TASTE

Let’s cut right to the chase here. After a lifetime of watching my calories and counting macros, I know that if something doesn’t taste good, I just won’t eat it. No matter how much goodness you pack into a meal or a snack- if it doesn’t taste good I just won’t eat it.

I have consumed quite a few energy and protein bars in my lifetime, and there are very few I actually liked. They were either too hard, tasted of cardboard, or left a lingering aftertaste that I cannot shake. These Rbars are pure, flavorful, and satisfying.

When I first bit into the Blueberry Breakfast bar, I expected to be hit with a heavy sweetness that never came. It had a very light and somewhat savory flavor, with a subtle sweetness from bits of blueberry mixed into the small batch. Some felt that the bar just wasn’t sweet enough for them, but I didn’t feel that this was the case at all.

I’m also a stickler for textures. One of the things that I hate most with many energy bars is that they leave a chalky taste in my mouth, or they are as hard as a rock. When it bit into my first bar, it had a texture that was very similar to cookie dough. Even though they are packed with nuts, these bars are delightfully chewy.

INGREDIENTS

What makes the RBar stand in the dense market of energy bars is not what is found in the bars, but what is left out. Many of these bars only contain three simple ingredients that taste impossibly fresh. Many bars pack in ingredients that I often don’t recognize or am even able to pronounce. The Peanut Butter and Jelly bar, for instance, only contains peanuts, dates, and raisins.

When watching what you eat, you often have to decide between convenience and nutrition. Convenient meals and snacks are bogged down with artificial sweeteners and preservatives, and healthy snacks require time and preparation. RBars are a perfect blend of whole ingredients and convenience.

What’s also important to note is that these bars are non-GMO, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. For runners that only want to fuel their bodies with pure ingredients, you will want to grab for an RBar either pre or post-run.

NUTRITION

As a runner as well as a powerlifter, I spend a lot of time counting my macros. The food I eat needs to serve two purposes: fuel my body and squash the angry monster inside of my soul.

I often reach for fresh fruits and veggies because they not only fill me up faster but also deliver high-quality and unprocessed vitamins and minerals that fuel my sometimes twice-a-day workouts.

Fruits and veggies are great, but I can’t exactly whip out a head of broccoli out of my gym bag after a workout. These bars offer the same level of pure nutrition as fresh fruits and vegetables in a small and convenient package. Most bars provide just shy of 200 calories per bar, and their energy bars also provide around 4 grams of protein per serving.

By utilizing nuts and fruit, you get high-end nutrition in a small package that you can toss into a gym bag or tote to ensure that your hunger monster doesn’t spiral out of control.

FLAVORS

Some days I have a hankering for something fruity, while other days I want something more chocolatey. What I love about these energy bars is that are offered in tons of different flavors that will satisfy my tastes buds for any given day.

My variety pack comes with flavors such as Blueberry breakfast, Lemon Poppyseed, Cranberry Cashew, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Chocolate Peanutbutter.

What I also love about these bars is that their test kitchen is always rolling out new flavors. Some of their newer flavor options that are not included in the variety box include unique blends such as coconut almond, honey nut protein, and acai berry almond protein.

SUSTAINED ENERGY

Currently, I’m tracking my calories and my macros to hit a weight loss goal. To lose weight, I’m eating very small meals 5 times a day. I sampled these bars 6-weeks into a 1,200 calorie diet.

Typically, my mid-afternoon snack is a cup of greek protein yogurt, banana, or apple. I found when I swapped out my yogurt for an RBar, I was able to chug along without the hunger monster nipping at my heels.

I found that these energy bars do a really great job of keeping me active and satisfied between meals without weighing me down. Plus, it was a little exciting to choose between one of the many flavor options when snack time rolled around. On days where the diet made me a little grumpy, I opted for a chocolate option as a treat.

I also found that on days that I swapped out my traditional midafternoon snack with an RBar, I performed much better at the gym.

These bars do a great job of squashing my hunger without weighing me down and kept me from feeling like I wanted to take a nap. When it came time to down a pre-workout drink, I felt energetic and ready to take on the challenge.

