Eating a vegan diet can make the world of snacks and meal replacements all that much more limited, but thankfully, the days of relegating your snack options to whole fruit and handfuls of nuts are long gone!
Today, it’s all about one of the most versatile and satiating snacks: protein bars. We’re tasting and comparing almost 20 of the top plant based protein bars, discussing the characteristics of each as well as what sets them apart from the other bars on the market.
Which are the best vegan protein bars for helping you to meet your plant protein intake goals and which are little more than a glorified candy bar? Read on!
What Are Vegan Protein Bars?
We all know that animal products like meats, dairy, and eggs are excellent sources of protein but are completely off limits for most plant based eaters. Therefore, vegan bars glean their protein content by including a variety of plant sources, including but not limited to: brown rice protein, pea protein, soy protein isolate, nuts, nut butters, and seeds such as pumpkin, chia, or sunflower.
Other ingredients are added to make the bars tasty–maple syrup! dried fruit! spices!–while starches and fibers work to hold everything together in that all-important bar shape.
How Much Protein is in a Protein Bar?
On average, a vegan protein bar has around 10-12 grams of protein per serving. Of course, some have much more than this while others have less.
Arguably more important than how much protein your vegan protein bar has however, is what type of protein it is. You want to aim to consume complete protein, in other words, protein which contains all nine essential amino acids.
Unfortunately, there are not many plant sources of protein that are complete on their own. For this reason, many vegan protein bars opt to include a mixture of different plant based protein sources as this enables the different types of proteins to complete each other. How sweet!
Vegan Protein Bars: The Test Subjects
In our quest for the best vegan protein bar, we scoured our local grocery stores, supermarkets, and health food shops to gather as many of these tasty-sounding snacks as possible.
We came away with 18 brands and varieties, including:
- Aloha Organic Protein Bar-Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Aloha Organic Protein Bar-Chocolate Fudge Brownie
- Bobo’s Peanut Butter Oat Bar
- Go Macro MacroBar-Protein Paradise Cashew Caramel
- Go Macro MacroBar-Pure Promise Maple Sea Salt
- Go Raw Organic Sprouted Bar-Spirulina Sesame
- Greens Plus Energy Bar with Dates, Almond Butter, & Greens
- Jonesbar Organic Peanut Butter Bar
- Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie Bar
- Lupii Cashew Ginger Pumpkin Seed Bar
- Mezcla Puff-Crispy Bar-Canadian Maple Blueberry
- No Cow Dipped Bar-Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup
- No Cow Protein Bar-Birthday Cake
- NuGo Dark Chocolate Almond Bar with Sea Salt
- NuGo Slim Chocolate Mint Bar
- Quantum Energy Square-Dark Chocolate Pink Himalayan Salt
- Raw Rev Creamy Peanut Butter & Sea Salt Bar
- Raw Rev Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Bar
Pay attention to the fact that several of these vegan bar makers also make non-vegan protein bars as well. We found that the products often look quite similar as the branding and labeling may be identical, so be sure to check the packaging of your choices carefully!
Our Methodology for Ranking the Best Vegan Protein Bars
Our aim for evaluating our vegan protein bars was to select the top contender for each of the following 9 categories:
- Best High Protein Vegan Protein Bar
- Best Chocolate Vegan Protein Bar
- Best Nut-Free Vegan Protein Bar
- Best Low-Carb Vegan Protein Bar
- Best Limited Ingredient Vegan Protein Bar
- Best Crispy Vegan Protein Bar
- Best Vegan Protein Bar With a Boost
- Best Vegan Protein Bar With Greens
- Best Specialty Vegan Protein Bar
In order to come up with the top picks from our batch of vegan bars, each bar was carefully examined, researched, and tasted by our panel.
During this phase, every vegan protein bar was given a score in each of the 5 following criteria:
- Taste & Texture: how each bar tastes as well as how pleasant or unpleasant the overall consistency is.
- Nutrition Content: specifically how much protein is in each bar while also taking into account calories, fats, sodium, vitamins/minerals, and overall ingredient quality.
- Unique Characteristics: including special flavors, ingredients, extra benefits provided, or anything else that makes each protein bar unique.
- Value: since we are comparing bars of many different sizes here, we opted to standardize this as a price per ounce metric.
