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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2016
I loyally purchased Quest bars for years. I liked the lack of soy and the short list of ingredients. Then they changed their formula last year, and I found the new bars barely edible. So I started exploring my other options. I stick to whey protein instead of soy because it is easier to digest. There are lots of 3-400 calorie bars, but as a 5’4” lady I prefer a 200 calorie bar as a pre-workout snack. GNC sells a lot of these as single bars, and this is a good (but slightly expensive) way to buy some bars to decide what you like. Here my personal summary of whey based approximately 200 calorie high protein bars:
1. Fit Crunch bars. Easily my favorite. Produced by celebrity Chef Robert Irvine. Tastes like a candy bar. My favorite is by far the peanut butter version, but the cookie dough and cookies and cream are still good. Personally I find the cookies and cream one slightly on the sweet side and is my least favorite. I don’t like eating these on the go because sometimes I end up trying to track down little chocolate pieces from my clothing, car, etc. The main trouble with these bars is finding a place to buy them. GNC has the large version of theses bars (380 calories). Sometimes CVS has them for sale individually. Walmart carries boxes, but they are often out of stock. My local Walmart stopped carrying the small size, and I don’t have the self-control to eat half of a large one. I have tried ordering from Amazon but they always arrive melted. All of my friends are now obsessed with these which is probably why I cannot find them in my local stores anymore. 190 calories, 16g protein and 3g sugar
2. Combat Crunch bars. My second favorite after Fit Crunch bars. I have less trouble with these melting when I order them online, but they sometimes taste a little stale from Amazon. Again the chocolate peanut butter flavor is my favorite. I have liked most of the flavors with the exception of the birthday cake flavor that tasted like fruit loops in stale icing (uniquely awful). These can also be messy to eat on the go, but better than Fit Crunch and Power Crunch in this respect. 210 calories, 20g protein and 5g sugar
**Update: I am concerned about the quality control on these bars. I have had several bars purchased from Amazon, Kroger and now GNC that have been firm/stale instead of the normal soft filling. I have not decided if I will continue to buy these, and I decreased my rating accordingly**
3. Power Crunch bars. My husband and I both found these to be too dry and generally without much flavor. I do like the peanut butter flavor because it reminds me of halavah (middle eastern candy made from sesame seeds). These can also be messy to eat. I have found these at GNC, Kroger and Walmart (and of course Amazon). 200 calories, 13g protein and 5g sugar.
**Update: These are growing on me. They taste dramatically better chilled. The flavor is subtle but pleasant. I like the peanut butter and chocolate mint versions. The texture reminds me of a Kit Kat. This is my new second favorite bar.**
4. Quest bars. The least messy of the group. They have more of a chewy texture than the other bars which keeps them from falling apart. As I mentioned, this used to be my favorite bar but the new formula has a weird chemical flavor to it that I cannot get past. 190 calories, 21g protein and 4g carbs
**Update: Quest must have done some more formula tweaking because they taste like they used to before the 2015 recipe change disaster. I only buy them from places that I know have new stock.**
5. Oh Yeah Victory Bars. These are way too sweet with a weird processed taste. They also have a chewy texture. I imagine that they would have been easy to eat on the go if I had not given them away after eating half of one bar. 200 calories 21g protein 8g sugar. I have not tried the new Oh Yeah! One bars.
6. Fit Elite Baked Protein Bar. Also produced by celebrity Chef Robert Irvine. Tastes like a Quest bar mixed with chalk. The texture is slightly more dense than a Quest bar. Barely edible. 180 calories 20g protein
7. Mission 1 Clean Protein Bar. Similar taste and texture to Quest bars. These are slightly more dense. The taste is inferior to Fit Crunch, Combat Crunch bars and Quest bars. 210 calories 21g protein 1g sugar
1. Fit Crunch bars. Easily my favorite. Produced by celebrity Chef Robert Irvine. Tastes like a candy bar. My favorite is by far the peanut butter version, but the cookie dough and cookies and cream are still good. Personally I find the cookies and cream one slightly on the sweet side and is my least favorite. I don’t like eating these on the go because sometimes I end up trying to track down little chocolate pieces from my clothing, car, etc. The main trouble with these bars is finding a place to buy them. GNC has the large version of theses bars (380 calories). Sometimes CVS has them for sale individually. Walmart carries boxes, but they are often out of stock. My local Walmart stopped carrying the small size, and I don’t have the self-control to eat half of a large one. I have tried ordering from Amazon but they always arrive melted. All of my friends are now obsessed with these which is probably why I cannot find them in my local stores anymore. 190 calories, 16g protein and 3g sugar
2. Combat Crunch bars. My second favorite after Fit Crunch bars. I have less trouble with these melting when I order them online, but they sometimes taste a little stale from Amazon. Again the chocolate peanut butter flavor is my favorite. I have liked most of the flavors with the exception of the birthday cake flavor that tasted like fruit loops in stale icing (uniquely awful). These can also be messy to eat on the go, but better than Fit Crunch and Power Crunch in this respect. 210 calories, 20g protein and 5g sugar
**Update: I am concerned about the quality control on these bars. I have had several bars purchased from Amazon, Kroger and now GNC that have been firm/stale instead of the normal soft filling. I have not decided if I will continue to buy these, and I decreased my rating accordingly**
3. Power Crunch bars. My husband and I both found these to be too dry and generally without much flavor. I do like the peanut butter flavor because it reminds me of halavah (middle eastern candy made from sesame seeds). These can also be messy to eat. I have found these at GNC, Kroger and Walmart (and of course Amazon). 200 calories, 13g protein and 5g sugar.
**Update: These are growing on me. They taste dramatically better chilled. The flavor is subtle but pleasant. I like the peanut butter and chocolate mint versions. The texture reminds me of a Kit Kat. This is my new second favorite bar.**
4. Quest bars. The least messy of the group. They have more of a chewy texture than the other bars which keeps them from falling apart. As I mentioned, this used to be my favorite bar but the new formula has a weird chemical flavor to it that I cannot get past. 190 calories, 21g protein and 4g carbs
**Update: Quest must have done some more formula tweaking because they taste like they used to before the 2015 recipe change disaster. I only buy them from places that I know have new stock.**
5. Oh Yeah Victory Bars. These are way too sweet with a weird processed taste. They also have a chewy texture. I imagine that they would have been easy to eat on the go if I had not given them away after eating half of one bar. 200 calories 21g protein 8g sugar. I have not tried the new Oh Yeah! One bars.
6. Fit Elite Baked Protein Bar. Also produced by celebrity Chef Robert Irvine. Tastes like a Quest bar mixed with chalk. The texture is slightly more dense than a Quest bar. Barely edible. 180 calories 20g protein
7. Mission 1 Clean Protein Bar. Similar taste and texture to Quest bars. These are slightly more dense. The taste is inferior to Fit Crunch, Combat Crunch bars and Quest bars. 210 calories 21g protein 1g sugar