PROTEIN

As a vegetarian, I often struggle to meet my daily protein targets. The snacks that I reach for in the middle of the day are healthy but don’t include much protein. What I love about these energy bars is that they offer 4 grams of protein per serving which helps me reach my protein goals for the day.

RBar also offers protein bar options in different flavors that deliver even more protein than their energy bars. Their protein options are higher in calories (but not by much), and derive their added protein source from natural ingredients.

Many protein bars add whey or powdered protein to the mix (which means they aren’t vegan!). By deriving their protein through natural sources, the ingredients remain just as simple in their protein bars as their energy bars.

WHO ARE THEY FOR

RBars are made for those that want to fuel their bodies with convenient and high-quality ingredients. If you find yourself reaching for not-so-healthy snacks between meals, these bars are an excellent alternative.

They’re great for runners or athletes that need a little boost of fuel to power them through their day, but it’s also great for those that are simply watching their weight.

Overall, I would suggest reaching for these bars as a snack instead of a meal replacement bar. Many meal replacement bars pack over 250 calories per bar, which is still pretty low for a meal. With under 200 calories per serving, these bars serve as an excellent and tasty snack to replace empty-calorie snacks such as pretzels.

These bars are small and compact, and a great tool to pack into your gym bag or tote when your feel that hunger monster growing louder in your head.

If you want the convenience of processed foods with the simple ingredients of a homemade snack, this is one of your very best options.

VERDICT

What I loved most about these bars is that you know exactly what you are eating. If you like dates, nuts, and dried fruit- odds are you will love these bars. It’s so hard to find convenient nutrition that isn’t bogged down with unnecessary ingredients, and RBars are a wonderful and healthy snack choice that fuels your body to get through the day.

Finding a good energy bar is difficult. Many of the bigger brands that you find at the supermarket try so hard to taste like a candy bar that they are nothing but disappointment.

They are packed with very little nutrition and leave nothing but a terrible aftertaste in your mouth. What makes RBar unique is that it is composed of very simple ingredients and is free of preservatives.

What I also loved about these bars is that they tasted great. They did not leave an unpleasant aftertaste in my mouth and had just enough sweetness that made me really excited when snack time rolled around again. They are dense and chewy cookie dough and were surprisingly satisfying.

If you are on the hunt for a great snack to toss into your gym bag, RBars are a great choice. They are packed with simple and satisfying ingredients that fuel your body while making your taste buds very happy!

After tasting each RBar over this past week, I have a few comments on the nutritional quality and ingredients, when they should be best eaten, and about the taste.

Nutrition Quality & Ingredients

RBars can be eaten by a variety of athletes since they are plant-based, gluten and dairy-free. The six ingredients are easily identifiable and are organic.

As a runner, I often look at the nutrition facts to determine when and how much I should be eating either prior, during, or after runs.

The serving size is small and compact and easy to carry if eaten on a run. RBar contains 180-190 calories which is approximately what most endurance athletes (ultra-runners) need to eat every hour or more on a long run.

The carbohydrate gram amount (25-27 g), with zero added sugars, meet the recommended amount to consume every 30-45 minutes during long runs, but the total fat content (8-10 g) is too high for most runners running more intense workouts (tempo or interval workouts).

Dietary fiber (3 g) is within a healthy range but not too high to avoid any GI issues. Ultra-runners would benefit from eating this bar on long runs more often than shorter distance runners due to the higher fat content.

The protein count (4 g) is too low to use as a recovery snack, but this could be eaten 1-2 hours before a run as a quick snack, but not recommended right before training due to the higher fat content.

RBars have a soft-chewy consistency. The taste of each bar is highly subjective, but my favorite was the Blueberry Breakfast bar. I did not like the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor. The peanut butter flavor was not strong enough and the consistency was drier compared to the other bars.

The Lemon Poppyseed flavor was strong if you like lemons, but I didn’t like the consistency of the poppyseeds. The Peanut Butter & Jelly flavor tasted like I was eating a PBJ sandwich (which I love), and would be enjoyable to eat either before a run or during a long, slow run.

Finally, the Cranberry Cashew bar consistency was not great. It contained whole cranberry pieces which would make it more difficult to chew on a long run, but fine to eat as a snack before. The taste was OK, but it wasn’t my favorite.

