Protein and Nutrition bars to BEAT UP the hunger

Hunger vs food

There is no competition here folks!

I eat breakfast early, hike to the local Go station, hop on a bus, travel, hop off a bus, and hike to work. This pretty much annihilates any and all of the precious breakfast I ate in the morning. So by 10:30-11:00 am I am in desperate need of a dose of food to get me through to lunch. BUT! What are we usually all doing at this time? Those of us who don't have coffee breaks? WORKING.

So what I eat needs to be able to fit in my pocket and chewed with ease while I work... and actually be good for me. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Well, it is convenient that I work at m.e.c and I am within reaching distance to some of the best 'dairy free' protein bars on the market. That means there are good ones and bad ones. They sure aren't giving them away either, so to save you some pocket change I have complied a bit of a list of some great bars I think you'll like.

Clif Builder Bar
20 Grams of Protein
270 Calories
8 grams of fat
20 grams of sugar

• Delicious 'for a protein bar', chewy, chocolaty and about $1.80
  

Ingredients: Soy Protein Isolate, Chicory Syrup, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Rolled Oats, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa, Organic Soy Protein Concentrate, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Organic Dry Roasted Almonds, Rice Starch, Cocoa Butter, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Organic Milled Flax seed, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Sunflower Oil, Soy Lecithin, Salt.

Where does the protein come from if there's no whey protein? Simply put, other things that have protein like rice and soy! I like that Clif doesn't rock out to 100% organic just for marketing sake, since half the time, can we really trust something to actually be 100%? Clif boasts that 70% of its ingredients are Organic. Making me believe that they know the importance of organic, rather than just saying it on the labeling to reel in the consumer.


Clif Bar Original
10 grams of protein
250 calories
5 grams of fat
21 grams of sugar

• Chewy, and mouth watering for about $1.40
  

Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Malt Extract], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour), Organic Rolled Oats, Chocolate Chips (Evaporated Cane Juice, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, ClifCrunch® (Apple Fiber, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Milled Flaxseed, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Psyllium), Organic Date Paste, Organic Soy Butter, Organic Sunflower Oil, Molasses Powder, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Cinnamon.

The carrot cake flavour has chunks of cream cheese icing type stuff and piece of grated carrot that makes you think your Grandma baked it. Maple walnut, cinnamon raisin, peanut, chocolate, they have lots of choose from. At the risk of sounding like a broken record.... DAIRY FREE!


LUNA is also another fantastic company making a dairy free alternative to the whole nutrition bar.
and
Caramel Nut Brownie

9 grams of protein
190 calories
6 grams of fat
14 grams of sugar


A swirl of chocolate on a layer of caramel. Over a soft yet crunchy rice krispie type base.





S'mores.
10 grams of protein
180 calories
4.5 grams of fat
13 grams of sugar

Same crispy base but with a lighter touch. Just a simple coat of chocolate on top.

I would recommend drinking water between bites as I find with any 'bar' they tend to sit nicer in an empty belly and also digest better with some water. Plus, you should be drinking water all day anyway right?

Are there any brands out there you love?