*Disclaimer: I received these protein bars for free in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve tried a LOT of protein/ meal replacement bars over the years. In fact, at one point during college, I’m pretty sure I was living on Special K bars and energy drinks alone (a diet I do not recommend, by the way).
So, when I was contacted by the team at Mezcla to try their new plant-based protein bars, I was excited to check them out and see just how well they stack up against the countless other bars I’ve bought.
And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t go into this review with a healthy dose of skepticism— after all, we’re living in a world where you can slap the words “plant-based” on bottled water and people will swear it changed their lives.
In other words, I haven’t jumped on the “plant-based” bandwagon just yet (and probably never will).
But…
I’m really impressed with Mezcla’s bars.
Mezcla vs. Nature Valley Protein Bars
Lately, my protein bar of choice has been the peanut butter dark chocolate one from Nature Valley. I don’t exactly love Nature Valley (especially not since I read about their products containing traces of RoundUp), but they sell them in bulk at Costco and they taste better than most other protein bars.
I’m certainly not a nutrition expert, but I thought it was great to see that the Mezcla bars have less sodium, fewer calories, and slightly more protein than Nature Valley—not to mention the fact that Mezcla is also free of RoundUp (at least as far as I’m aware).
So, let’s talk about how they taste:
Currently, the bars are available in 3 different flavors; here’s what I thought about each of them:
Japanese Matcha Vanilla
This one was my favorite out of the 3, and I’m already thinking of ordering more.
The taste reminded me a lot of the white chocolate macadamia nut flavored Clif Bars, but with a hint of earthiness.
I should probably mention that I’m not the biggest fan of matcha tea solely because I think it tastes like dirt, however, I thought this bar was delicious.
front of bar
back of bar
Peruvian Cocoa Peanut Butter
This one wasn’t as sweet as the Matcha Vanilla—instead, it’s got a strong peanut butter flavor paired with a slightly-sweetened dark chocolate.
If you don’t like when your protein bars taste like dessert, you’ll probably enjoy Cocoa Peanut Butter.
In fact, this flavor reminded me a lot of my Nature Valley bar. That said, it’s a great replacement if you’re like me and buy Nature Valley but would like a higher-quality alternative.
Mexican Chipotle Hot Chocolate
This flavor was really good— the first bite tasted like a cinnamon-chocolatey dessert (and for some reason, it made me think of Christmas, but maybe I’m alone there…).
As you keep eating, you notice more of a kick, so if you’re the type of person who eats hot sauce with everything and loves lots of spice, I think you’ll enjoy this bar.
For me, it was a little bit too hot— but I’m also the wimp who buys the store brand mild salsa, so what do I know?
Give Mezcla a Try and Let Me Know What You Think!
You can order all 3 flavors from EatMezcla.com (and if you like them, there’s even an option to subscribe for a 5% discount). They’re also available in-store at select Walmart locations.
Check them out if you’re interested, and share your thoughts on social media with the hashtag, #MezclaMovement.
Don’t forget to also share this post if you found it interesting.
Thank you for reading, and huge thanks to Mezcla for letting me try these bars!
