MRP's (meal replacement bars) or Protein Bars

I, like many of you (I know AZMARK can co-sign) have eaten some terrible bars. A lot of times when you can't sit for a meal (time and work constraints) you reach for something quick. There are probably 5,000 bar manufacturers and they all promise the same thing, "great tasting, low fat, blah blah blah". When you flip the bar over to read the label, you are getting cheap sugar alcohols (not all are created equal, or in our terms YMMV ) and several fillers before you even get to one of the whey proteins used: concentrate, hydrosolate, isolate(s) and caseins.

If you can name it, I've eaten it. In the past 3 years, Supreme bars have seemingly shot to the top of the list. A smaller company once, they are international now (being recently bought by Dymatize). Their pb&j was excellent!..... Until you got a look at the label... . So within the last year, a small, naturally based company came out of nowhere and began to bring legit bars to market. I started to read into Quest bars around the time of their being brought to online retailers and was surprised at the label:


QUEST
http://www.getrippednutrition.com/Quest_Bars_p/questbars12.htm



I then backtracked to SUPREME:
http://www.getrippednutrition.com/Supreme_Protein_Bar_p/supremecc3.4.htm

Peanut Butter Protein Coating (Maltitol, Palm Kernel Oil, Milk Protein Isolate, Peanut Flour, Peanuts, Nonfat Milk Solids, Soy Lecithin [An Emulsifier], Salt, Natural Flavors), Supreme Protein® Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Isolate), Jelly Layer (Crystalline Maltitol, Fructose, Water, Glycerine, Fractioned Palm Kernel Oil, Sugar, Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder, Food Starch-Modified, Pectin, Natural Flavors [Dairy], Soy Lecithin), Glycerine, Whey Protein Crisps (Whey Protein Concentrate, Rice Flour), Water, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Soy Protein Isolate, Peanut Flour, Protein Crisps (Isolated Soy Protein, Tapioca Starch, Salt), Peanut Butter (Peanuts, Salt), Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier), Vitamin Mix (DiCalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Copper Gluconate, Niacinamide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Ferric Phosphate, Biotin, Zinc Oxide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate), Salt, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative).

Yeah....

I can say without a single doubt that having tried every Quest bar, they are hands down untouchable. The flavors (11) are so varied, any palate would be able to find something suiting them.

If you are looking for a small mrp (1 bar) or a bigger mrp (2 bars). Look no further.

(i have no affiliation to Quest whatsoever)

I don't use them anymore since going paleo. The best tasting ones have to be the MetRx Big 100 bars, but I don't even want to know what the panel looks like. They were just available and always on sale at the grocery.

I also used to make my own. You ever done that? The first recipe I stumbled on was the Wardog mix, and it is simply the easiest and best. It is unbelievable. A little high on the calories, but crazy good.

From Wardog post on AM, 2002:

#1 Here is the recipe:

16 ounces Natural peanut butter
8 tablespoons honey
six scoops of Optimum Chocolate whey protein powder
1 cup of uncooked oatmeal

Mix the pb and honey in a bowl, microwave on full for 80 secs. Add the rest and mix together. Can add raisins/nuts etc to taste. Smooth into 13x9 tray and leave for 20 mins. Cut into 10 to 12 equal bars and wrap and store in fridge.

This is a great tasting recipe that I modified from one I found on 'bolex

Now here is the breakdown on a batch of the goodies:

Protein: 254 grams
Carbohydrates: 282 grams
Fats: 236 grams

When I was overseas, I had people send me the oats, honey, and pb, and I would just mix it together with my protein in a bowl and eat it with a spoon. Great for a bulk. Sadly, I'm on paleo and need to tinker with a way to make these friendly for my diet.

There is a giant thread on bb.com abou homemade ones. The biggest problem I've found is the storage. Many times with bars, I'll throw a few of them in the car in case I get stuck in traffic or whatever else may happen in Philly. With a homemade bar, I don't have the ability to preserve it the way a single wrapped one would.

Thank you for the idea though.

OP- just wanted to say thanks. Between this and the vitamin thread, you have provided some very useful information which I am going to incorporate into my lifestyle.

Kooze said:

OP- just wanted to say thanks. Between this and the vitamin thread, you have provided some very useful information which I am going to incorporate into my lifestyle.

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Good gosh, yeah, I've eaten some really trashy bars. I mostly will shove one in my mouth just if I'm behind on a meal but I don't make it a habit with them.

Illadelphia said:

There is a giant thread on bb.com abou homemade ones. The biggest problem I've found is the storage. Many times with bars, I'll throw a few of them in the car in case I get stuck in traffic or whatever else may happen in Philly. With a homemade bar, I don't have the ability to preserve it the way a single wrapped one would.

Thank you for the idea though.

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Homemade ones are the way to go bro. I know exactly what is in there but most importantly I control if I want more taste, protein or carbs. There are so many recipes out there for cakes, bars, pb cups. I'll get some of what I have and post them up!

Really good write up! Keep it up.

Illadelphia said:

There is a giant thread on bb.com abou homemade ones. The biggest problem I've found is the storage. Many times with bars, I'll throw a few of them in the car in case I get stuck in traffic or whatever else may happen in Philly. With a homemade bar, I don't have the ability to preserve it the way a single wrapped one would.

Thank you for the idea though.

Click to expand...

I invested in a vacuum sealer and it was the best thing I could have done with all my pre cooked meals.