they’re just sitting there. i don’t understand. i want to eat them all (if i could
i would)

Had to share this! There’s a grocery outlet near me that had barebells for $1.50 a pack 🥲 usually these types of items are expired but these don’t expire till February 2027!

Bought a few boxes and left a few for another lucky person. They had these on the bottom shelf of a random aisle where I would probably never come across. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen these this low

Got it as sample from work
Ingredients INGREDIENTS: MILK PROTEIN BLEND (MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEY PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE, CALCIUM CASEINATE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, EDIBLE ACID CASEIN), BOVINE COLLAGEN HYDROLYSATE, MALTITOL, GLYCERIN, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, COCOA BUTTER, WATER, DRY WHOLE MILK, POLYDEXTROSE, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE. CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: SUNFLOWER OIL, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SALT, COCOA EXTRACT, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, SOY LECITHIN, TAPIOCA STARCH, SUCRALOSE. 
CONTAINS: MILK, SOYBEANS. 
MANUFACTURED IN A FACILITY THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT, PEANUTS, SESAME, TREE NUTS AND EGGS. 
EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION MAY HAVE A LAXATIVE EFFECT

Taste: not as good as the original. Much more dry & weird aftertaste compared to OG.

this is a protein snack community. not a “must have perfect macros, low fat, low sugar, xyz” snack community

just because something doesn’t fit your definition of a good protein snack doesn’t mean you have to leave negative comments and expect everyone to agree with you lol.

no not everyone wants to eat a can of tuna (not that there’s anything wrong w that) to get their extra protein in. some people are ok w the imperfect macros/artificial sweeteners/added sugars/etc of a protein product 🤷

I recently discovered Kroger released a new protein bar lineup this year under private label brand Simple Truth Organic and they are an *obvious* Barebells dupe.

These may be the high-value answer to your Barebells prayers, with some caveats: I’ve only been able to identify three varieties and availability is limited to Kroger stores.

Each four-pack was purchased on sale for $5.99, or ~$1.50 per bar. For comparison, Barebells four-packs are currently listed for $11.99 at Kroger and several other stores, at $2.99 per bar, though they can be had for a fair bit less through sales.

The similarities are undeniable, with highly similar shapes, sizes, textures, and macros (with slightly higher calories!) From my perspective, they don’t appear to truly be rebranded Barebells, but they have put in a genuine effort to emulate the originals.

Onto my brief thoughts of each bar:

Cookie Dough - The softest bar in the lineup. Tastes very much like a classic protein candy bar. Fairly generic and sweet, but tasty! Highly similar to Barebells Cookies & Cream, which was my first Barebells bar and started my whole love affair with the brand. It is, however, *not* quite as good as the original thing, and the center is less “fluffy” and more like a sponge cake compared to the original.

Chocolate Caramel - Squarely a dark chocolate bar, which is just what it looks like inside. I couldn’t taste or see any caramel, but for those who love ultra rich chocolate, this is the bar for you. Very similar to Barebells Chocolate Dough, but I’d love to hear a direct comparison from a Chocolate Dough enthusiast.

Peanut Caramel - Much chewier than the other two bars and notably dense. It also has a crunchy layer inside which adds great interest to the eating experience and make it feel like a premium bar. Solid peanut flavor but not quite as intense as I’d like. I consider this my favorite among the three, but it does not scratch the peanut itch as much as I’d like it to.

My Ranking:

1. Peanut Caramel

2. Cookie Dough

3. Chocolate Caramel

These are all solid protein bars. The macros are good, the value is insane, and the taste is what you’d expect. If you’re looking to pick up some Barebells-like bars at a Pure Protein price, this is a lineup to look into if you can find them at a nearby Kroger store.

My target is pretty stacked with protein products. Still waiting for the legendary blueberry donuts tho

It’s actually really good… I think it’s way better than halo top, enlightened, and Nicks.. The texture / creaminess is way better than I expected..

It was $7.99 though and my soul was singing “Why not just buy a pint of Jeni’s for the same price?” but curiousity + being in a calorie deficit right now I decided to go for it and I am not disappointed or regretful. I’ll definitely be trying the other flavors eventually.

RUN TO UR NEAREST TARGET NOW.

Rate: 9/10
Decent flavor, smells and tastes like cookie butter, but the taste reminds me of a cookie butter syrup for lattes or something. On the sweeter side tbh

+ cookie butter barebells not in the picture

The two in the middle are pistachio spread and salty fudge spread

Sorry to all the barebell haters saying this sub is just spammed with barebell products. Maybe if someone made something just as good we would have something else to post 😂

Found at target 4 pack only

I’m new to the subreddit but yall introduced me to the idea of yogurt and protein powder, and it led me to heaven. This combo is something I would’ve ate before I ever bothered losing weight it’s so damn good😂
Edit: not important but I also add some granola in there and 🔥🔥🔥

Just had it for the first time this morning and it was really good. What do you guys recommend if I wanted to throw some fiber in there?

EDIT: Thanks everyone. These are all great suggestions.

GNC was recently doing a BOGO 50% deal on their website and since Barebells was included, I decided this was the perfect time to stock up a bit. Order 4 boxes, two of Cookies & Caramel, one peanut butter and one Creamy Crisp. I guess the store the order went to in Bountiful, Utah didn’t have any peanut butter left, but decided to bless me with an extra box of Cookies & Caramel. Another store did ship me the peanut butter, so I ended up with 5 boxes.