I would recommend the Blueberry Breakfast Bar as my favorite flavor and consistency to eat 1-2 hours before a run, or during a long, slow run when training for marathons or ultra-marathons.

I received the variety pack of the RBar energy bars in the mail, which came with flavors such as Cranberry Cashew, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Blueberry Breakfast, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Lemon Poppyseed.

My first opinion of the bars without opening the package was that they seemed small and relatively high in calories for how small the bar was. I perused the nutrition label and determined that these bars are more likely suited for carbohydrate intake prior to a workout or a normal everyday snack.

I would not consider them to be high enough in protein to be a true “protein bar” – but they are not advertised as protein bars, so this is okay!

When I opened the package, I was immediately surprised and impressed by how well the bars held together without being immensely greasy on the outside. This is a common flaw of bars that only contain a few ingredients, but I did not have this issue with the RBars.

When I bit into one, I continued to be impressed by the texture of the bar. It had a soft bite with just enough texture to be appetizing to the palate but was well-blended.

It was not greasy and did not stick to my teeth or create goop in my mouth. All the bars are date and nut-based, which I really liked.

I personally really like dates so when I got a taste of dates I wasn’t displeased. I think even if you didn’t like dates the flavor wouldn’t be overwhelming or off-putting. I love that I could see what was really in the bar with every bite.

The thing that stands out to me the most about these bars is the accuracy and vibrancy of the flavors. Each bar tasted exactly like it was supposed to and didn’t give an off-putting taste of a hidden protein powder or secret ingredients to reduce sugar or prolong shelf-life.

The Lemon Poppyseed bar was so bright and fresh to eat and I loved the dried fruit additions (and how big the fruit pieces were) in the Cranberry Cashew and Blueberry Breakfast bars.

I’m not usually a huge fan of chocolate and peanut butter flavored protein bars but this one was flavored perfectly without being overwhelming on either flavor. And Peanut Butter and Jelly is just a classic!

I am a graduate student and a daily runner. I spend long days on campus and try to sneak a workout in when I have an hour or two to spare.

These bars were perfect for getting me through a long class, fueling me before a workout, or replenishing my body afterward without being so big and hard to eat. My only complaint is that the price point is so high – I wish I could just continue to get a lifetime of free samples!

A snack bar made with as little as 3 ingredients that I would actually want to eat? YES! The fact that they are kosher, vegan, non-gmo, and budget-friendly is even better.

These energy bars were not only a hit with me but with my teenagers as well! Clean, nutritious snack that everyone in the house will choose to pick up on the way out the door is a huge win. Even better when they share them with their friends!

We tested the variety pack – 5 flavors. Overall, we liked them all and the variety pack is the best option for my family. Everyone gets their favorite. However, the chocolate peanut butter was our least favorite. This surprised me as I thought it would be our most sought-after (we are a chocolate-loving family). Maybe we were expecting more chocolate taste in this one, but the dates were more overpowering than we liked.

The peanut butter and jelly bar was the most filling and was used after sports practices. The lemon poppyseed has a tart taste to it (think sour patch kids) – so it was the top choice of my kids. The blueberry breakfast has a strong blueberry taste – which I loved but wasn’t a winner with the rest of the family.

Our family’s top choice was the cranberry cashew. This one felt like you were eating cherry pie – seemed a lot more decadent and off-limits than it actually was. Felt like a “cheat” meal without actually cheating.

Their size is convenient too. They easily fit in a lunch box, backpack, purse, gym bag, hydration vest, and even the cup holder of the car. These go anywhere!

They are not crumbly like other energy bars and therefore aren’t as messy.

First, let's start out by saying the variety of flavors In RBar are great! There's a flavor for everyone's taste! Flavors are subtle and not very strong or overwhelming.

These bars are great for on the go. I was able to take these to work and have one right after on my way to the gym. These bars are also great pre-run or pre-work out. Easy to go and pop in your gym bag.

Easy nutrition for on the go is essential during busy work weeks. These are light snacks however they pack in the nutrition and energy to get me through runs, weight training, biking, swimming and boxing. Small enough to fit in a fanny pack for runs as well.

I have discovered my new pre-workout bar!