavors have low ratings on the website, so I browsed through the comments quickly. The Brownie Crunch flavor I tried has a 4/5 star customer rating and is by far the highest. The other flavors are 3 stars or lower, with customers complaining that the peanut butter flavors have been recently reformulated and that the taste and smell are absolutely terrible. I can’t speak for those flavors personally, but buyer beware, I suppose.

There is a lot that Think! Bars do really well, especially at its low price point, but for the overall taste and “enjoyment” aspect of eating, I think I would prefer to have a Barebell or a Fulfil bar. 

Think! High Protein Bars have zero sugar and are low GI – meaning they have a low impact on blood sugar levels. This makes them a great option for individuals who are minimizing sugar in their diet or have diabetes. 

Think! uses a combination of soy and dairy-based proteins and uses almonds, which may make it unsafe for individuals with tree nut allergies. 

To keep their sugar content low, Think! High Protein Bars use sugar alcohols but don’t have artificial flavors or sweeteners. 

Ultimately, I still think Barebells (which I’ll talk about shortly) has the best overall protein bar experience despite the slightly higher cost, but if you are looking to optimize protein content on a budget, then Think! High Protein is a great option. 

Available Flavors: Brownie Crunch, Banana Oat Muffin, Creamy Peanut Butter, Chunky Peanut Butter

GoMacro Macro Bar

Overview

• Flavor: Dark Chocolate & Almonds
• Protein: 10g
• Carbs: 37g
• Sugar:14g
• Fats: 10g
• Calories: 270
• Protein Percentage: 14.8%

Key Features

• Lowest protein content and percentage
• Highest carbs, highest added sugar (comes from all natural and organic ingredients)
• Certified Vegan, Gluten Free, Organic

There is a lot that I think the GoMacro brand does great (I’ll get into that below), but I will be honest: I think they are doing an immense disservice to the category by calling themselves a protein bar. 

The GoMacro Macro Bar contains 10g of protein per bar, which is, in some cases, half of the amount of protein found in the other bars. The GoMacro Macro Bar has 37g of carbs per bar and 270 calories (I had the Dark Chocolate & Almonds flavor).

This low protein content and higher calorie content means that the GoMacro “Protein Bar” only has around 15% protein per serving. This is (by far) the lowest protein percentage of any bar on the list, which also makes it the most expensive bar for protein content. 

If you are looking for a vegan energy bar that happens to have protein added, then the GoMacro Macro Bar is a fine option. However, I think it falls short as an item in the “protein bar” category. 

The taste was also a very unique experience. The bar had so little taste that I actually stopped to consider if I was sick or congested. It wasn’t until I got to a bite that had a chocolate chip in it that I realized I could, in fact, taste. 

While this bar had almost no taste, it was still incredibly sweet and rich. In fact, I found the sweetness/richness of the bar to be so overpowering that I struggled to finish it. 

The MacroBar has a very chewy, uniform texture. This is what I was referring to above when I mentioned that I appreciated that the Fulfil bar had different layers and textures. It feels like it provides a more satisfying experience. This bar was almost gummy in texture and just a lot less satisfying overall.

When I combine the so-so taste experience and the extremely low protein percentage, I’ll be honest that this isn’t a bar I would be likely to rebuy. 

I am also sympathetic to the fact that there aren’t very many high-quality vegan options available in the protein bar category. 

If you follow a vegan diet or have a more severe dairy allergy, then I DO think that GoMacro provides a high-quality, nutrient-dense energy bar. There are also a lot of different flavors available, which makes it more likely that you will find one that suits your tastes. 

GoMacro MacroBars are not only vegan, but are also gluten-free and certified organic. The MacroBars are also a certified FODMAP friendly food. This refers to a specific group of carbohydrates that may contribute to symptoms of IBS. If you have an inflammatory condition of the bowels or digestive issues, then the GoMacro Bars are likely a safe option for you. 

The MacroBar costs $2.69 per bar, which makes it the most expensive protein bar on this list despite having the lowest protein content. The MacroBar costs $1.00 per 100 calories (a fairly good value for energy content) and $2.69 per 10 grams of protein (by far the most costly). 

When it comes to overall ingredient quality, GoMacro sits atop the list with RXBars. 

When it comes to being a protein bar, however, the MacroBar falls short.

