Power Crunch Bar Review (2024) | Garage Gym Reviews (2024)

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There are the best low-carb protein bars; there are the best protein bars for weight loss; and then there are the best-tasting protein bars. Power Crunch Bars fall squarely into the latter camp, based on my many years of experience with these protein bars, and that of GGR editor and product tester Nicole Davis—and, they can serve as a tool in your weight loss or muscle-building journey, too.

If you haven’t tried these bars yet, I encourage you to pick some up on your next grocery run or from Amazon. After reading my Power Crunch Bar review, in which I detail the great taste and texture of these snacks, you’ll know why!

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.

A Quick Look at Power Crunch Bars

Power Crunch Bars are a unique option and a nice change of pace in the protein bar market. If you’ve ever tried Quest Bars, RXBARs, Pure Protein Bars, GoMacro Bars, or other popular protein bars, you know that they all have a similar texture: very dense and very chewy.

In contrast, Power Crunch Bars have an airy, lightweight, crunchy texture reminiscent of wafer cookies. Nicole says they remind her of the triple-layer wafer cookies we all used to eat as kids. Ya know—these ones. (Ask anyone above the age of 20 about these cookies and you’ll soon be convinced we all lived the same childhood, by the way.)

This review looks at the original Power Crunch wafer bars, although the brand has released a few different products since these first came out.

Before You Buy

• These are not your average protein bars! While most protein bars have a dense, chewy texture, Power Crunch Bars are light, airy, and crunchy—like a wafer.
• There are 13 flavor options available on the Power Crunch website, but if you’re not ready to commit to a full box, most major grocery stores and supplement shops stock these and sell them as individual bars.

Are Power Crunch Bars Worth It?

Power Crunch Bars typically cost less than $2 per serving, and they pack 12 to 14 grams of protein with a reasonable amount of sugar (4 to 8 grams). For most people, they are a worthwhile grab if you find them yummy.

Power Crunch Bar Specs

Experience With Power Crunch Bars

I’ve been eating the original Power Crunch bars since college, when I first started getting really into health and fitness. I’d pick them up at grocery stores or on my (many) trips to GNC.

Nicole’s experience is much the same. “These are one of my OG protein bars,” she says. “I’ve been picking them up here and there for years. If I’m traveling, I tend to go for these in airports or at gas stations, because I know that I like them.”

With only 12 to 14 grams of protein, they’re not the best protein bar in terms of actual protein content, Nicole points out, and she’s right—there are plenty of options out there with 15 grams of protein or more, and with less sugar. But, Nicole and I agree that these simply taste amazing, and they’re still a decent option for a protein snack.

RELATED: Benefits of Protein

Price Per Serving

The list price for a box of Power Crunch original wafer protein bars is $21.99, and they come 12 to a box. This makes the price per serving about $1.83.

However, the price changes based on where you buy and in what quantity you buy. For instance, the price per serving is almost always higher if you buy them as individual bars in a grocery store.

On Amazon, the price per serving can be lower if there is a sale, coupon, or overstock.

Formulation

The ingredients in Power Crunch bars are fairly typical of processed protein bars. The ingredients list reads*:

• Proto Whey protein blend (micro peptides from high-DH hydrolyzed whey protein, whey protein isolate, milk protein isolate)
• Palm oil
• Sugar
• Palm kernel oil
• Enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
• Fructose
• Canola oil
• Cocoa processed with alkali
• Coconut oil
• Chicory root fiber
• Trehalose (a sugar)
• Soy lecithin
• Natural flavors
• Annatto extract
• Milk fat
• Maltodextrin
• Stevia leaf extract
• Carmine (natural color)
• Baking soda
• Ammonium bicarbonate
• Salt
• Monk fruit

*This list is from the Red Velvet flavor. The ingredients will vary slightly depending on the flavor; for example, Peanut Butter Fudge obviously contains peanut butter.

Not everyone will be OK with all of these ingredients. For starters, those with lactose intolerance should avoid Power Crunch bars due to the dairy-derived protein sources and milk fat. Environmentalists and sustainability activists may not be thrilled about the palm and palm kernel oils. Power Crunch bars also aren’t suitable for people with gluten allergies or sensitivities. And those on a keto diet will find that these bars contain too many carbohydrates.

