Optimum Nutrition Crunch Bar

Sadly, my bars arrived after having been stored or shipped badly. The coating had bloomed, the bar had obviously melted a bit and the box must have been stored on its side - so each bar was pushed to one side and deformed, the chocolate was covered in white cocoa butter (which had separated) and they sadly looked pretty far from appetising.

I ordered them when the weather wasn't overly hot, so whether this happened after manufacture, in the ON warehouse, in My GYm Supplements's warehouse or in transit is hard to tell.

The bar however still tasted ok. I cannot say whether the flavour was compromised in any way, as this was my first order.

The bar is large and feels substantial. The flavour is good and the texture was a high-point for me. It's like a chewy fudgy texture with crispy pieces on top. There is a slight aftertaste probably due to the sweetener used - but for a 'no added sugar' bar, this is surprisingly good. I think the salt gives the chocolate a bit more punch, which is a good thing in my mind.

I do feel that while £2.20 for a bar of anything is expensive, the amount of protein, the 'no added sugar' aspect, the satisfaction you feel after eating it and the overall size of the bar does offset the price well.

I do feel unfortunately though, that I'm not entirely sure that I trust the other bars now - I assume they're ok to eat, but it does make a bit of an impression, when the bar looks like it might not be the freshest.

I may be the one case who received them like this, or possibly not. Who knows?

These Optimum Nutrition Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch Bars are really one of the tastiest protein bars I've ever tried and also one that's practically indistinguishable from the 'real' thing despite being low sugar. There's a generous coating of chocolate on the outside and inside the base is chewy and satisfying and avoids that gritty texture most protein bars have. On top is a generous layer of crispy rice or biscuit pieces and there's a slight but noticeable edge of salt throughout to offset the sweetness.

I think if you gave most people one of these they'd think it was a conventional sugar-laden chocolate bar and wouldn't assume there was anything healthy about it. Of course they wouldn't be completely wrong, it's not necessarily the healthiest ways to get a serving of protein, but it's definitely one of the yummiest. It's immaterial anyway because you really won't be giving these away to anyone, trust me...

First impressions of these bars were good, they come individually wrapped and stored in a cardboard box that can be folded into a display. They are a decent size and you get a good amount.

Taste wise they are really sweet and enjoyable, to me they taste like caramel and salty chocolate. They are really full on flavour so I couldn't taste any protein aftertaste which was a big bonus! They’re also really filling so they are great for a post workout snack!

Overall I've really enjoyed eating these and will definitely buy more! They are the best flavour from this brand in my opinion!

About right

Nothing special, ok purchase.

Not good. They are brown inside and should be white. Dont taste that great

These bars have proven to be an excellent addition to my pre and post-workout routine, providing the energy and nutrition I need to maximize my performance.

Upon receiving the box, I was pleasantly surprised to find 12 bars inside. Each bar was larger than I expected, weighing in at 55g. Despite my initial concerns about the size, I was pleased to discover that they are surprisingly filling, making them a substantial and satisfying snack.

One of the standout features of these bars is their delightful texture. They strike a perfect balance between crunchy and chewy, which adds an enjoyable element to the overall experience. And unlike some overly chewy bars, these won't put your teeth at risk.

The flavour of these protein bars is just right. They aren't overly sweet, which I appreciate, as it allows me to enjoy them without feeling like I'm consuming excessive amounts of sugar. While the taste of berries could have been more pronounced, it wasn't a major drawback and didn't detract from the overall enjoyment.

One potential concern for buyers might be the initial price, which can appear a bit expensive. However, when you consider that each bar contains 18g of protein, the cost becomes justified. In comparison to cheaper alternatives with lower protein content, these bars offer a better protein-to-cost ratio.

Not keen on the taste at all

Why did you choose this product over others?:

With this being vegetarian, and 20g protein + <250kcal this was a great balanced bar. 

Taste:

Taste like  nutty chocolate bar 4.5/5

Can feel too sweet if you have more than one. 

Quality:

5/5

Texture:

5/5 - nuts come through well, nice crunch and not to hard. 

