Sometimes life prevents us from getting ahead and prepping food. which is why protein bars exist! here, @dremmakirkeostm casts her expert over the best…

As a fitfam fanatic you try and keep to a meal plan, which means sticking religiously to prep. But what happens if life takes over and you find yourself unable to do so? What are your options?

Fortunately, supermarkets, convenience stores, petrol stations and other transient hotspots are starting to stock handy protein-boosted snacks, which might just save you from wrecking your good work.

Quest Nutrition bars are extremely popular, but I wanted to know if this popularity was justified by its nutritional value, and whether this should be your first choice. Is this protein bar actually the right one to suit your individual dietary needs? Or could there be another bar that might serve you better? I decided to compare, at a glance, all the popular protein bars in the market. You’ll recognize the likes of Quest, PhD Diet Whey, OptislimLife, Atkins Advantage, Trek Cocoa Chaos protein energy bar, Lenny and Larry’s cookie, Grenade Carb Killa and MaxiMuscle Promax, but I have also included some rising stars to try and give a better cross section. I also asked my social media followers for their favourite choice, so Grenade is in there too!

Here are the listed benefits, side effects and ingredients

Bestfit Recommends: PHD Diet Whey

Contains high protein, low sugar, flaxseed, l-carnitine chromium & CLA – milk and soya whey concentrate and isolate, soya lecithin, sucralose sweetener, milk chocolate flavour coating, palm and palm kernel oil, whey powder, fat reduced cocoa powder, wheat flour, CLA, flaxseed, l-carnitine, chromium. May contain gee, peanuts and nuts. Excessive consumption may cause a laxative effect.

Atkins

Dark chocolate, sweeteners, no added sugar, cont soy, cocoa mass, sucralose, sustainable palm fat, milk protein, low-fat cocoa cream powder, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, flavours. May contain gluten, eggs, nuts, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Excessive consumption may cause a laxative effect.

Trek Cocoa Chaos

Cold pressed and never baked, Trek is gluten-free, wheat-free and dairy-free. It’s a high-protein fruit, nut, oat and crunch bar. 100 per cent natural ingredients, with no added sugar or syrup. Vegan. One of five a day. Includes dates, soya protein crunches, tapioca starch, fruit juice concentrates (apple, grape, pear), raisins, gluten-free oats, cashews, cocoa powder, soya flour, natural flavourings and rice starch.

Quest Nutrition

Has no added sugar, is gluten-free and high in  fibre. Contains whey protein and milk protein isolate, isomalto-oligosaccharides (probiotic fibre), water, almonds, cocoao butter, erythritol, natural flavours, coconut oil, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, dextrin, baking soda, stevia, sucralose, and less than 2 per cent powder.

Maximuscle Promax

This is a bar mainly comprising of a protein blend from milk protein isolate, soya lecithin, dark chocolate, partially inverted sugar syrup, sweeteners, fructooligisaccharides, water, l-carnitine, fat-reduced cocoa powder, maltodextrin, flavourings, caffeine, green tea extract, vitamin b5 and colourings. They may contain the following ingredients despite not being listed (as the facility isn’t guaranteed): cereals containing gluten, barley, gluten, oats, wheat, eggs, nuts and peanuts. The high levels of caffeine can improve focus, but can also be a laxative in high quantities.

Optislim Life

Replacement meal bar containing gluten, soybeans, milk including lactose, sugars and sweeteners. Production facility handles nuts and eggs. White chocolate with sweetener, cocoa powder and whole milk powder, soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavour, sweeteners including  sucralose, glucose syrup, soya proteins, added vitamins and minerals

Grenade Carb Killa

Increasingly popular, it contains milk protein, whey protein isolate, milk chocolate with sweetener, soy crisps, cocoa butter, soy protein, soy oil, fat reduced cocoa powder, palm fat, sweeteners: xylitol, sucralose, skimmed milk powder, salt and tapioca starch. It is manufactured in a non-guaranteed environment, so may contain gluten, wheat, eggs, nuts, peanuts and sesame. Technically not gluten-free, but there is nothing listed in the ingredients. The xylitol can cause a laxative effect if consumed in large quantities.

Supermarkets, convenience stores and even petrol stations are starting to stock handy protein-boosted snacks

Lenny and Larry’s Complete Protein Cookie

Each complete cookie is a good source of protein and dietary fiber. They are kosher and vegan, containing no dairy and no eggs. Lenny & Larry’s Complete Cookies are not only NON-GMO, they also reject questionable ingredients, which means no soy, no cholesterol, no high fructose corn syrup, no trans fat, no artificial sweeteners, and no sugar alcohols. However, they are not gluten-free and present very little protein if you’re in need of a high-protein snack. It contains wheat flour and cane sugar, so not the best choice if you’re trying to avoid them in your diet.