- Production & Packaging: whether or not each bar is readily available, as well as any special characteristics of the production style, parent company, or packaging.
Best High Protein Vegan Protein Bar: No Cow Protein Bar
Flavor: Birthday Cake
Protein Content Per Bar: 21 grams
Here is how the Birthday Cake flavored No Cow Protein Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 4.1 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 5.0 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 4.6 / 5.0
- Value: 4.4 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.5 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.5 / 5.0
What better way to get this protein bar party started than with this birthday cake flavor bar from No Cow! Their slogan, “No cow. No bull. No whey!” just about says it all, but let us tell you a bit more.
First things first, the protein content of this vegan bar was unparalleled, clocking in at 21 grams, and it is nutritionally impressive in a host of other ways as well. This bar boasts the lowest sugar content of all the bars we tested, with just 1 gram per serving, and the highest fiber content with a full 16 grams per serving! This is over 50% your recommended daily value of dietary fiber. And, we’re happy to report it is super low in both overall fats and saturated fats, with 4.5 grams and 1 gram respectively.
This protein bar is soy free as well as is non-GMO, and though it contains palm oil–typically a con in our book–the packaging makes mention of the fact that this ingredient is sustainably sourced. We call that a win! We also love the mod looking wrapper, and let’s not forget the fun birthday cake flavor, complete with rainbow sprinkles!
On the downside, No Cow’s Birthday Cake Protein Bar had one of our least favorite textures, with an overall chalky, gritty mouthfeel. It also is quite soft and deforms into a smooshed mess easily, so this one may not be best for taking on a summer hike or stashing in the car on a sunny day.
It also contains some sugar alcohols–a.k.a. artificial sweeteners–which, while helping to keep those sugar and net carb values nice and low, do add a funny flavor and may be problematic to some folks. Overall, this bar was much more processed than many of the other vegan bars.
Pros:
- Features the highest protein content of all bars we tested: 21 grams!
- Has the lowest sugar content, highest fiber, and low levels of fat.
- Soy-free!
- Non-GMO.
- Uses sustainably sourced palm oil.
- Sold in eye-catching, modern packaging.
- Birthday cake flavor is uber crave-worthy!
Cons:
- Scored the lowest on texture, as it has an overall chalky experience.
- Contains sugar alcohols/artificial sweeteners.
- Is more highly processed overall.
Best Chocolate Vegan Protein Bar: Aloha Organic Protein Bar
Flavor: Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Protein Content Per Bar: 14 grams
Here is how the Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavored Aloha Organic Protein Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 5.0 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.5 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 4.7 / 5.0
- Value: 4.6 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.9 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.7 / 5.0
If there is only one word we could use to describe the sight of this bar upon unwrapping it, we would have to go with: Behold! This vegan protein bar looks just like a Thin Mint cookie and if you’re a chocolate lover who wants all the richness–think along the lines of our chocolatiest recipes like Double Chocolate Brownies and Decadent Chocolate Torte–you’re going to want to say Aloha to this one.
Chocolate coating on the outside, with two types of fudgy chocolate filling on the inside make this vegan protein bar smooth, melty, and dreamy.
Oh, and did we mention it’s organic?! That’s right, the key ingredients here are: organic pumpkin seed protein, organic brown rice protein, and organic sunflower seed butter. And don’t forget the vegan chocolate of course! We also love to see that this bar is completely free of any sodium content, as well as does not contain any soy ingredients.
In addition to organic cane sugar and organic tapioca syrup, this bar is sweetened by monk fruit extract, which helps to keep the overall sugar content fairly low: 5 grams per serving. Last but not least, Aloha is a certified B corp, meaning they go the extra mile to be environmentally and socially sustainable. We love a good B corp!
Unfortunately, this vegan protein bar comes with a long list of allergen warnings. Despite it being completely vegan, the ingredients panel makes mention of the fact that it is processed on equipment shared with dairy milk, as well as tree nuts, seeds, and peanuts. Also, we only found this brand at one of our local health food stores, so it seems to not be quite as readily available as some of the other vegan protein bar options.
Pros:
- Hands down one of the best tasting organic protein bars we tried, with rich chocolate flavor and velvety texture.
- USDA certified organic and non-GMO verified.
- Sodium-free and soy-free.
- Contains monk fruit extract, keeping these bars at just 5 grams of sugar per serving.
