The Worst Protein Bars On The Market Are Too Laborious To Chew - Tasting Table

"We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Say what you want about protein bars, but there's no denying that they've become a staple for many American shoppers over the years. Whether you're trying to up your intake or just need a snack on-the-go, they're a handy item to have on hand - and some of them taste pretty good, too. But there are more than a few disappointing options out there, including our least favorite of all: GoMacro bars."

"Founded on a Wisconsin farm in 2004, GoMacro is a plant-based company run by a mother-daughter team. Co-founder Amelia Kirchoff created the recipe for her all-natural bars while battling breast cancer, and the ethos of the brand is still built around a commitment to clean, responsibly-sourced ingredients. It's a great story, and there's a lot to be said for being able to recognize every word on the back of a protein bar."

"These bars are extremely soft and pliable, which some people might enjoy, but we just found them way too laborious to chew. You can almost bend them in half, giving them a structure more akin to leather than healthy energy bars, and the pieces tend to stick to your teeth. They're just a lot of work, and while the taste is okay, it just doesn't seem worth the effort."

"It seems we aren't the only ones who have had issues with the texture of GoMacro bars. One Reddit user said the bars "taste like upholstery" on a thread, while others have compared them to plastic or playdough. One reviewer on the GoMacro website wrote, "I really wanted to like the peanut butter bar. However, the consistency is somewhere between mochi and taffy; I was afraid I might lose a filling unless I took very tiny bites.""

GoMacro is a plant-based company founded in 2004 on a Wisconsin farm and run by a mother-daughter team, with co-founder Amelia Kirchoff developing the recipe while battling breast cancer. The brand focuses on clean, responsibly sourced ingredients and transparent labeling. Despite those qualities, the bars have an unusually soft, pliable texture that many find laborious to chew; pieces can bend, stick to teeth, and resemble leather or taffy. Taste is described as acceptable by some, but the effort required to eat the bars and consumer comparisons to upholstery, plastic, or playdough have generated notable negative feedback.

Read at Tasting Table