Can a meal replacement bar actually replace a traditional meal?

[Mai72]

I'm trying to setup my daily eating schedule, and I am thinking about adding a meal replacement bar for lunch. Now, I know most bars are really glorified candy bars so I'm trying to select a good nutritious bar. A bar with low sugar, fiber, high protein, 300-400 calories and actually tastes good.

I'd like to use the bar exclusively for lunch so I don't have to prepare anything at that time. I can just pop the bar in my bag and be done with it.

The bar that I'm looking at is the Pro Bar. It has...

390 calories
18g sugar
6g fiber
It's organic!

 

[Mai72]

I could also pick another flavor as well. It doesn't have to be this one.

Is it doable? Or should I forget these meal replacement bars and stick to making my own nutritious lunches?

 

[Rudee]

Here in Canada in order to label the product a 'Meal Replacement', it has to meet very strict guidelines including the following:

A minimum food energy value of 225 Calories per serving,
A specified amount and quality of protein,
A maximum amount of energy derived from fat (35 percent) and
A specified amount of various vitamins and mineral nutrients.


They key is specified amount of vitamins and minerals. The bar the OP posts looks as though it's cleverly labeled it as a 'Meal' but not a Meal Replacement bar. Thus it likely does not have enough vitamins and nutrients to be a proper meal replacement. i.e. It's likely lacking or completely omitting Vitamins A, Vitamins C, and other Vitamins. An energy bar as opposed to a meal replacement bar.

 

[Mai72]

These bars lack an adequate supply of vitamin and minerals. I like getting 350-400 calories, decent protein and fiber.

What about taking a multivitamin with this meal replacement bar?

 

[tnt118]

Would you / could you consider Soylent for your lunch replacement?

 

[Zivic]

I'm trying to setup my daily eating schedule, and I am thinking about adding a meal replacement bar for lunch. Now, I know most bars are really glorified candy bars so I'm trying to select a good nutritious bar. A bar with low sugar, fiber, high protein, 300-400 calories and actually tastes good.

I'd like to use the bar exclusively for lunch so I don't have to prepare anything at that time. I can just pop the bar in my bag and be done with it.

The bar that I'm looking at is the Pro Bar. It has...

390 calories
18g sugar
6g fiber
It's organic!

I wouldn't use a bar as a replacement on a regular basis. real food is always beneficial. Use bars like this to supplement a real meal plan, not to replace real food. If you forget to grab your lunch one day, then use the bar.

and unless you grew the ingredients yourself, you have no idea if it's "organic". the term is used a bit too loosely/frequently IMHO and really doesn't mean it's any better or worse for you than something not labeled organic

 

[blackdogdeek]

This bar has very little protein:

Total Fat 18 g
Total Carbohydrate 48 g
Protein 8 g

Consider that a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese has about 12g of protein at about 80 calories.

 

[Pantlegz]

Quest bars are amazing for meal replacement/health snacks. tons of non-soy protein and not too terribly expensive especially when you consider what you're getting.

 

[Maximilian]

I dont know but im gonna find out...

 

[Mai72]

I dont know but im gonna find out...

That looks awesome. How did it turn out?

BTW, does the protein have to be vanilla? The reason I ask is because I use unflavored bulk protein that I get from Bulk Supplements.

Thanks.

 

[Mai72]

I wouldn't use a bar as a replacement on a regular basis. real food is always beneficial. Use bars like this to supplement a real meal plan, not to replace real food. If you forget to grab your lunch one day, then use the bar.

and unless you grew the ingredients yourself, you have no idea if it's "organic". the term is used a bit too loosely/frequently IMHO and really doesn't mean it's any better or worse for you than something not labeled organic

Good points. I know you can't really replace real food.

 

[QueBert]

Quest bars are amazing for meal replacement/health snacks. tons of non-soy protein and not too terribly expensive especially when you consider what you're getting.

Quest Bars are 190 calories, nowhere near a meal replacement. They have a good profile, but you won't be left full. They make awesome snack bars, but used as a meal you won't make it long.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I'm sure if the manufacturer can get you to pay full-meal prices for each piddly bar they make, they'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Maximilian]

That looks awesome. How did it turn out?