- Comes from a certified B-corp.
Cons:
- Has a lengthy list of potential allergens, including milk and peanuts.
- Not as easy to locate as other, bigger vegan protein bar brands.
Best Nut-Free Vegan Protein Bar: Go Macro MacroBar
Flavor: Pure Promise Maple Sea Salt
Protein Content Per Bar: 12 grams
Here is how the Pure Promise Maple Sea Salt flavored Go Macro MacroBar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 4.8 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.5 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 4.8 / 5.0
- Value: 4.3 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.6 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.6 / 5.0
In case you couldn’t tell by our collection of maple-centric recipes like Maple Glazed Vegan Donuts, Maple Glazed Carrots, and Maple Peanut Butter Cookies, we are serious maple lovers over here at Vegan in the Freezer! You can, therefore, understand our level of thrill when we came across this delicious homage to one of our favorite flavors, all wrapped up in a perfect little nut-free protein bar package.
Seeing as tree nuts and peanuts are two of the most popular sources of plant based protein, finding a vegan protein bar that is nut-free is a bit of a trick. Go Macro swoops in to save the day though, with their protein packed MacroBar made from organic pea protein and organic pumpkin seeds, both of which give a pleasant crunch to the chewy base of the bar itself.
As opposed to refined sugars, this bar opts to get its sweetness from organic brown rice syrup and maple sugar. This organic protein bar is both certified C.L.E.A.N and certified R.A.W., assuring you that it is made from top notch ingredients and minimally processed.
Along with all of this goodness comes an unfortunately high price tag, as this bar ran us just over $2.00 per ounce. It also is the highest in calorie content, with 280 per bar, as compared to the average which was around 210 calories per bar. And, it’s worth noting that this vegan bar is very high carb and low fiber, resulting in the highest net carb count of our entire study: 32 net carbs. If you’re keto, keep away from this one!
Pros:
- Has a super delicious buttery maple flavor!
- Contains protein from peas and pumpkin seeds, keeping it 100% nut-free.
- Is sweetened with brown rice syrup and maple sugar as opposed to refined sugars.
- Certified C.L.E.A.N. and Certified R.A.W.
- USDA organic and non-GMO.
Cons:
- Most expensive of all the vegan protein bars we found, costing close to $4.50.
- Has the highest calorie content: 280 per serving.
- Not keto friendly, as it has an extremely high net carb count of 32!
Best Low-Carb Vegan Protein Bar: Raw Rev Creamy Peanut Butter & Sea Salt Bar
Flavor: Creamy Peanut Butter & Sea Salt
Protein Content Per Bar: 12 grams
Here is how Raw Rev Creamy Peanut Butter & Sea Salt Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 4.6 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.7 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 4.4 / 5.0
- Value: 4.7 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 5.0 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.7 / 5.0
Vegan protein bar company Raw Rev cranks out several craveable flavors of vegan bars including Mixed Nuts & Caramel and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, but we completely fell for this salty Peanut Butter flavor of theirs.
It has that perfectly salted, roasted peanut butter taste with just enough sweetener to make it extra yummy. This bar gets its muscle-building energy from the specific combo of brown rice protein, flax protein powder, and pea protein isolate, which come together to create 12 grams of complete protein.
This bar contains one of the highest fiber contents we saw, with 13 grams of it, thanks to ingredients like chicory root fiber and tapioca fiber. Combine this with the fact that it only has 2 grams of added sugar per serving, and you get the lowest net carb count across the board: just 3 grams net carb per bar! This combination of high fiber and low-carb is ideal for folks who are following a keto eating plan and those who are trying to maintain stable blood sugar.
We also love that this company operates under a plastic neutral certification, meaning for any quantity of plastic they produce, an equal or greater amount of environmental plastic waste is removed and recycled.
One thing we don’t love about this product is the name! Based on it, we expected this to be a raw food, but flip the package over and it clearly states “not a raw food, ingredients are heated for food safety.“ Just a little misleading if you ask us. It also comes with a long list of shared equipment concerns including: tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, and soy.
Pros:
- Really tasty salty-sweet peanut flavor.
- Made from a combo of brown rice, flax, and pea proteins.
- Has 13 grams of fiber–45% your daily value!
- Very low in sugar and net carbs, just 2 grams and 3 grams respectively.
- Is a certified plastic neutral product.
