It's high time I share some of my favorite things with you, starting with my 3 favorite paleo protein bars!
I don't cook all the time. *gasp*
I know. What a confession, right? There are numerous times throughout the week that I'm busier than I thought I would be and just don't have any food prepared. Or, equally likely, nothing in the fridge looks good but I still want to grab a bite before or after CrossFit.
So I take a look into my little snack basket (a wicker basket in my pantry where I throw all the grab-and-go stuff) and *Da-na-na-NAAA* snatch up a paleo protein bar. Yum!
We're pretty fortunate to be surrounded by small businesses that embrace the real food movement and appreciate the paleo template. There are a myriad of options for go-to paleo snacking and protein bars, and after trying a good chunk of them I've found my favorites. I truly enjoy trying new food and products whenever I can get my hands on them, but these 3 bars are the ones I know I can always fall back on.
I prefer protein bars that aren't too sweet — as many paleo peeps have experienced, sweet takes on a whole new meaning after you've cut out sugar. Bars that are date or honey based are overwhelmingly sweet. I gravitate towards bars that are a little more savory, as you'll soon realize.
Epic Bars
Epic Bars were the first paleo protein bars that I fell head over heels in love with. At first, they were nowhere to be found in Fargo, ND and I couldn't justify spending the money to order a whole box in case I didn't like them. When I traveled to Minneapolis for an event, I made sure to stop into a Whole Foods for a chance to buy some products that weren't available to me in Fargo, and I practically squealed with excitement when I saw a huge bin of Epic Bars. I bought a couple of each flavor (at the time, there were only 4!) and it was love at first bite.
There are people out there that can't stand the texture—it's not your typical jerky—but I can't get enough of it. The flavor is top notch, and I often find snacking on meat to be more satisfying than fruit and nut bars. By far, my favorite flavors are the ones pictured - lamb, currant, and mint and pulled pork pineapple. To. Die. For. Plus, they have between 10-15g of protein per bar, and most have much less less sugar. Yay satiety!
Epic recently beefed up their lineup by introducing Epic Bites (like BACON) and Hunt & Harvest Mixes. My mate prefers the texture of the Epic Bites to the bars, so they're worth trying if you weren't a fan of the bars!
Exo Protein
I've been a longtime fan of Exo Protein bars. I like to consider myself an adventurous eater, and like a cat hunting the elusive red dot, I enthusiastically sprung at the chance to try a sample pack of Exo's bars. Why are they adventurous eating? Well, they're made with cricket flour. That turns a lot of people away, but it shouldn't—you'd never be able to tell from the flavor (what to people think crickets taste like, anyway, that make them balk?), and they look like your standard protein bar. After the sampler, I couldn't stop thinking about the cocoa nut flavor so I started a subscription to make sure I always had Exo bars on hand. You save money with a subscription and you automatically become a member of Exo Elite, which means you get exclusive gifts and discounts. For example, when Exo recently announced their new savory flavors, Exo Elite members got to purchase a variety box early for a discount. I was all over that.
And after trying the new savory flavors, it's much harder to pick a favorite. They're all awesome. I am thrilled that the variety of real food savory protein bars is expanding. I hope Exo makes these savory flavors part of the permanent line-up, because I can't stop raving about them! Plus...11g of protein per bar? All from the sustainable food source, crickets? I'll take it, gladly.
Get 'Em Here
Rx Bars
I recently tried Rx Bars for the first time, and oh-my-gosh-please-take-all-my-money-where-have-these-been-all-my-life?! I'm sold. These are probably the sweetest bars out of my favorites, but they aren't overpoweringly sweet like many other snack and meal bars. I have to fawn over their packaging a little bit. It's so minimalist and direct. When they updated their packaging, I knew I needed to jump on board—shortly after, I found Rx Bars for the first time at a local health store and (similar to my first encounter with Epic Bars) I bought a few of each flavor because I was convinced I would love them before ever trying them. I was right. Rx Bars is definitely doing something right in the world of real convenience food, and I am 100% all in for supporting them. 
When I need some quick pre- or post-workout nutrition and I'm craving chocolate or something a little sweeter, Rx Bars are what I reach for. I haven't tried them all, but my favorite flavors so far are Coffee Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice. YUM.
Between these three paleo protein bar brands, I'm eating well and enjoying every damn bite.
Weigh In:
Have you tried Epic Bars, Exo bars, or RxBars? Are they your favorites too, or is there a different paleo protein bar that's stolen your heart?
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Heads up! Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. There's no additional cost to you for doing this, and it's incredibly helpful for me. I didn't receive any products for writing this post; I just love these products! If you do decide to purchase something from an affiliate link, thanks in advance for your amazing support (which helps to keep me going)! Check out my entire disclosure and copyright for more info.
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