Barebells Protein Bar Review: Creamy Crispy, Caramel Cookie, and Chocolate Dough
If you are a person that wants to enjoy something sweet without ruining your diet, then Barebells protein bars might be a good choice. Barebells are known to have high protein and little sugar, thereby making them one of the healthier snacks found in gyms and anyone trying to get a good course of protein. I sampled the bars in three flavors: Creamy Crispy, Caramel Cookie, and Chocolate Dough.
Creamy Crispy
My personal favorite of the three was the Creamy Crispy one. It has a chewy and soft center, with a crunchy outside, like a candy bar. It has a smooth texture but a nice bite, and the chocolate coating is just sweet enough. The inside has the taste of a mixture of milk chocolate and crispy cereal. It’s not so rich that it makes you think you can’t eat the whole bar, so you won’t get tired of it fast. If you like crunchy textures and chocolate, this is a great option.
Caramel Cookie
Caramel Cookie tastes sweeter than the others. When you bite down, the caramel flavor smacks you right away. It’s smooth and gooey, and it pairs well with the cookie base. The bar is giving in, but with a bit of crunch elements to give it texture. It was a bit reminiscent of a Twix bar, only with more protein. The taste was pretty good, but the caramel was too sweet for me and left a sticky feeling on the teeth. Overall, however, it’s a decent option if you have a huge sweet tooth.
Chocolate Dough
Chocolate Dough is extremely chocolatey and has a brownie-like, soft center. It is not as crunchy as the other two, but it’s made up for by an intense cocoa flavor. If you prefer brownies or chocolate cake, then you’ll probably enjoy this one. It’s a bit more dessert-y in terms of flavor than a protein bar, which is a bonus. But it was a little too dry compared to the Creamy Crispy taste, and the chocolate could have been richer in flavor. It’s not bad, but not so exciting.
What Could Be Better
Overall, Barebells bars are tasty and have a pretty good amount of protein (around 20 grams per bar), which is ideal post-workout or as a lunchtime snack. One thing they could do improved is tone down the sweetness of the bars a bit. On some, especially people who are not used to protein bars, the sweetness is cloying. Also, while the texture in most is good, some of them are a little dry or too chewy.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a protein bar that doesn’t taste like cardboard, Barebells is a good option. Creamy Crispy is crispy and balanced, Caramel Cookie is sweet and sticky, and Chocolate Dough is rich and soft. They taste more like candy bars than health food snacks, and that is a blessing and curse depending on your intentions. Regardless, they are one of the best protein bars available. Would I buy them again? Yes, especially the Creamy Crispy.
