Here in the US, we dominate the protein snack category. You can find virtually any snack in high-protein form here, which is not the case in all countries around the world.
And while the UK may not have the same number of snacks we have, they come out as a clear winner when it comes to all things chocolate.
So when I was able to get my hands on a high-protein version of a Snickers candy bar, both in the US and in the UK, I knew I needed to compare them.
Snickers Hi Protein has been around in the UK for years, and I had been seeing them pop up in ads for quite some time. Since I live in the US, shipping those bars to me was too expensive to justify.
In 2020, Snickers Hi Protein entered the US market, so I immediately needed to give these protein bars a try.
After trying and reviewing the US version of the Snickers protein bar, it was time to finally pull the trigger and buy some bars from the UK to see how they compare.
Here are my thoughts…
US Snickers Hi Protein Bar Review:
I love Snickers bars. When it comes to actual candy bars, they’re my second favorite bar right behind Twix (Reese’s Cups are my favorite candy, but not technically a bar).
So, needless to say, my expectations for a high-protein version of a Snickers bar were through the roof.
I mean, if you can take one of the best candy bars out there and infuse it with protein, it will be an absolute game-changer in the protein bar market.
Unfortunately, the Snickers Hi Protein B Bar fell way short of my expectations.
Upon breaking the bar open, no soft & gooey caramel was revealed. Instead, just a hardened layer of caramel that you could peel apart from the “nougat” underneath.
While the flavor of the caramel layer did somewhat resemble that of a Snickers bar, it certainly does not eat like caramel due to its hardened nature.
The nougat layer (if you can call it that) is very dense & chewy, and it tastes very much like a generic protein bar. There are many bars out there that have this particular flavor profile, so if you’ve ever had a very basic protein bar (Pure Protein bars are a good example) then you’ll know exactly what I mean.
If I were to do a blind taste test, I would never know that this was supposed to be a Snickers bar.
Sure, it contains peanuts and somewhat of a caramel flavor, but it doesn’t eat at all like a candy bar.
I’ve definitely had worse protein bars, but if you’re expecting these bars to fulfill a Snickers craving you’re having, they won’t fit the bill. All in all, these protein bars are about as average as it gets, so I wouldn’t be rushing out to buy them.
Overall Rating: 5/10
Snickers Hi Protein & Mars Hi Protein (UK Version)
After trying the US version of the Snickers Hi Protein Bar, I knew I needed to try the original version from the UK.
Unfortunately, shipping boxes of protein bars from across the pond is incredibly expensive. I ended up finding “The Skinny Food Co” that offered purchasing single bars, and while still pricey, it worked out much better for me.
At the time of making the purchase, the original Snickers Protein Bars weren’t available, but I was able to try 3 different bars:
- Snickers Hi Protein White
- Snickers Hi Protein Crisp
- Mars Hi Protein Salted Caramel
There are other flavor options available in the UK as well, like Peanut Butter, Flapjack, and Peanut Brownie. If I try any additional flavors down the line, I’ll be sure to update this review.
I’ll give my honest thoughts on each individual bar, but I will say this: overall, the UK versions of these bars are significantly better than the US version.
If you’re in search of a protein bar that actually resembles a candy bar, these are some great options.
Snickers Hi Protein White Review
The Snickers Hi Protein White version is exactly what it sounds like: a white chocolate version of a Snickers protein bar.
To me, this bar tasted the most like a candy bar of any protein bar I’ve tried.
While the consistency of this bar is chewier than a candy bar (whey protein naturally creates a thick a chewy texture), the flavor is really spot-on.
If you were to do a blind taste test, I don’t think you’d be able to tell that this was a protein bar (minus the chewiness, of course).
The Snickers Hi Protein White bar is packed with tons of peanuts and chewy caramel, which is exactly what you’d hope for in a Snickers bar. While the nougat portion of the bar is definitely chewier than a Snickers bar, the flavor is seriously spot-on.
With the obvious difference of there being a white chocolate coating instead of a milk chocolate coating, this protein bar is the closest thing to a Snickers bar that I’ve found.
Overall Rating: 9/10
Snickers Hi Protein Crisp Review
Visually, this protein bar looks really good. In fact, it looks very similar to a regular Snickers bar, but it has puffed rice adding a crisp to the top portion of the bar.
The hope for this bar is that it would taste like a cross between a Snickers Bar and a Crunch Bar, but it falls way short of that.
While this bar looks great and has plenty of peanuts packed into it, the overall flavor is very much that of a generic protein bar.
My basic standard for a generic protein bar is “Pure Protein” bars, which have a very basic flavor profile. If you’ve had those bars, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
This bar tastes very similar to a very generic chocolate & peanut butter protein bar, but with a crisp from the puffed rice on top.
The overall texture and consistency is pretty appealing, but the flavor is nothing to write home about. If you’re in search of a quality Snickers bar, this one will definitely disappoint.
Overall Rating: 5/10
Mars Hi Protein Salted Caramel Review
Full disclosure: I’ve never had a Mars bar. From what I understand, the Mars bar is to candy bars as Football is to sports.
Across the globe, every nation recognizes Football as the same sport…except the US, where we call it soccer.
The Mars bar exists across the globe as the same candy bar… except in the US, where we call it a Milky Way. The US did have its own Mars bar at some point, but it has since been discontinued.
To make it even more confusing, the Milky Way bar exists in other parts of the world, but it’s much more similar to the US version of a 3 Muskateers bar. Talk about confusing!
For the purposes of this review, we’ll consider a Mars bar to be virtually the same thing as a US Milky Way bar.
When this Mars Hi Protein bar is viewed through that lens, it’s actually really good! Like the other bars I tried, it is definitely on the dense side, so it is overall chewier than a Milky Way.
But going on flavor alone, this truly resembles a candy bar. The caramel layer is nice and soft, and while not quite the same caramel as you’d find in a Milky Way bar, it’s not far off.
This particular Mars bar is salted caramel flavor, and that extra hit of saltiness really comes through.
Overall, while this is a bit dense & chewy, the flavor is fantastic for a protein bar. I would choose this protein bar over the US Snickers Hi Protein bar 10 times out of 10!
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
US vs UK: Which Snickers protein bar is better?
There is no contest here: the UK Snickers Hi Protein Bars blow the US version out of the water.
In the US, