Snack bars are versatile treats that can provide you with an energy kick, or fill you up during a long trek — looking for some plant-based snack bars that still taste delicious? Then keep reading for some great alternatives!
Growing up plant-based, there was never any certainty that wherever we were had options available to eat so we quickly got used to keeping snacks nearby, and a snack bar was always perfect.
These bars saved me from starvation on numerous social occasions back when there was no such thing as a ‘vegetarian or vegan option’.
I definitely understand the struggle when trying to find a snack bar that doesn’t taste like cardboard, look like dried taffy or have a large amount of sugar, let alone is plant-based.
Trust me I’ve tried them all!
In this post, I’ve shared some of my favourite snack bars that I believe are great options for anyone that wants a tasty vegan alternative to their generic snack bar.
This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for reading!
Types of Snack Bars
In this post, the plant-based bars are sorted into three main types for reference:
Oat-Based Bars
These bars typically use whole grains such as oats, wheat or barley as a base. They’re high in fibre, calories and sometimes protein, and are great as a ‘fill-me-up’ snack between meals.
Fruit-Based Bars
The main ingredients in these bars are fruit (usually dried) like dates, raisins, and coconut, occupied by some nuts, seeds, and other sweets. These bars are high in fibre and antioxidants – but can be higher in sugar than other types of snack bars.
Protein-Based Bars
These bars contain mostly protein from various plant-based sources like soy, peas, seeds, rice, and/or nuts. They also have some more carbs from added sugars and grains.
Checking for Plant-Based ingredients
In adhering to a plant-based diet, you do not consume any products that have been derived from animals, like dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc), eggs, meats, and fish. Most generic snacks contain dairy, and most protein bars rely on milk and egg as protein sources.
Usually, these are easy to spot on the back of a packet, however, from a veteran vegan (such as my mum who’s shared a lot of these products with me), there are a few ways you can double-check that the bar you want is plant-based:
TIP #1 – Check for the Certified Vegan Logo
There are a few accredited organizations that certify vegan products globally, the most reowned is the Certified Vegan Logo from Vegan Action.
Companies always like to slap labels on their products to promote their health appeal, so even though the product may be ‘accidently vegan’ or ‘plant-based’, it doesn’t mean the company’s other products or manufacturing process is as well.
TIP #3 – Check the bottom of the ingredients list
Save your time and go to the bottom of the ingredients list to see known allergen information. This would be in bold, uppercase lettering stating something like, ‘CONTAINS: ‘insert allergin here’.
If the packaging says ‘MAY CONTAIN’ certain allergins this means that the product was produced on the same machinery as the allergen and there may be potiential for cross contamination between batches.
Also know that the “MAY CONTAIN” statement is a voluntary contribution by the manufacturer, so be wary if you have severe allergies.
TIP #4 – Double-check the ingredients list!
When in doubt double-check the ingredients list for common and sneaky animal products! I’ve listed some below, but this is not exhaustive, so always be wary of new ingredients and consult Google or the Manfacturer if unsure.
Common Animal Products
Sneaky Animal Products
Casein, Calcium Caseinate, Sodium Caseinate or any other ‘caseinate’ ingredient
Palm Oil – Here’s great article on why palm oil is a contraversial vegan ingredient. If you are a strict vegan, you may consider palm oil a non-vegan product.
Milk Solids, Lactose
Cane Sugar – Some brands may filter sugar using bone char.
Whey Powder
Vitamin D3 – usually derived from fish oil or the fat from sheep wool (lanolin).
Egg White Protein
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate – iffy ingredient, depends on the manufacturer.
Gelatin
L-cysteine – either human hair or duck feathers used to preserve bread products.
Honey
Calcium Stearate – look out for ‘stearate’ and ‘stearic acids’ ingredients.
Butter
TIP #5 – Don’t stress out
You may find yourself in some situations where you’re in a bind and you need something quick, and don’t have the time to contemplate ‘how vegan is my snack bar?’.
So give yourself a break and don’t stress out about it, whether you’re new to the lifestyle or you are a veteran vegan.
When in doubt, choose again! Try looking at other vegan snacks like fresh fruit, hummus and veggies, nuts, dates, or some rice chips.
Where to buy these Plant-based Snack Bars
Below I’ve listed a bunch of options that I believe are truly delicious plant-based alternatives to the average snack bar and where to buy them online.
If you’re looking to buy these bars in-store I’ve found the majority of them at any regular grocery store, convenience store, and pharmacy in Canada & the US, with the exception of some of the protein bars which I’ve only bought from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
TIP #6: Always do a quick check of the snacks around the queue line (area before the checkout) before cashing out to see if there’s anything that the store is pushing or needs to sell fast.