Otherwise, though, Power Crunch bars are well-tolerated and have plenty of positive reviews.

As for the macros, like Nicole pointed out, these aren’t the most high-protein bars. They contain 12 to 14 grams of protein and 4 to 8 grams of sugar; there are options out there that would be better for post-workout purposes if that’s your main reason for buying protein bars.

Still, for a tasty snack with some protein, we like these a lot.

RELATED: Macros for Weight Loss

Taste and Texture

To me, Power Crunch bars taste like a candy bar! I look forward to eating them and generally don’t buy them by the box because I will scarf them down so fast. They’re just like a creme-filled wafer bar.

Nicole is also a big fan, saying, “I got the sampler pack with all 13 flavors. I’ve tried Strawberry Creme, S’Mores, Wild Berry Creme, Cookies & Creme, Red Velvet and French Vanilla. They are all good TBH, which is wild.

“Normally, I’d favor one or two flavors, but all of these were good enough to eat again,” she says. “They’re a touch sweet, so some people might not care for them, but I think the flavors are a shining quality of this bar.”

You have 13 flavors to choose from:

• Red Velvet
• Strawberry Creme
• Cookies & Creme
• Salted Caramel
• Peanut Butter Fudge
• Chocolate Mint
• Chocolate Coconut
• French Vanilla Creme
• Lemon Meringue
• S’Mores
• Triple Chocolate
• Peanut Butter Creme
• Wild Berry Creme

My personal favorites are Red Velvet, Chocolate Mint, and French Vanilla Creme, but I’d gladly eat any of them!

Side Effects

There are a few ingredients in Power Crunch bars that may cause reactions in certain people, including wheat flour, dairy products, coconut oil, and soy lecithin. If you do not have a known allergy or sensitivity to any of these ingredients, you shouldn’t have any problems with Power Crunch bars.

Power Crunch Bar vs Quest Bars

Quest Nutrition Quest Bars are a longtime favorite of fitness enthusiasts, myself included, although I did take a long hiatus after eating them daily for many years. In truth, Power Crunch bars are nothing like Quest Bars. The texture—and, honestly, the entire experience—is completely different.

For one thing, Quest Bars contain 20 to 21 grams of protein compared to the 12 to 14 grams in Power Crunch bars. Quest Bars also contain fewer grams of sugar (1 to 2 grams) but they contain sugar alcohols, which Power Crunch bars do not have.

Quest Bars are dense and chewy, while Power Crunch bars are light and crunchy. Some of the flavor options overlap, but Quest makes more flavors, including the very popular Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, which Power Crunch lacks due to the distinctive texture.

Which bar is right for you depends on your ingredient tolerance, flavor and texture preferences, and how badly you want the extra 6 to 8 grams of protein.

Read our full Quest Bar review.

Customer Experience

If you buy from the Power Crunch website, your purchase is eligible for free shipping if it is over $60, and it’s eligible for returns. Power Crunch accepts returns under these conditions:

“The merchandise must be received by [the company] within 30 days of your purchase; no returns will be accepted after this time period. All consumable product returns are only accepted if it was purchased through Powercrunch.com for which 75% or more of the product was unused.”

For support, you can contact the company via the contact page on the website.

Ordering Power Crunch Bars

You can buy Power Crunch bars directly from the Power Crunch website or from Amazon. You can also most likely find them at your local grocery store, convenience store, supplement shop, gas station, and even airports. For the best prices, we recommend going to Amazon.

Customer Reviews

At the time of writing, Power Crunch bars have an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

“It’s been difficult to find protein snacks that taste great and don’t get boring to eat regularly, and these are perfect,” wrote one reviewer.

Another review says they taste great and gives the bars a 4-star rating, but complains that they have too much sugar for their liking.

Most reviews are very similar across the board: Customers love Power Crunch bars for the distinctive texture and the great flavors.

Final Verdict of Our Power Crunch Bar Review

If you don’t have gluten or dairy allergies, and are OK with the amount of sugar in these bars, I recommend giving them a try. I think they’re a great snack, and while they aren’t the highest-protein or most natural option, they are a great change of pace compared to the typical protein bar.

Power Crunch Bar Full Rating

Power Crunch Bar FAQs

More questions? We have more answers.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.