We Tried 14 RXBAR Flavors—and These 4 Were Our Favorites

RXBARs are a company that put their reputation on transparency. These snack bars are made with ingredients like egg whites, nuts, and dates—which are displayed in bold fonts on the front of the wrapper. On top of that, each bar packs a solid amount of fiber and protein.   

On paper, RXBARs check all the right boxes. Ingredient transparency is one thing (and a respectable thing at that) but how do these bars stack up flavor-wise? While we’ve raved about RXBARs before, we’ve never properly tasted our way through every flavor. So, that’s exactly what my fellow Cooking Light staffers and I set out to do.

Excluding seasonal flavors, there are currently 14 different RXBAR flavors that you can buy. Luckily, my local Whole Foods carried all of them, so I scooped them up and scurried back to the office. (Insider tip: Buy a box of 12 for a 10% bulk discount.)

The Lineup:

• Apple Cinnamon
• Coffee Chocolate
• Chocolate Sea Salt
• Peanut Butter Chocolate
• Chocolate Hazelnut
• Peanut Butter and Berries
• Blueberry
• Chocolate Chip
• Mango Pineapple
• Peanut Butter
• Coconut Chocolate
• Maple Sea Salt
• Mint Chocolate

As you can see, the flavor selection varied wildly—and by the end of the taste test, our palates were completely exhausted. So what did we think? While there are definitely some winners and losers, the majority of the RXBAR flavors are perfectly inoffensive. Keep in mind that every bar has more or less the same sticky texture similar to fruit leather. If that’s something you don’t like, you may struggle to like any of these.

With that said, here are the RXBAR flavors worth trying—and the one you’ll probably want to avoid.  

Calories: 210; Fat: 7g; Sat Fat: 1g; Sodium: 140mg; Carbohydrates: 24g; Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 15g; Protein: 12g; Potassium: 4% DV; Calcium: 4% DV

RXBAR’s Mango Pineapple flavor surprised us. We didn’t expect to like it, but its tropical, tangy-sweet flavor easily sealed the deal. “This is oddly refreshing, but in a good way,” commented one taster. “The flavor doesn’t overpower like so many of the other bars do.” If you’re looking for a well-balanced taste, this one is a safe bet.

Calories: 210; Fat: 9g; Sat Fat: 2g; Sodium: 170mg; Carbohydrates: 22g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 13g; Added Sugar: 0g; Protein: 12g; Potassium: 10% DV; Calcium: 4% DV

If you’re a coconut fanatic, then you’ll enjoy the Coconut Chocolate RXBAR. In each bite, you get notes of creamy, slightly sweet coconut flavor and bittersweet chocolate. The majority of us gave this flavor high marks. “There’s a nice amount of sweetness here. It’s definitely one of the better options out there,” one taster commented. (Disclaimer: I am NOT a fan of coconut, so I’m disqualifying myself here.)

Calories: 210; Fat: 10g; Sat Fat: 2.5g; Sodium: 170mg; Carbohydrates: 22g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 12g; Added Sugar: 0g; Protein: 12g, Calcium: 4% DV; Potassium: 10% DV

RXBAR’s Coffee Chocolate flavor was a favorite of CookingLight.com Editor Chris Michel. “I didn’t expect to like this, but the coffee and dark chocolate combo is actually pretty good. The coffee keeps it from being overly sweet.” On the other hand, one taster was quite confused by this flavor: “This is strange. I feel like I need to contemplate whether I like it or not, which probably isn’t good.” Either way, if bittersweet is your thing, then you’ll probably like this bar.

Calories: 210; Fat: 9g; Sat Fat: 2g; Sodium: 240mg; Carbohydrates: 24g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 13g; Added Sugars: 0g; Protein: 12g; Calcium: 4% DV; Potassium: 10% DV

The Chocolate Sea Salt RXBAR isn’t groundbreaking, but we applaud this flavor for its sheer simplicity and solid execution. Dark chocolate and sea salt combine for a sweet and salty punch that’s surprisingly easy on the palate. “I kept expecting it to be sweeter, but it’s not—and that’s a good thing,” commented one taster. If you’re new to RXBAR, then you’d probably want to start with this flavor first.

Calories: 210; Fat: 9g; Sat Fat: 1.5g; Sodium: 135mg; Carbohydrates: 23g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 14g; Added Sugars: 0g; Protein: 12g; Calcium: 4% DV; Potassium: 10% DV

If you didn’t see the packaging, you could easily mistake RXBAR’s Chocolate Hazelnut bar for a fudge brownie. The color of the bar is a deep chocolate brown, like a brownie, but the flavor is entirely different. It’s a touch bitter like licorice, thanks to dark chocolate chunks and chopped hazelnuts. It’s not bad. But it’s not what we were expecting either. Upon seeing the name, we’d hoped it would taste like a Nutella-infused brownie. Then again, these are protein bars, not candy bars.

Calories: 210; Fat: 9g; Sat Fat: 2g; Sodium: 190mg; Carbohydrates: 23g; Fiber 5g; Sugar: 13g; Added Sugars: 0g; Protein: 12g; Potassium: 10% DV; Calcium: 4% DV

Oof. We unanimously declared the Mint Chocolate RXBAR as our least favorite. “Tastes like I’m eating toothpaste and potpourri. Two thumbs down,” commented one taster. What makes this bar unpalatable is its overwhelming, “Dr. Bronners level” of mint flavor. The label says there's both chocolate and cocoa, but you might not know it. But mint chocolate tends to be a pretty divisive flavor—you either love it or hate it. So for major fans (which none of us are) it may taste better.

If you’re searching for a wholesome, on-the-go snack you can tuck into your gym bag or stow at your office desk, then RXBARs are a solid option. Yes, some flavors are better than others, but we applaud the company’s commitment to ingredient transparency. Our advice? Excluding Mango Pineapple, skip the fruit flavors and opt for the chocolate-based ones instead.