Cons:
- Product name is misleading as this is not a raw food product, nor has anything to do with raw foods.
- Has a long list of cross contamination allergens including eggs and shellfish–eek!
Best Limited Ingredient Vegan Protein Bar: Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie Bar
Flavor: Peanut Butter Cookie
Protein Content Per Bar: 6 grams
Here is how Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 4.4 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.4 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 4.3 / 5.0
- Value: 5.0 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.3 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.5 / 5.0
Larabar is perhaps one of the most well-known protein and snack bar companies out there, we have to admit, we were surprised at just how many of their products are vegan too! They have an amazingly handy tool on their website which allows you to toggle through different dietary needs (i.e., soy free, gluten free, kosher) and all of the different Larabar flavors that are suitable pop right up for you.
Their Peanut Butter Cookie consists of just 3 ingredients, if you can believe that! Dates, peanuts, and sea salt are perfectly balanced, creating a vegan protein bar which has sort of a trail mix vibe to it. We love how the lack of other ingredients allows the natural flavor of those dates and peanuts to shine brightly. It is non-GMO project verified and was also the most economical of all the vegan bars we tested, coming in at just $0.82 per ounce, or $1.39 for the whole bar.
Sadly, this one just barely met our protein bar qualifications as it features a mere 6 grams per bar. It also has a whopping 16 grams of sugar per serving, and though this is naturally occurring in the dates, it still is quite a lot.
We also have a feeling that its small size is probably not going to satisfy the hunger pangs for most folks, so you might want to pair this protein bar with another food if you’re looking for a meal replacement or a hearty snack!
Pros:
- Company offers a handy website tool that allows you to easily find protein bar options that suit your own dietary needs!
- Is minimally processed and made from just 3 whole food ingredients.
- Non-GMO project verified
- Has the least expensive price tag of all vegan protein bars we tested, costing just $1.39 for the whole bar.
Cons:
- Very low protein content compared to other vegan bars and regular protein bars–just 6 grams per serving.
- Has 16 grams of sugar, almost the highest of all products we tested.
- Quite small in size and not very filling.
Best Crispy Vegan Protein Bar: Mezcla Puff-Crispy Bar
Flavor: Canadian Maple Blueberry
Protein Content Per Bar: 10 grams
Here is how the Canadian Maple Blueberry flavored Mezcla Puff-Crispy Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 5.0 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.5 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 5.0 / 5.0
- Value: 4.6 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 5.0 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.8 / 5.0
If you’re looking for a vegan protein bar that diverges from the usual, this Mezcla Puff-Crispy Bar might just be exactly what you need! It is much lighter than typically dense protein bars and is not all gummy.
It all comes down to these ingenious pea protein crisps, which offer a pleasant crunch and sort of pop in your mouth, all without the roughness of nuts or seeds. The crisps are held together with a bottom layer of vegan white chocolate and the natural flavors of sweet blueberries and nutty quinoa come together to produce the best tasting bar, according to our tasters.
If that wasn’t enough to swoon you, the packaging of this vegan bar is on point as well. The front of the wrapper features artwork by an independent artist who is local to the region of Canada that Mezcla hails from and it even includes a QR code to scan for more details and a phone number you can text with questions! We truly are living in the future now.
This bar is the lowest in calories of all the bars we tested, with just 170 per satisfying serving, and we love that the package makes mention of the fact that they support The Hunger Project, an effort that aims to end worldwide food insecurity.
We did notice that the ingredients panel contains palm kernel oil, but there is no additional information about whether or not it is sourced responsibly or not.
Also, there are a ton of allergens listed on this bar as well. Not only does it contain actual tree nut and coconut ingredients, but the product is processed on shared equipment where it may be contaminated with peanut, dairy, soy, egg, and sesame.
Pros:
- Has a wonderful lightweight texture and we love the unique, crispy-crunchy experience!
- Vegan white chocolate and dried blueberries amp up the flavor.
- Packaging features & supports the artwork of local artists.
- Offers a scannable QR code and a textable phone number for more information and answers to questions.
- Has the lowest calorie content of all the vegan protein bars we found.
- Company supports The Hunger Project.
Cons:
- Contains palm kernel oil and there is no detail given on how/where this controversial ingredient is sourced.
