It’s rather random, but I clearly remember the moment that I discovered protein bars had become a bit of a thing.
I lived in Portugal at the time, and was in the UK on a business trip. I was quite taken aback to see a huge display of protein bars – sufficiently taken aback to message to my wife a photo of it (sad, I know!) I’d never really heard of them before, but the light was clearly burning brightly for the masses.
A few years on, and I find myself here writing up a Feel Protein bars review. Circumstances have led to me jump onto the trend myself, as I will explain.
Most importantly, my review of Feel Protein bars will discuss how they taste, and whether I recommend them.
Let’s start at the beginning.
What are Feel Protein Bars?
Feel Protein bars are made by Feel, a growing UK-based supplement brand. You may well have heard of them already as they advertise widely and have Cheryl Cole as a brand ambassador.
The protein bars tick all the right boxes. They’re gluten free, low in sugar, high in fibre and vegan friendly. For the eco-conscious, they’re also PETA approved and come in plastic free compostable packaging.
Feel Protein bars are available in four flavours:
- Chocolate Brownie
- Peanut
- Salted Caramel
I was able to try out two of the three flavours for this review. Read on to see what I thought, but first a little background.
Why Eat Protein Bars?
When I first discovered protein bars, I was a little sceptical. I thought they were exclusively for the kind of people who spend far too long inspecting their abs in mirrors…
I started to see the benefits of protein when I went on WeightWatchers, which resulted in me losing over 30lbs. I learned that eating protein is a really effective way to feel full for a prolonged period.
Protein bars are also said to aid in muscle growth, and help with recovery after a workout (you’ll have to ask the “ab inspectors” about that!)
For me, the big benefit of choosing protein bars is the fact that they fill me up and help me maintain energy levels. They do so FAR more effectively than chocolate bars and less healthy snacks. Ironically, they’re quite calorific, but you stay satisfied for a long time after eating one, rather than finding yourself back in the kitchen an hour later for something else.
Feel Protein Bars Review: Taste and Texture
The most important thing about all of these things is how they taste – so let’s discuss.
My previous benchmark for protein bars were the ones made by Weight Watchers – they’re satisfying and have a good texture (I mention them in my Weight Watchers snacks article).
Feel Protein bars taste better than those, and the chewy / crumbly texture is almost perfect (I go for a tiny bit more chew and a little less crumble, but that’s being seriously pedantic). While they don’t pull off the distinct caramel layer shown in the promotional shots quite so well in real life, they still look appetising when you bite into them.
Before I did bite into my first Feel Protein Bar, I had a quick scan of the ingredients, and was – I admit – a little disappointed to read the words “chocolate flavoured coating.” Given the calories involved, I rather petulantly wondered why I couldn’t have real chocolate.
Of course, the reason for that is these bars are intended to be vegan and low in sugar. The chocolate flavour coating contains cocoa butter, and the bars are sweetened with Stevia and Xylitol. Despite this, the bars don’t leave the level of saccharine sweet aftertaste I’ve experienced in some similar products.
Of the two flavours I tried, the peanut is my favourite, reminding me a little of a Reese’s flavour, but not so sickly sweet. It’s a moreish snack. This was confirmed when I sat down to write this Feel Protein bars review. I opened a bar to refresh my memory on the taste, and ate the lot, rather than the few bites I had intended!
The Chocolate Brownie flavour is decent too, with a nutty edge – I wish the chewy layer was a little more distinct, but it was good.
These protein bars do feel like a treat, and one that comes with less guilt than a Snickers.
Calories, Ingredients and Nutrition
There are 209 calories in each Chocolate Brownie bar, and 212 in the peanut variety.
That’s quite a lot, and thankfully they do feel like a substantial snack that will keep you going. They’re recommended as a “post workout snack” or a “healthier alternative to chocolate bars.”
The ingredients list is pretty long, but Feel Protein bars don’t include fillers, bulking agents or colours.
One notable benefit of these bars is that the carbohydrates don’t all come from sugar – illustrating why these are a healthier option than traditional chocolate bars.
Value
As per Feel’s usual business model, you pay less for these protein bars if you subscribe for a regular monthly supply.
If you buy a one off box of 12, you pay £22, which works out to £1.83 per bar. You save 13% with a monthly subscription, which means you pay £1.58 per bar. This is more in line that what you’d expect to pay for a similar product in a high street shop (and is also before any discount). You can save 20% using code PARTNER20 here.
Feel Protein Bars: Review Conclusion
If you’re in the market for protein bars, these are a good choice, especially because they’re plant based and tick lots of other sustainability and health-conscious boxes.
In the interests of full disclosure, I was sent these bars to review – but as I’m always quick to point out, my reviews are always completely honest. The main thing I should say is that I will definitely be working my way through the rest of my supply. Some things sit up the corner of my office until they go out of date!
Don’t expect a Mars bar. That’s not what these are about. They are a healthier option, and do taste healthier, but they definitely scratch the snacking inch. Give them a go and see what you think.
Before You Go!
- Find our review of Feel’s supplements.
- Learn how to make walking fun.
- Check out my WeightWatchers vs Slimming World comparison.
Feel Protein Bars Review
Summary