Flavors Tried: M&M, Peanut M&M, Crispy M&M
Price: Way too much if you’re ordering in the US (only sold overseas)
Nutrition: 210 Calories, 8g Fat, 21g Carbs (12g Sugar), 15g Protein
High-protein versions of popular candy bars are seemingly very common in the UK. After trying Mars Hi Protein bars, I couldn’t resist giving these M&M protein bars a try.
What caught my attention immediately was that these bars contain actual M&Ms, not just generic “chocolate candies” like we see in many protein bars here in the US.
I mean, who doesn’t love M&Ms?
Nutritionally, these protein bars are a little bit lower in protein than other options. At just over 200 calories, you’d hope for more than 15 grams of protein, but I’ll let it slide if it tastes as good as I hope.
I tried all three available flavors: Regular M&M, Peanut M&M, and Crispy M&M Hi-Protein Bars. Let’s see if they live up to the M&M name.
M&M Hi Protein Bar
The first thing you notice in this bar is the delicious chocolate coating. Unlike many protein bars that use a chocolate concoction that tastes like chocolate mixed with protein powder, this tastes like genuine milk chocolate.
And it smells amazing, too.
The interior is chewier than I’d like and breaks down to be almost chalky as you chew it. Though I never know if that chalky texture is due to the strange conditions of shipping bars from overseas, so I may have to give these bars a pass (I’ll never know for sure).
Luckily, plenty of real M&Ms are scattered throughout the bar, which makes for a very enjoyable experience when you get that hit of candy-coated chocolate in your bite.
The chocolate nougat interior has that typical protein taste, but it’s not overly artificial. While it’s not as soft and pillowy as something like a Barebells bar, it’s also not as chewy as many other protein bars on the market.
The chalkiness of this one is a little bit offputting, but if you can get past that, it’s truly delicious.
Peanut M&M Hi Protein
This version is notably softer than the regular flavor, though I’m still not sure if that’s due to the crapshoot of overseas shipping conditions. If it’s always this soft, then they nailed it.
Instead of a chocolate nougat, they use a peanut butter layer inside which works perfectly here. There’s also a layer of peanuts on top of the bar, which add to the overall peanut flavor.
I was a little bummed to find regular M&Ms inside this bar rather than Peanut M&Ms, because the latter is one of my favorite snacks on the planet. But I suppose Peanut M&Ms would be way too big to fit inside of a bar, so it makes sense that they’d separate the components out like this.
While slightly disappointing, you do get a very similar flavor experience in each bite.
The combination of the soft, chewy interior with crunchy peanuts and M&Ms is excellent. The milk chocolate coating only adds to the experience, making this bar absolutely delicious. While not exactly candy bar level, I have no complaints.
Crispy M&M Hi Protein
This version comes in two thin squares rather than a single bar, which I was not expecting when I opened the package.
I expected the bar to snap when bent (it is “crispy” after all), but it has the same protein bar texture as the others. Since it’s much thinner than the other bars, I thought this would be more of a bark rather than a typical protein bar.
Once you break this one open, you can see all of the beautiful layers they fit into it.
There’s the classic candy bar nougat layer, followed by M&Ms and crispies, topped with caramel that was much softer and gooier than the other bars.
The combination of flavors and the contrast of textures in this one make it easily my favorite of the bunch.
I love that these are thinner, because it makes the chewy nature of the protein bar easier to swallow (literally). And I think it’s a bonus that this comes in 2 squares rather than a single bar because I tend to have difficulty pacing myself while eating protein bars.
This one truly captures the Crispy M&M experience. If you’re a fan of Crispy M&Ms, there’s absolutely nothing to dislike here.
M&M Hi Protein Bars: Overall Thoughts
Just like the Mars Hi Protein bars, I would absolutely welcome these to the US market (assuming they don’t change the formula too much in the process).
As they are now, I would happily buy these on a regular basis. Given how popular M&Ms are in the US, I could see these selling incredibly well here.
Plus, considering how frequently new M&M varieties drop, there would be endless possibilities for new and limited edition bar flavors.
The authentic M&Ms inside, quality milk chocolate coating, and variety of textures make these stand out from typical protein bars. While I do wish the protein was a little higher, I can look past it considering how tasty these are.
Who knows if they’ll ever make it to the US market, but let’s hope they do… and let’s hope they keep the formula exactly as it is.
Until then, I may have to pay those ridiculous international shipping fees to get my hands on these again.