- Is an allergen party, as it contains tree nuts and coconuts as well as is processed on equipment that has exposure to many other problematic ingredients.
Best Vegan Protein Bar With a Boost: Quantum Energy Square
Flavor: Dark Chocolate Pink Himalayan Salt
Protein Content Per Bar: 10 grams
Here is how the Dark Chocolate Pink Himalayan Salt flavored Quantum Energy Square scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 3.9 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.1 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 5.0 / 5.0
- Value: 4.7 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.5 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.4 / 5.0
First thoughts on breaking this bar open: just look at all of those beautiful seeds and chocolate chips, what a treat! The Quantum Energy Square has a very cool thin texture and compact size, making it just the thing you’d want to stick in your pocket for a hike or tuck into your bicycle pouch for a long ride.
It has a very nice chewy texture and in addition to a base of pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, pea protein, and almond butter, has some serious chocolate flavor! It combines the forces of multiple cocoa ingredients like organic cocoa butter, organic cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, and mini chips for a super chocolatey appeal.
It contains a bit of coconut derived energy-boosting MCT oil to help you stay full for longer, and for the true boost: caffeine! That’s right, this vegan bar has 100 milligrams of caffeine per serving. The caffeine is derived from organic green coffee and when combined with the other hearty ingredients that make up this protein bar, can help to provide steady, sustainable energy as opposed to the spike and crash you get from downing a cup of coffee or tea.
The biggest downside as reported by our panel of tasters was in regards to the taste. The pink Himalayan salt plays way too big of a flavor role here, and easily takes over all of the chocolate goodness that is going on.
This vegan protein bar is also towards the bottom of the list as far as macronutrient profile goes, as it has 3.5 grams of saturated fats per serving–equivalent to about 25% your recommended daily intake–and it also has the highest number of calories: 250 per bar!
Pros:
- Slim profile and compact size make it great for fueling workouts and outdoorsy activities.
- Pleasant chewy texture.
- Has plenty of chocolate flavor thanks to numerous cocoa-based ingredients.
- Contains satiating MCT oil.
- Packs a punch with 100 milligrams of caffeine per bar!
Cons:
- Not the tastiest bar on the table, with an overly salted flavor.
- High in fats and calories, with 3.5 grams of saturated fats and 250 calories per serving.
Best Vegan Protein Bar With Greens: Go Raw Organic Sprouted Bar
Flavor: Spirulina Sesame
Protein Content Per Bar: 6 grams
Here is how the Spirulina Sesame flavored Go Raw Organic Sprouted Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 3.9 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.2 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 5.0 / 5.0
- Value: 4.6 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.5 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.4 / 5.0
If you’re looking to double down on your nutritional goals, choosing a vegan protein bar with some greens in it is one way to do it! In one of the most unique takes on a vegan protein bar we came across, this bar has a dry, crunchy texture more like a cracker than a protein bar.
This Spirulina Sesame flavored protein bar from the folks at Go Raw Organics consists of just 6 simple, whole food ingredients: banana, sprouted sesame seeds, dates, coconut, spirulina, and sea salt.
The fact that the seeds are sprouted means that their inherent nutrients are more bioavailable than those hidden away in their non-sprouted counterparts. This protein bar is USDA certified organic as well as non-GMO project verified.
And, let’s not forget all of that goodness brought to the table by those greens! Spirulina is a blue-green algae which boasts a ton of associated health benefits thanks to its nutrient density and antioxidant powers.
Sadly, for all of its superfood powers, tasty flavor is not one of this protein bar’s strong suits. Although the strong sesame flavor is a welcome detour from the usual nut butter and pumpkin seed heavy bars, the combination of banana + spirulina creates a slightly funky taste, neither salty nor sweet.
Also, when a product advertises a slogan like “on the go nutrition”, you’d expect it to be transport-friendly, right? Not in this case. This protein bar is so messy and crumbly, and actually by the time we even got around to breaking it open for a taste test, ours had already shattered into several smaller pieces. Definitely not good for on the go, unless you’re going somewhere that you can handle it preciously.
Finally, it’s worth noting that this bar is the highest overall in fat content, with 15 grams (almost 20% your DV) per serving. However, you can take some comfort in the fact that some of these are healthy fats from all of that sesame goodness!
Pros:
- Has a uniquely crunchy, cracker-like texture.