BTW, does the protein have to be vanilla? The reason I ask is because I use unflavored bulk protein that I get from Bulk Supplements.

Thanks.

Turned out okay. I used too much water though, seems 200ml is too much! So its more of a protein pudding I got. At least it tastes great.

Thats the mix before it went into the freezer:

The end result:

Im making a new batch with 120ml of water, hopefully its more conducive to being cut into bar form.

Yeah you can use unflavored, no idea how it will end up tasting though. Might wanna dump some cocoa powder in it or something for flavor.

 

[mazeroth]

Please report back with results using 120 mL. Would really appreciate it!

 

[disappoint]

Does that say 266 kcal? 266,000 calories per bar? Eat 1 bar every 3 months and nothing else.

 

[Fayd]

Does that say 266 kcal? 266,000 calories per bar? Eat 1 bar every 3 months and nothing else.

with standard food labels, 1 calorie is actually 1 kilocalorie.

it's wierd.

 

[Maximilian]

Does that say 266 kcal? 266,000 calories per bar? Eat 1 bar every 3 months and nothing else.

Every time someone says calories they mean kilocalories

Please report back with results using 120 mL. Would really appreciate it!

Heres the results with 120ml:

More bar like than before, not solid though, its softish like toffee. I can actually cut it though which is a big improvement.

I used 100ml when mixing and it didn't seem enough so bumped it to 120 and that seemed to do the trick. 110ml is probably the sweet spot though.

 

[Deeko]

I'm trying to setup my daily eating schedule, and I am thinking about adding a meal replacement bar for lunch. Now, I know most bars are really glorified candy bars so I'm trying to select a good nutritious bar. A bar with low sugar, fiber, high protein, 300-400 calories and actually tastes good.

I'd like to use the bar exclusively for lunch so I don't have to prepare anything at that time. I can just pop the bar in my bag and be done with it.

The bar that I'm looking at is the Pro Bar. It has...

390 calories
18g sugar
6g fiber
It's organic!

No. That's a candy bar with some extra fiber.

 

[Mai72]

Every time someone says calories they mean kilocalories



Heres the results with 120ml:

More bar like than before, not solid though, its softish like toffee. I can actually cut it though which is a big improvement.

I used 100ml when mixing and it didn't seem enough so bumped it to 120 and that seemed to do the trick. 110ml is probably the sweet spot though.

That looks great, and you're saving money. Protein bars can be quite expensive.

There are a ton of videos on You Tube on how to make your own protein bars. A few looked pretty good. I might try what you did.

 

[Maximilian]

That looks great, and you're saving money. Protein bars can be quite expensive.

There are a ton of videos on You Tube on how to make your own protein bars. A few looked pretty good. I might try what you did.

Yup. Go for it man, I was so pleased with the result I went and bought a seed grinder and some flaxseed. Im gonna make these bars part of my regular diet.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Westmark-Po...8&qid=1432226272&sr=8-5&keywords=seed+grinder

Ready ground flaxseed is such a ripoff in the UK. Might not be the case across the pond though.

Funny story... I was halfway through making another batch today when the doorbell rang and its the delivery guy delivering that grinder. My hand was covered in the brown batter mix of oats, whey, peanut butter etc which together kinda looks like shit... He looks at my hand and says "oh that's lovely..." in a sarcastic manner. I said "im mixing something". He looked unconvinced and walked off. Didn't even ask for my signature. Maybe I should've said "smell my hand" :awe:

 

[88keys]

In my experience, I don't find 'meal replacement' bars to be very good in terms of nutrition vs calories and fat. Granted there are exceptions, but you can get about the same amount of protein from a Greek yogurt for about half the calories and fat.


Granted I have been known to use them, but only in situations when I need to eat something and I just don't have time for a full meal. And this is because skipping meals is generally a bad idea regardless of what your fitness goals are.

 

[RandomWords]

Yup. Go for it man, I was so pleased with the result I went and bought a seed grinder and some flaxseed. Im gonna make these bars part of my regular diet.

I was thinking of making these - is the maple flavor strong? I'm not a fan of maple syrup. Were there suggestions on substitutes for it?

 

[lazybedone]

not in quantity but in calories and nutrients. yes.

 

[MongGrel]

Someone has to process those Jellyfish, I guess.