Energy/Nutritional Bars

[Acein8ter]

I'll vote for the Clif bars too. You can get them in by the box at Costco.

[kidcolin]

Clif bars ftw. Banana nut bread is my favorite.

[stickyman]

Balance Bars - I take them on long flights. Category - nutrition energy bars. Multiple flavors.

[Ron Burgundy]

I eat Odwalla bars. The Berries Gomega and Strawberry Pomegranate are the two best flavors IMO. I don't know about any other bars because I'm allergic to nuts and unfermented soy, so I'm allergic to almost all of them.

As LOTD mentioned, watch out for added sugar and other crap. If one of the main ingredients is HFCS, you might as well just eat a candy bar.

[entertainme]

Atkins Caramel Double Chocolate Crunch

150 calories
18 total carbs
10 net carbs

You can pick them up at Wal-Mart in the pharmacy section. Chocolatey, crunchy, good. They don't have that aftertaste a lot of the bars do and contain no sugar alcohols.

[skunkworks]

I have a real problem with most nutrition bars because they usually either taste like [censored], lack the right macronutrition profile I'm looking for, or are made of really cheap, unhealthy filler ingredients in an attempt to fool consumers. The last one is the worst offender -- I feel sorry for the people throwing these bars down their throat at $2 a pop when they're chock full of processed carbs, soy protein, etc. Clif bars are definitely tasty and made from higher-quality ingredients, but they're not designed for someone looking for protein supplementation and some high-quality, slow-digesting carbs.

[chesspain]

[ QUOTE ]
Alton Brown did a Good Eats episode about protein/energy bars and gave a couple good recipes for making your own. If I'm feeling not lazy I might transcribe a few of those on here. As he also pointed out in the episode, you there are a lot of very unhealthy "nutritional" bars out on the market. Many have things like high fructose corn syrup and proteins in forms that your body can't really absorb anyhow.

[/ QUOTE ]

Protein Bars Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Power Trip

4 ounces soy protein powder, approximately 1 cup
2 1/4 ounces oat bran, approximately 1/2 cup
2 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1/2 cup
3/4-ounce wheat germ, approximately 1/4 cup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces raisins, approximately 1/2 cup
2 1/2 ounces dried cherries, approximately 1/2 cup
3 ounces dried blueberries, approximately 1/2 cup
2 1/2 ounces dried apricots, approximately 1/2 cup
1 (12.3-ounce) package soft silken tofu
1/2 cup unfiltered apple juice
4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/2 cup packed
2 large whole eggs, beaten
2/3 cup natural peanut butter
Canola oil, for pan

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper and lightly coat with canola oil. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the protein powder, oat bran, wheat flour, wheat germ, and salt. Set aside.

Coarsely chop the raisins, dried cherries, blueberries and apricots and place in a small bowl and set aside.

In a third mixing bowl, whisk the tofu until smooth. Add the apple juice, brown sugar, eggs, and peanut butter, 1 at a time, and whisk to combine after each addition. Add this to the protein powder mixture and stir well to combine. Fold in the dried fruit. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

[Fast Food Knight]

FTW. Tastes like a candy bar, really good for you, only buy the caramel flavor. Thank me later.

[skunkworks]

FFK,

Dude, you know you've been on OOT too long when you use FTW.

I will say that the regular Snickers Marathon bars are probably the best tasting "energy" bar I've ever had, though.

[Skoob]

[ QUOTE ]
Balance Bars - I take them on long flights. Category - nutrition energy bars. Multiple flavors.

[/ QUOTE ]

I second that. Available at the big box retailers and GNC. The balance gold caramel nut blast bars taste like a snickers bar.

edit: the yogurt honey peanut flavor is good too.