The Best Protein-Packed Snack On Aldi's Shelves Tastes Like A Healthy Nutter Butter

Protein snacks, shakes, and powders have come a long way, but some are still far superior to others. Luckily, if you're an Aldi shopper, your protein-packed snack choices just got a lot easier. Tasting Table recently ranked the protein products at Aldi, and coming in at #1 was Aldi brand's Elevation Gluten-free Golden Vanilla Cream Functional Protein Bars. Overall, the Golden Vanilla Cream bar was ranked first for good reason — it provides functional nutrition while simultaneously tasting like a healthy Nutter Butter. Yes, the childhood favorite treat with peanut butter cream sandwiched between peanut-shaped cookies.

Though the Gluten-free Golden Vanilla Cream protein bar's product name and picture on the packaging may have you thinking the protein bars will taste reminiscent of a golden Oreo sandwich cookie, actually, peanut butter is the third ingredient (behind protein crisps and maltitol), which makes it pretty predominant in the flavor profile. While this is something that ultimately made us love the taste, it is worth noting that first-time buyers of the protein bar will want to read the ingredient list — especially people with nut allergies. On a Facebook post about the product, one consumer wrote that the bars were like "a favorite old style candy... The taste AND texture [are] pretty similar, though the protein bars are softer," along with a caution that the bars do contain peanuts.

If you want gluten-free bar packed with protein sans peanut butter, give some other of Aldi's best gluten-free, protein-packed products a try. However, if nut allergies aren't a concern and you love peanut butter, these protein bars could definitely steal your heart like they did ours. As Tasting Table writer Megan Hageman put it in her ranking, they provide "flavorful and functional fuel." The taste gives classic Nutter Butter cookies, but with a healthy twist. At 18 grams of protein, 250 calories, and only 4 grams of sugar per bar, the bars make for the perfect pre or post-workout or hiking snack. Plus, they contain MCT Oils and 5 grams of caffeine, both of which could provide a nice extra energy boost. 

Sugar content is an important nutrition consideration when buying protein bars. While these protein bars are relatively low in sugar, like many protein bars, they do contain sugar alcohols, including maltitol. The artificial taste and digestion concerns with sugar alcohols is a no-no for some consumers, but in the case of the Elevation Golden Vanilla Cream bar, it didn't come across as overly artificial-tasting. Instead, the flavor was smooth peanut butter goodness with some nice crisp textural bite, without all the sugar spike that classic peanut butter cookies and candies bring.