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The Best Energy Bars for Outdoor Activities

Vega

Vega offers "clean, plant-based diet, and nutrition" in shakes, bars, smoothies and supplements. Their Vega One Bars contain 15 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and 1.5 grams of Omega-3.

You'll also get a full serving of greens, plenty of antioxidants and 1 billion probiotics per bar. Sound amazing? That's because it is. The bars are also gluten free with no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. Flavors include Chocolate Cherry, Double Chocolate and Chocolate Almond.

PROBAR Meal Bar

Not only is this organic bar dense in weight (3 ounces), but it's also nutrient dense, too, packed with nuts, seeds and fruit. Each bar rounds out near 400 calories, so you really are getting a meal out of a simple bar.

Flavors to try:

  • Peanut Butter (390 calories with 11 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber)
  • Oatmeal Raisin (370 calories with 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber)

Honey Stinger Waffles and Bars

This Colorado-based company incorporates honey into all of their products, which include energy bars, protein bars, gels, waffles, chews and kid treats.

For sustained energy, opt for the protein bars or energy bars, or for a quick, lower-calorie energy boost, grab one of their waffles--two thin waffle wafers with honey in between.

The energy bars contain 30 percent honey, 5 grams of protein, 23 vitamins and minerals, and whole grains. Energy bar flavors include Peanut Butter'n Honey, Berry Banana Buzz, Blueberry Buzz, and Rocket Chocolate, and each come in at about 200 calories.

The Honey Stinger Protein Bars are gluten free with no trans fats, and have 10 grams of whey protein. Flavors include dark chocolate varieties and even a bar with caffeine.

Larabar

Larabar totes their products as "gluten-free energy bars made from minimal ingredients." They live up to their minimal tagline--each bar has no more than nine ingredients! The bars are made up of fruit, nuts and spices, and include flavors such as Carrot Cake, Snickerdoodle (yes, please!), Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Blueberry Muffin. Bars are around 200 calories with 30 grams of carbs.

Make-Your-Own

The internet is filled with plenty of at-home energy bars. Most include a variety of seeds and nuts, some sort of whole grains (such as cereal or oats), as well as chocolate chips, coconut, or dried fruit for sweetness.

The basics of each recipes include mixing the dry ingredients, then mixing the liquid ingredients (honey or some sort of syrup, vanilla, maybe some nut butter), and baking. You can take any recipe that you find online and easily tailor it with the ingredients that you enjoy the most.

Also, check out Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury, which has knock-off recipes for your favorite brand-name energy bars.

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