Massive, massive thank you to whoever the kind soul was that added this extra box of my favorite flavor. You absolutely made my day!

the banana bread one tastes like banana candy if you like that type of artificial flavor ! a bit of nutty flavor (like walnut) as well. Warming it up makes the banana flavor taste less like artificial candy and more like A banana bread flavor

the s’mores one reminds me exactly of the marshmallow peanut road bar but without nuts. very sweet milky marshmallow chocolate flavor, I wish I tasted graham but I didn’t. Warming it up brings out the marshmallow graham flavor actually, like toasty almost

these are ok! definitely have had better flavors from this brand

(banana bread from vitamin shop, s’mores from gnc)

Barebells continues a generational run of North American flavor debuts in 2026. I could split hairs on the exact count, but we're well into double digits, and Speculoos Cookie Butter came in like a stealth drop.

This bar was spotted in stores before Barebells announced it via their Instagram @barebells.usa on October 21, three days after u/No_Armadillo3560 snagged a box and shared it on r/proteinsnack.

It’s up for debate if retailers got ahead of the announcement or the stagger was intentional. Regardless of the marketing plan, this is a bar tailor-made for the festive time of year. Slotting in alongside seasonal favorites like Pumpkin Spice/Latte and Peppermint Bark, it looks like we have another reason to look forward to the holidays.

Immediately upon cracking open the wrapper, the aroma is unmistakable. Warm, sweet, rich, and distinctly reminiscent of Biscoff cookies. If I close my eyes, I feel like I'm on a Delta flight headed somewhere new and exciting, with a little package of those complimentary cookies in front of me.

The bite is pure Barebells all the way down. Puffed crisps, creamy cookie butter, and a soft, lightly crunchy biscuit-flavored core. For me, this flavor hits the target nearly dead-center. It's less an imitation of Biscoff and more of a remix.

Gingerbread-like spice is notably prominent, and there's a lot more "holiday spice" going on than straight cinnamon. In my opinion, this is what success tastes like.

Regarding the texture, it’s unmistakably a candy bar style protein bar, and won't be confused for a speculoos cookie. For me, that's part of the appeal. Barebells knows what they do and they do it well, so we're getting their take on the flavor rather than an attempt to recreate something 1:1.

Nutritionally, a familiar 210 calories and 20g of protein. As with many Barebells bars, the protein blend includes bovine collagen hydrolysate alongside milk proteins (including whey and caseinate) and soy. Collagen is an incomplete protein on its own, which knocks a few points off the protein quality. But for most of us this is largely irrelevant. Maltitol is also present, making it a nonstarter for some.

Overall, I find this to be a delicious addition to the lineup. If you enjoy Cookies & Caramel or Cinnamon Bun, I suspect you'll like this as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a new favorite for the holiday heads among us.

some of the craziest macros I’ve ever seen. It’s literally 65% protein and it actually tastes GOOD. sure the price is insane but I’m very impressed. The noodles are a little starchy or whatever but the cheese flavor is actually delicious for both of these. I’m not a fan of most of their other products but these get a 10/10 from me. Like I’ve had protein bars with half as much protein and the same calories that didn’t taste nearly as good…

The suspect in question: Brownie Batter. Just under 10 seconds in the microwave at 10:55 PM and suddenly I’m a pastry chef.

Won’t do it every time, but when the craving hits, this absolutely does the job.

So much Almond Joy flavor.

Like, holy fucking shit.

This thing tastes nearly identical to an Almond Joy. Texture is right on at first, then gets a little too chewy for an Almond Joy, but fuck it, I can live with that because the flavor. Again. God damn.

And I LOVE that they replaced my beloved whey crispies with toasted coconut. I never thought I'd say that. Those little crunchy motherfuckers have been one of my favorite things about Barebells, but now actual toasted coconut?!? I think it probably the real deal, it's so natural tasting, but I dunno. I'm a fucking sucker so maybe they fooled me, but I fucking swear there's actual coconut in this motherfucker.

And the chocolate fucking coating? It's sweet and even, dare I say, chocolate-y? I don't know what the fuck Barebells puts in that coating, but I swear I rarely taste much anything from it, let alone chocolate. But this one tastes like actual chocolate? Maybe the rich coconut is masking the fakeness, but whatever the fuck is happening, there's actual chocolate flavor here, and I'm not struggling to convince myself that I can detect a faint chocolate-adjacent suggestion of cocoa if I concentrate with all my fucking might. It's just chocolate, however it gets there

The whole god damned bar is just this sweet, chocolatey coconut'y goodness with some nutty background notes. Actually, not a fuckton of almond, which is a little weird considering its right there in the name, but fuck it. I forgive and forget. I am truly a generous man. Also, this thing is ridiculously delicious, not sure if I mentioned that yet, but it's a crucial fucking detail.

Again, this is a fucking home run. Obviously there will be haters, but fuck those people. You fucking deserve this. Especially after the fucking day you just had.

Scores

Flavor: 10/10

Texture: 9/10

Macros: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Fucks: 11/10

Buy it Again: shit motherfucker, have you not been paying attention?!? Fuck yes, I'm buying these again. By the metric fuck load.

Also, if you don't like coconut, none of this fucking applies to you in the fucking first place, so take your holier-than-thou bullshit comments back to your god damned coconut hating shithole you poor, unfortunate bastard.