- Features a very simple ingredients list of 6 whole food, organic ingredients.
- Contains sprouted sesame seeds for increased nutrient absorption.
- USDA certified organic and non-GMO.
- Has lots of antioxidants and other goodness from that blue-green spirulina!
Cons:
- Not the best tasting, as the flavors of banana, dates, sesame, and greens don’t seem to compliment each other all that well.
- Is quite fragile, and does not stand up to handling or transport.
- Has a very high total fat content, although many of these fats are the healthy kind!
Best Specialty Vegan Protein Bar: Lupii Cashew Ginger Pumpkin Seed Bar
Flavor: Cashew Ginger Pumpkin Seed
Protein Content Per Bar: 9 grams
Here is how Lupii Cashew Ginger Pumpkin Seed Bar scored in each of our criteria categories:
- Taste & Texture: 4.6 / 5.0
- Nutrition Content: 4.9 / 5.0
- Unique Characteristics: 4.8 / 5.0
- Value: 4.9 / 5.0
- Production & Packaging: 4.8 / 5.0
- Overall Score: 4.8 / 5.0
If protein bars with greens are not your thing, how about a bar with beans! Made from lupini beans–a protein-packed member of the legume family–Lupii Bars offer a protein bar experience that is not at all like one you’ve had before.
In addition to those lupini beans, their Cashew Ginger Pumpkin Seed Bar combines the powers of a few other nutrient dense ingredients like dates, cashew butter, pumpkin seeds, and ginger powder and presses them into a neat little square which is perfect for on the go snacking! It has a great overall flavor and a densely chewy texture that makes it surprisingly satisfying for its small size. There are no added sweeteners in this protein bar and all of the sugar content comes from those naturally sweet whole dates.
This protein bar provides 7 grams of prebiotic fiber in each serving, as well as is much more impressive in the vitamin/mineral department than any other bars we tested. Not only do you get a little bit of calcium, potassium, folate, and manganese, but you also get 10% your DV of calcium, 15% your DV of vitamin E, 8% your DV of magnesium, and 6% your DV of zinc!
If that wasn’t enough, this bar is also non GMO and produced in a plastic neutral facility.
Despite liking the taste overall, our tasters agree that the ginger flavor was a bit too forward here and kind of takes over the profile of the entire bar. Also, though the packaging is really whimsical and fun, we found it tough to read–especially while shopping. It took us an extra inspection to figure out which flavor was which. More obvious flavor distinction on the wrappers would be helpful here!
Pros:
- Made with protein and fiber rich lupini beans.
- Has a limited number of other ingredients, just 5 whole food items.
- No added sugars or sweeteners.
- Pleasant, chewy texture that really hits the spot.
- 7 grams of prebiotic fiber per serving.
- Has the most impressive vitamin & mineral content.
- Non-GMO.
- Plastic neutral!
Cons:
- The taste of ginger dominates, rendering the bar a bit spicy and cashew or pumpkin seed flavors undetectable.
- Tough to read packaging.
Best Vegan Protein Bar FAQs
Are Most Protein Bars Vegan?
Unfortunately it’s unlikely you could just pick up any ol’ protein bar and have it be suitable for a vegan diet. Most regular protein bars rely on whey as their protein source, which is a milk derived ingredient. In addition, many bars use eggs or egg whites for their protein as well as their ability to bind other ingredients together.
Bottom line: stick with the brands and varieties we’ve mentioned here or check labels very carefully when doing shopping of your own!
Are There Any Vegan Perfect Bars?
Perfect Bar is one brand of protein bar that includes egg powder and/or milk powder in all of their products. No vegan options here!
Are Larabars Vegan?
Not all of them, so look out! The Peanut Butter Cookie flavor that we reviewed, as well as many other flavors of Larabar are indeed vegan but this company also makes bars which are sweetened with honey. Choose your Larabar flavor wisely!
Best Vegan Protein Bars: The Takeaway
As you can see, vegan protein bars like those we’ve discussed here offer an easy way to up your plant protein intake. Whether you seek a selection that has the most protein per bar or you’re looking for a healthy snack to make all of your chocolate dreams come true, we’ve got the protein-packed option you need.
Looking for more ways to get your protein on? Try some homemade options like our Almond Butter Bars, Blueberry Protein Shake and No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Balls. You’ll be making gains before you know it!