1. Balance Bare Bars- I went through a stage where I ate two or more of these a day. That was an unhealthy obsession, but I guess it’s proof that they’re really great. They have 30% of your daily dose of protein and also have lots of fiber. My favorite flavor is sweet & salty peanut butter, but they also come in blueberry-acai and sweet & salty chocolate almond. They sell them at Schnucks and Whole Foods, or you can buy them online in bulk for a lower price. They’re great for breakfast or between classes when you’re on the run. They also give you lots of energy before a workout.
2. Kashi Cherry Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bars- These bars aren’t filling and can’t really replace a meal, but they’re a great snack and have the perfect balance of dried cherries and chocolate. They have 15% of your daily fiber and 7% of your protein for just 120 calories. If you’re dying for a candy bar, these do a pretty good job of satisfying the craving.
3. Clif Zbars- They’re for kids but whatever. They come in soft-baked or crispy and in tons of flavors. They’re small, so they’re more of a snack than a heavy protein bar, but they have a lot of fiber and are really tasty. You can find them at Whole Foods and Schnucks.
4. ZonePerfect Bars- These bars have lots of protein and other essential vitamins, and they come in tons of flavors. My personal favorite is sweet and salty cashew pretzel (you know that sounds delicious), and it really does taste like a candy bar. They also come in more breakfast-friendly favors, but you should avoid the ones coated in chocolate, because that pretty much defeats the purpose of an energy bar.
5. Über Lara Bars- These delicious fruit and nut bars have very low saturated fat, a good amount of fiber, and other benefits. Oh, and they taste great. My favorite flavors are cherry cobbler and roasted nut roll. They’re not that easy to find in stores, but they are sometimes at Whole Foods and you can order them online in bulk, which is cheaper in the end anyways.
6. Luna Fiber Bars- These fiber-filled bars aren’t like regular Luna bars- they’re lower in calories and are made more like a Nutrigrain bar (soft-baked with fruit fillings). There are only a few flavors as of now, like vanilla blueberry, peanut butter strawberry, and chocolate raspberry, but they have many health benefits other than fiber, such as iron and calcium. They’re great for breakfast and can be found at almost any grocery store.
7. Kashi Go Lean Crisp Bars- These bars are both nutritious and tasty. Chocolate peanut, cinnamon coffee cake, and chocolate pretzel are just three of the flavors. They are all around 160 calories and have 20% of your daily fiber, 11% of your protein, and 20% of your calcium, which are all essential nutrients for women. These can be found in vending machines scattered around Wash U’s campus and are also sold in Schnucks.
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