Protein Bars

There was a time you would only find protein bars in a health food store. And back then, they were usually called “nutrition bars”. Here in 2025, the name is protein bars and they’re everywhere. You’ll find an aisle of them in your local discount retailer, drug store, and grocery store, to name a few places.

But, even though they have a lengthy history, they were not really an instant hit. Oh, sure, they were with hardcore lifters, but not so much with anybody else. As time has passed, you can find some now that taste as good (or better) than a candy bar. In this article, we’ll look at the history, review what they can do for you, and tell you how to incorporate them into your nutritional plan for best results. Let’s get to it!

What Are Protein Bars?

For clarity, protein bars are a category of products designed to provide a quick high protein option for bodybuilders and other lifters, athletes and people leading hectic lifestyles. Some are higher in carbs, making them a meal in a bar, and others are low carb, making them a targeted, convenient protein source.

A Look At The History Of Protein Bars

Initially, protein bars had a bit of a rocky start because of their unappealing texture and taste. In their early years, bars tasted like cardboard. Many of them had a texture like glue, and others like a brick. Maybe, if you were lucky, you could find a couple with a texture that was easy to eat.

Joe Weider

The first real protein bar can be credited to Joe Weider. He called it the Candy Food Bar, and it came out in the late 1960’s. There were three of these bars: Mr. America Super Protein 101, Mr. America Crash Weight-Gain, and Mr. America Insta-Power Quick Energy. These bars were called  “The Official Candy Bar of the I.F.B.B. Champs” (IFBB means International Federation of Bodybuilders). The bars had an image of the legendary Mr. Universe Dave Draper on each package. 

Tiger’s Milk

Another popular bar originating in the 1960’s were Tiger’s Milk bars. In fact, this was the first “protein bar” I ever had. Unfortunately, they had twice as much sugar as protein (amazingly, a few bars make this mistake even in 2025). Not surprisingly given Weider’s insistence to dominate bodybuilding, the Tiger’s Milk brand was purchased by Weider in the 1980s. These bars were discontinued in 2020. 

Detour Bars

Perhaps the first true protein bar, the Detour bar was a good early (2002) attempt to make a protein bar that had the taste and look of a candy bar. I can personally vouch for how good these bars were. 

Since those days, the protein bar market has grown considerably, and has broken out of the bodybuilding community. They are now mainstream. In fact, you can find them in every grocery store, drugstore, and mass discounter. I’ve also seen them in sporting goods stores, gas stations, and thruway rest areas. 

An Easy Way To Help You Reach Your Daily Protein Intake

Protein bars are huge because of the fitness trend being such a big deal in the mainstream now. But, are they really worth it? The answer is yes – but you have to know what to look for. First, choose a bar that is low in sugar. If I see a bar with 20 grams of protein but 24 grams of sugar, there is no way I’m going to buy it. Sugar should ideally be under 10 grams. 

Second, while texture is ultimately a personal choice, I try to avoid those bars that are like eating glue. I also avoid those bars that are like eating a brick. I want a bar that’s easy to eat. 

A protein bar is all about convenience. It’s a very easy way to help you reach your daily protein goals. When I worked, I spent most of my working life in retail management. Most of those jobs were in small specialty stores, and I often worked alone until 4-5 in the afternoon. Lunch break? Forget it. Sit down to a meal? Not going to happen. Protein bars (and shakes) saved my life. 

The point is, sometimes life gets in the way of an ideal meal schedule. These people that push real food only and scoff at bars (and shakes) obviously have never had a busy schedule or been in a situation where a meal is impossible. Or if they have, they’ve gone hungry. Big mistake. There’s no excuse for not grabbing a bar and/or shake. 

Let’s Recap The Benefits of Protein Bars

• They provide a quick meal and high protein solution for people on the go.
• Protein bars are a convenient and tasty source of protein.
• You can eat one virtually anytime. Choose a soft bar that’s easy to eat, have 1-2 a day, add in a shake or 2, and eat as much real food as you can. There’s no excuse not to meet your daily protein goals.

You’ve Got Choices

The important thing with protein bars are the choices. You have quite a few flavor and texture options. Most of the bars taste very good. You can tailor the bar to meet your personal needs based on the size of the bar and how easy it is to eat it quickly. For example, if you need an easy to eat choice, it would make sense to go with a smaller, softer texture bar. This is as opposed to some big, chewy and gluey monster that takes forever to eat.

Meal Replacement Bars and Energy Bars

No article on protein bars would be complete without mentioning the categories of meal replacement bars and energy bars. Over the years, there have been a handful of huge, high calorie bars meant to be a meal in and of itself. I can remember a bar called Pelican Bar that fit this description. High protein, high carbs, low sugar, and moderate fat. 

Another category are energy bars. This is a bar that focuses on carbohydrates over protein and is meant for endurance athletes. The original Power Bar was the one that really started this trend. These bars are apparently still around but I have not seen one in years. 

Summary

As you can see, protein bars can help you reach your daily protein goals, especially if you lead a hectic lifestyle. Better still, they can do it with great taste and lots of flavors. The days of protein bars tasting like cardboard are long gone. So stop by illpumpyouup.com and grab some bars today!