Snacking on whole unprocessed foods is always best, but much of the time we need snacks that are quick and portable. Thankfully there are a zillion snack bars on the market…and as long as you pick one that satisfies a few criteria, you can feel good about eating these when you’re on-the-go.
Here’s what to look for:
- 150-200 calories for a snack, and about double that for a meal replacement
- 3-6 grams of fiber (more than that may be a sign of added synthetic fiber, which doesn’t offer much health benefit and can give you a belly ache).
- 6-12 grams protein
- Less than 12 grams sugar
Here are some tasty bars that fit the criteria:
- Corazonas Oatmeal Squares – tastes like an oatmeal cookie! (5g fiber and 6g protein)
- Luna Bar — only some flavors fit the bill, like Nutz Over Chocolate (3g fiber and 11g protein)
- Kashi GoLean Crunchy Bar — Chocolate Peanut or Chocolate Almond (6g fiber and 9g protein)
- Larabar – the large amount of sugar in these comes from dates, not added sugar (5g fiber and 5g protein)
- CORE meal bars – these are a meal, not a snack. CORE is earth-minded and non-profit! (5g fiber and 19g protein)
There are a handful of other good bars out there; these are just my favorites. As long as you read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredients list to make sure the bar isn’t loaded with sugar (here are all the code words for sugar) or ingredients you can’t pronounce, you can consider a wide range of bars.
Eating snacks at home most of the time?
Here are some non-bar snack ideas:
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