We all know that getting the right amount or protein is essential to building muscle.  The problem is that the body can only absorb so much protein each hour, so we can’t just have one huge protein source each day.  We need a constant stream of protein throughout the day to feed our muscles the "building blocks" that they need to properly recover after a workout.

Getting enough protein each meal is easy, whether it is a plate of chicken, fish, turkey, etc.  If we don’t have enough time to fix ourselves a meal, a protein shake works great as a supplement.  But what happens when we are really on the go and we don’t want to carry our tub of protein around along with our shaker bottle and a gallon of milk?

Protein bars fill the void that is left when we are just too busy to be able to get the right amount of protein.  If you search carefully, you can find protein bars that not only taste great, but also provide over 20 grams of protein for less than a dollar per bar.  When trying to figure out which protein bars to purchase, here are some tips for finding the right bar for you:

•    Price – Don't buy the most inexpensive bar you can find, as the low quality filler ingreidents will not help you at all.   If you are buying bars individually and you eat them all the time, consider buying in bulk and saving.  Check online stores because you can usually get them pretty cheap.

•    Taste – Some just taste like cardboard.  Fortunately, science has evolved the protein bar enough to the point where even the worst bars are tolerable.  Consider buying some single bars at the grocery store to test them out before ordering in bulk.

•   Nutrients – Read the label and look for protein content.  Sometimes bars are actually energy bars and only have a few grams of protein.  Also look at the saturated and trans fat content.  A lot of the time, companies will add more saturated or trans fat to give the bar a better flavor or texture.

•    Variety – Having the same tasting bar every single day might get old.  Make sure you have some variety in your protein bars so that you don’t get sick of the same flavor.

My Top 3 Protein Bar Picks

#1: Met-Rx Big 100 Colossal Bars, Box Of 12, Super Cookie Crunch

These are great if you are trying to bulk up.  They have 400 calories each and 32 grams of protein.  The only issue is they have a good amount of fat, and are going to run you just under 2 bucks per bar if you buy in bulk.  They usually sell these bars individually at the market, so grab one and see if you like it. 

2: Promax Promax Bars, Box Of 12, Cookies N' Cream

These are one of the most popular protein bars on the market.  They have nearly a dozen different flavors, all of which taste great.  20 grams of protein and 290 calories isn’t too bad.  The only issue is that a box of 12 is going to run you 14 or 15 bucks.  Not a bad price, but you can still do better.

 #3: ABB Steel Bars, Box Of 24, Satisfying Crunchy PB

These bars taste great and provide 20 grams of protein at a relatively low price.  I pay less than $20 for a box of 24, so I am getting them at under a buck a bar.  I always have a stock of them in my pantry, and they always come in handy when I’m on the go.  They come in three flavors in addition to the crunchy PB (my favorite).  The other flavors are chocolate crisp, and cookies and cream.