No harm in shopping in the clearance section for deals also – snack bars keep well so you can add a few weeks to most best before dates!
11 Best Plant-Based Snack Bars
Vegan alternatives that will satisfy your taste budsand gurgling stomach…
Another great bar from CLIF, the Nut Butter Bars is great if you prefer a little more protein in your oat bar and love nut butter! These are super filling and are a tasty treat for those who have a craving for nuts.
Bobo’s Oat Bars are a LIFESAVER meal! These bars can easily sub as a quick breakfast, as they are high in calories, oatmeal-like, and extremely filling. The bars come in a variety of flavours and forms, there’s the original bar size and the smaller oat bites that are also stuffed with different fruity jams and nut butters.
All Made Good snacks are free from the most common allergens, they are vegan, gluten-free, and organic and contain multiple vegetable extracts, like mushrooms, spinach and carrots. Made Good also makes a lot of different products including rice crispy bars, cereal, and granola bites.
The best flavour by far was the limited edition Cranberry White Chocolate bar they created to celebrate Canada turning 150! Alas…since that flavour is no longer in circulation, my second favourite are Made Good Mornings Bars – Blueberry Flavour, also very very good.
Kashi Bars are sneaky products…they are widely available in most supermarkets but are not always plant-based. So before you buy check to make sure the one you’re choosing is vegan!
Some of their plant-based options include their Chewy Whole Grain Bars in flavours Trail Mix, Dark Mocha Almond, and one Crunchy Bar with Chocolate and Quinoa!
If you like simple ingredients and natural flavours then Larabars are the ones for you. These date-based fruit bars provide complex carbohydrates, healthy sugars and fats, and lots of fibre to keep you going all day long.
Nature’s Bakery Fruit Bars are a delicious vegan dupe for the classic Fig Newton’s bars! The Original Fig flavour is awesome, and so is the Apple Cinnamon.
These bars are also a bit more filling than the original fig newtons because of the whole grains and natural sugars. They make the perfect afternoon snack for when the afternoon slump comes along.
These are concentrated fruit bars that are great for a sugary lift that you need throughout the day. There are also Fruit Source Bars with concentrated vegetables to help you get your daily dose of veg and fruit!
SunRype also makes the classic Fruit-to-Go bar, a bar that has graced every Canadian child’s lunchbox at one point.
These bars have a long shelf life and are nice to have when out on a longer hike, travelling on a plane, or when you’re in a situation where you’re not able to bring fresh produce on your person.
These were a staple for me in high school between classes, I always had one stashed in my bag and you’d find me eating one riding back on the subway at 1 am. Another lifesaver bar here and it’s also gluten-free!
This bar has everything to satisfy your cravings with 11-13 grams of plant protein and 200 calories per bar. All Nugo Dark bars are vegan, while only select Nugo Slim bars are – I’ve included these below. The Nugo Slim bars have 16-17 grams of plant protein and 3 grams of sugar per bar.
Chocolatey, crunchy, and chewy, these ones hit the spot every time. The chocolate pretzel flavour is the best as it’s a bit saltier and crunchier because of the added pretzels.
CLIF Builders bars pack a whopping 20 grams of plant protein per bar and come in a lot of great flavours. The bar is big, chocolate coated, and it has a dense protein nougat. With a flavoured crunch and a thick sticky syrup (Crunchy PB flavour rocks!) that holds everything together, the Builders Bars are a quick fix to your hunger pains and protein requirements.
Deliciously simple and plant-powered, SimplyProtein makes kick-ass vegan protein bars. With 12 grams of protein and 2 grams of sugar per bar, these are good for anyone mindful of their sugar intake.
All in all, these snack bars are great plant-based alternatives for those looking for a snack to keep their energy up throughout the day.
The bars mentioned in this post will provide sustained energy that lasts for hours, so there’s no need to worry about crashing at your afternoon meeting or running out of gas just as you get home from work.
These bars should not be eaten in place of a meal, as they are only meant to keep you satisfied between them.
Remember to eat multiple times throughout the day to fend off the hunger pains that come from a prolonged period of not eating.
As with most other snacks, however, it’s probably a good idea not to overindulge.
Snack bars can be filling and nutritious, but they’re still treated like any other snack food in moderation.
If you have a sweet tooth, consider choosing bars with either salty or fruity flavours rather than chocolate or nougat. This will curtail you from binging on snack bars when the sugar cravings kick in and lessen your sugar intake a bit.