Protein content:

20g a bar is amazing 

Sweetness:

I find it well balanced, but certain times its tastes overly sweet. Not sure if this a batch issue or just a me and my taste bud issue.

I bought it for the brand-trustworthy

Very strange. I have been buying these protein bars for a long time . Now all of a sudden they have significantly shrunk in size compared to before. Yet another example of the consumer taking the hit and not getting value for money . Such a shame as they are nice protein bars.

Very tasty snack on the go!

Very good taste and texture. Good quality regarding nutrition facts.

Amazing flavour

The first time I received this bars they were delicious, better than a Bounty in my opinion. It was my treat that I’d have once a day.

I have received my latest batch and like others in the reviews, I have received off bars. The coconut is orange and tastes disgusting. I have requested a refund and had no reply.

Disappointing, could have been a customer for life, now I’ll move on to a different brand.

Good taste without being too sugary

Great product, very tasty!

I love the bars (no issue at all with them) but more order arrived unsealed (outside packaging fine) with 3 bars missing.

Decided to try a different protein bar and had the marshmallow and chocolate brownie flavours.

Unfortunately I found a piece of blue plastic embedded in one of my bars. This concerned me as I had already consumed most of them and not checked them all as closely so I could have eaten multiple pieces. I reached out to the company a few days ago and am yet to receive a response. Won't be ordering again.

Other than that they do taste quite nice and are quite filling. Have something in the ingredients that makes me a little gassy but some protein bars have that effect, others don't.

Love these protein bars, I've tried most and these are the best. Just a shame there to expensive for me unless in a sale.

I tried this initially in the gym. Tastes great and perfect for getting a bit of a boost. This worked out cheaper than supermarkets or gym. Just be aware it's full of sugar. I tend to only have half at any one time. But delicious

These are probably most suited for those with an active lifestyle. I got these as I am rejoining the gym, and want to use them as a pre-workout snack, or a post workout one depending on which works best.

The box came with 12 bars in, the bars were bigger than i thought they would be, as 55g didn't seem much, and they are surprisingly filling too.

They are a nice combination of crunchy and chewy, but not so chewy that it will pull your teeth out. The flavour is nice, not too sweet. I couldn't really notice the taste of berries that much but it wasn't off putting.

The price seems a little expensive at first, but it works out to £2.50 a bar, I guess for 18g of protein that's not too bad as the cheaper ones I have seen have had quite a bit less protein.

All in all these seem like they are a good idea for fitness enthusiasts, or just if you need a bit of a boost.

Delicious way to get some extra protein in on the move. Actually, any time.

I really enjoyed these Chocolate Sea Salt Crunch Protein Bars by Optimum Nutrition.

So far i've got to try this flavour & the Nutty Chocolate Caramel out of the whole Optimum Nutrition protein bar range but thought both tasted really nice & was enjoyable to eat.

You get 12x 55g bars in the box.

Each bar is 221 calories & offers 18g of protein per serving.

I've personally been taking one of these in to work with me to have as a mid afternoon protein boost & to help stop me from snacking on junk throughout the day.

But i found they help keep me felling satisfied & full until i get home from work.

The bars had a really long shelf live of around 8months on them which is good to see although they taste so good they wont last long before i need to get some more.

Definitely something i will be buying again although i wouldn't mind trying some more of the other flavours to see which ones i like the most but so far have been really happy with the two i've tried.

Almost a bounty ... yum!

Very good taste, but has a lot of Carbs as sugar.

Tastes great, good protein content, has some fibre, and one of the bars that hasn't bloated me yet. Slightly expensive but overall been great.

Please have a really good taste but they're so expensive

Good deal. Taste and texture thumbs up. Will buy again.

These are delicious. Don't feel like protein bars

While having fruit in a protein bar is a nice change and adds some interesting flavour, unfortunately the bar's texture isn't very appealing to me. It's like a nougat type "filling" and IMO it's quite a bit too sweet.

Not awful, but probably won't be getting this one again - and don't be fooled by the name, it's nothing like Optimum Nutrition's "crispy protein bar"