Top 11 Nutrition Bars for Athletes

Our staff and team of Feed Athletes are excited to bring you our Top 11 Best Nutrition Bars for Athletes. Out of all of the flavors, brands, and categories, these are our favorites!

#11 Best Keto Friendly Bar

Perfect Keto created these bars because they felt that there was a lack of healthy, low-carb, on the go snack options. These bars use high-quality ingredients and taste like dessert, but with only 2-3 grams of net carbs per bar. Not to mention, they have no artificial sweeteners, dairy, soy, or corn fiber. Curb hunger between meals, power up before a workout, or satisfy your sweet tooth while sticking to your keto diet!

#10 Most Substantial Bar

With these bars, you no longer have an excuse to skip a meal! ProBar Meal Bars taste great and are packed with high-quality ingredients to give you a good balance of healthy fats, whole grains, and plant-based protein. ProBar Meal Bars are non-GMO verified, certified gluten-free, kosher, and vegetarian-friendly. Made with sustainably sourced, whole food ingredients, these bars make a great on-the-go meal for when you just don't have time to make something!

#9 Most Innovative Bar

Created by Yale students in their dorm room, these young entrepreneurs found a way to combine high-quality ingredients with caffeine to provide an energizing snack: Verb Energy Bars. They use minimal, thoughtful ingredients like oats and almond butter and each bite contain the same amount of caffeine as a shot of espresso (65mg). With 90 calories and 13 grams of carbs per bite, they're a great pre-workout or mid-day snack option!

#8 Best Vegan-Friendly Bar

With an average of only seven ingredients per bar, Bearded Brothers bars are essential for any on the go vegan athlete. They are sweetened with dates and contain simple ingredients such as dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. These bars are packed with fiber and protein to provide long-lasting fuel. Many flavors contain superfoods, such as Maca and blueberries, that provide an extra nutrient-packed punch! These bars are great to snack on any time of day, for post-workout recovery, and even make a great companion to yogurt and granola in the morning.

#7 Best Homemade Tasting Bar

These whole food protein balls were created by the sports dietitian, Mitzi Dulan, who worked with the Kansas City Royals. She developed the Simply Fuel recipe to contain the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to keep you fueled without weighing you down. These protein balls are made with high-quality ingredients, including organic gluten-free oats, true source honey, organic peanut butter, non-GMO whey protein concentrate, real food flavors, and probiotics. Grab a couple for post-workout recovery, or for a balanced snack anytime!

#6 Best Protein Bar

Trailnuggets were created by an elite cyclist who wanted a real food-based bar that was both nutritious and easy on the stomach. Made with vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and non-GMO ingredients that you can pronounce, these bars are the perfect post-workout option. They have the optimal 3:1 carbs to protein ratio to kickstart recovery, and these nutrients come from a combination of dates, nuts, seeds, and pea protein. If you're looking for a tasty protein bar with ingredients you can feel good about, we highly recommend Trailnuggets Pro!

#5 Low Sugar Bar

Looking for a bar with no added sugar? These bars are made with a few simple ingredients to give you a well-balanced snack wherever you are. Made using egg whites, nuts, dates for sweetness, and other natural flavors, RXBAR's supply a healthy amount of fats, carbohydrates, fiber, and natural sugars to keep you fueled. Each bar contains 12 grams of high-quality protein, making them great for a post-workout treat or mid-day boost.

#4 Best 3'oclock Snack Bar

These tasty Honey Stinger bars contain nut butter and honey sandwiched between two multigrain crackers and covered in chocolate. Made with all organic ingredients, true source honey, and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, these snack bars are a sweet treat you can feel good about. Anytime you get a sweet craving, these bars a great option! Not to mention, they make a great pre-workout option because they have some carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats to keep you feeling fueled without sitting like a brick in your stomach.

#3 Best Gluten-Free Bar

These bars were created by a trio of pro athletes, one of which has celiac disease and requires a strict gluten-free diet. Picky Bars, made with ingredients like nuts and seeds, spices, whole fruits, and nut butter, these bars have an optimal 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein to give you the fuel you need without sitting like a brick in your stomach.

#2 Best Whole Food Bar

These whole food energy bars were made with athletes in mind! They contain an optimal macronutrient profile, 50% less sugar than traditional bars, and are made with real foods to provide clean-burning fuel. These Skratch Labs Anytime bars are made from plant-based ingredients and come in a variety of delicious and unique savory & sweet flavors including Peanut Butter & Strawberries and Miso & Crushed Red Pepper.

#1 Best All Around Bar

Meet Clif Nut Filled Bars. Clif has elevated the bar on bars when they filled their classic Clif Bar with a yummy nut filling. It not only makes the bar taste better, but it also adds the extra moisture you need to make these bar perfect when you are at rest or during a workout. Take these with you on any adventure for some clean-burning, sustained energy!