Available Flavors: Dark Chocolate & Almond, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Coconut & Almond Butter & Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chips, Mint Chocolate Chip, Banana & Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Lemon & Lemon, Mocha Chocolate Chip, Blueberry & Cashew Butter, Maple Sea Salt, Sunflower Butter & Chocolate, Salted Caramel & Chocolate Chips.

Barebells Protein Bar

Overview

• Flavor: Cookies and Cream
• Protein: 20g
• Carbs: 20g
• Sugar:1g
• Fats: 7g
• Calories: 200
• Protein Percentage: 40%

Key Features

• Highest protein percentage
• Best Tasting (this is subjective of course)

Full disclosure: Barebells had a permanent spot on my supplement shelf long before I started writing this article. They launched in Canada last year and have taken over the protein bar category at the supplement store that I manage as a fan favorite. They have only released a few flavors in Canada so far, but the brand’s success has more flavors arriving in the next couple of weeks. 

Similar to the Fulfil bars, the Barebells have a gooey, doughy center with some crunchy bits and a chocolatey coating. This variation in texture is enjoyable to eat and reminds me of snack bars like Mr Big or Snickers. In fact, the overall taste is also very similar to how traditional candy bars taste. I’ll be honest that sometimes I even find them too sweet.

Barebells have 20g of protein per bar and with 200 calories, they offer up 40% protein per bar, which makes them the highest protein percentage option on this list. 

Barebells are made mostly with dairy-based proteins (casein and whey), but also use some soy protein in their formula. They also use sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners to keep the total sugar content low. Barebells has even made a point to add on their nutrition facts that excessive consumption of Barebells may cause a laxative effect because of the presence of maltitol (sugar alcohol). 

Barebells are a bit more expensive than other bars on this list, costing $2.29 per bar compared to the $1.99 that the other bars average (not including GoMacro).

When breaking down the cost comparison, however, we find that Barebells cost $1.15 per 100 calories and only $1.14 per 10 grams of protein. The only product on this list that has a comparable cost for protein content is Think! High Protein Bar, which, in my opinion, tastes much worse than Barebells. 

Available Flavors: Cookies and Cream, Birthday Cake, Cookies and Caramel, Chocolate Dough, White Chocolate LAmond, Creamy Crisp, Caramel Cashew, Salted Peanut

Rankings

While I consider the Barebells to be the best bars on this list, this will of course, all come down to your personal preferences. 

If you are vegan for example, or have a dairy allergy, then the Barebells will be unsuitable. If you are sensitive to sugar alcohols or are trying to avoid artificial sweeteners, then you might also choose an option like the RXbar or the GoMacro Vegan bar. 

But for me, the protein bars ranked from best to worst are: 

1. Barebells 
2. Fulfill
3. Think! High Protein Bar
4. RX Bar
5. Power Crunch Protein Bar
6. Go Macro Bar

Our Testing Methodology Explained

When I test products, I go beyond just what’s written on the label. I spend weeks testing each pre-workout, making sure to use them for a variety of workout styles and at different times of the day. Having tested more than 50 pre-workouts, I also assess them on aspects like taste and mixability relative to other products on the market. Lastly, I consider different aspects of the purchasing experience like how easy the product is to order, the company’s shipping/return policies, and the brand itself for aspects like transparency, third party testing, and customer service. 

Why Trust Our Recommendation?

I have managed a supplement store for more than a decade, and I have personally used pre-workout supplements for almost twice as long. This combination gives me first-hand experience using the products, but also gives me a lot of insider knowledge as to what makes a great product. 

Our team at FeastGood.com is a diverse cast which includes Registered Dietitians and coaches with PhDs in Human Nutrition. We have personally tried and tested all of the products mentioned in this article. 

I did not receive any incentive or compensation from any companies mentioned in this article in exchange for these reviews. Nobody has “paid” for their spot in this article.

Reference

Mäkinen KK. Gastrointestinal Disturbances Associated with the Consumption of Sugar Alcohols with Special Consideration of Xylitol: Scientific Review and Instructions for Dentists and Other Health-Care Professionals. Int J Dent. 2016;2016:5967907. doi: 10.1155/2016/5967907. Epub 2016 Oct 20. PMID: 27840639; PMCID: PMC5093271.