Snack bars are a staple at my house. Whether it’s grabbing one for breakfast on the way to school or having it for a quick snack, we always have some bars stored in the pantry. We’re not limited to granola bars, either. My sister always steals the protein bars I have after morning practices, and I recently rediscovered fig bars. Here are the five snack bars that we’re eating right now, and whether or not they’re worth it. 

Perfect Protein Bar

The name alone sets a high standard. I don’t think they’re perfect, but the protein bars do their job. I usually eat them on my way to school as a post-run second breakfast. They’re dense and smooth, with strong flavors like peanut butter and almond butter. The main drawback has to do with the heaviness. The protein bars are usually intended as meal replacements, which is why they seem like so much, so they aren’t a good fit for someone who wants a lighter snack during a quick break. Still, they keep me from getting hungry for a couple hours after my workout, so I give them an 8/10. 

Trader Joe’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I only take these chewy chocolate chip granola bars when there are no other options in the pantry. They taste sickly sweet, drowning out the other, more natural flavors you would usually expect from a granola bar. Between the sweetness and stickiness, Trader Joe’s bars are one of my least favorites. I give them a 5/10.

Costco Nut Bars

These nut bars deliver on all of their promises. The bar is crunchy and covered in chocolate, which adds some sweetness to the salty nuts. The only drawback is the texture. The nuts are sticky enough to make it hard to chew. Still, I like them too much to let that get in my way. I give them a 9/10. 

Blueberry Nutri-Grain Bar

I bought these Nutri-Grain bars while I was looking for fig bars at Safeway. I couldn’t find any fig bars, but Nutri-Grain looked close enough, so it joined the snack bar collection in the pantry. The filling seems like jam, although it barely tastes like blueberry, and the bread is flimsy. The bars primarily tasted like sugar, not blueberry. I give them a 4/10.

Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars

These raspberry, blueberry, and original fig bars come in a Costco-size pack of 36, with 12 bars per flavor. All three flavors have the same delicious breading and filling, but the blueberry and raspberry fig fillings are somewhat strange, because they taste almost the same as the original fig: sweet and slightly tart. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between all three flavors in a blind taste test. I don’t mind the sameness, but Nature Valley’s fig bars aren’t a good fit for people who want the flavor variety that these blueberry and raspberry fig bars promise. Still, for the texture and taste, I give them a 9/10.