Protein Bars yay or nay?

I absolutely cannot stand protein shakes.  I have tried so many different kinds, and just can't stand any of them.  I'm not a big smoothie/milkshake/etc drinker, so it doesn't surprise me. Lately, I've been having a protein bar as my breakfast every day.  I like either the South Beach Bars which are 210 calories, 19g of protein, 7g fat, 26g carb.  I just bought a whole bunch of the Pure Protein Bars which are 190 calories, 20g of protein, 6g fat, 17g carb.  I have no issues with either. Would there be any reason I shouldn't be eating protein bars?  I never hear people talking about protein bars, only protein shakes.   Thanks, Rachel 

I am NOT an RD/NUT, but I'll tell you what I think.   Both those protein bars look good to me.  There are a couple of things you have to think about with regards to protein bars as opposed to protein drinks/shakes.   One thing to be careful of with protein bars (or meal replacement bars) is the sugar content.  Many of them have so much sugar that they are nothing more than glorified candy bars.  I checked the sugar content for the ones you've chosen though (assuming I have matched up the right ones on www.thedailyplate.com with the #s you gave) and they only have 1 and 2 grams of sugar in them which is not too high.   The other thing to be careful of is that they are a solid meal.  If your surgeon/NUT/RD allows you 3 meals per day only, this will count as a meal.  A shake/drink could count as a liquid OR a meal, whichever you wanted.  So if you are eating a meal replacement bar or protein bar instead a meal, is that something you are willing to count as 1 of your 3 meals?  Or will you end up adding another meal to that?  I know I'd get tired of having a candy bar (or anything resembling a candy bar) for breakfast every morning.  But you may not?  If you had a protein DRINK instead, you could eat something else solid for an actual MEAL (not while you're drinking of course but you know what I mean) to get in even more protein.   I'm totally NOT a smoothie/milkshake person either.  I do protein bullets called New Whey 42 in orange flavor.  I order them from www.fitnessfirstusa.com by the case.  They are 3 ounce vials with 42 grams of protein in just that 3 ounces.  I mix them with orange flavored crystal light and drink that.  It tastes just like orange juice and I don't have to do gross smoothies/shakes.  (They also come in grape, fruit punch and blue raspberry flavor.)  They have saved my life and have kept me from falling into that protein bar trap. 

I'm not a RD/NUT either but you don't have to count  a protein bar as a meal if it's not a meal replacement bar. I count mine as a snack at the most. The meal replacements have more of everything (cals, fat, sugar, etc.) so count it as that. The same goes for the protein shakes....count them as a snack or most times I wouldn't count them at all. I used to do the New Whey bullets months ago, but I kinda faltered off for a bit. When I went to pick some up the other day, the guy at the vitamin store said something about new research coming out on these and how they are damaging to the liver d/t the synthetic ingredients. I haven't looked up the research on these, but being as though we have to be careful with out livers anyhoo....i was a little cautious. I told him I only do about 1 per week and he said that was okay but to be careful using them daily.  April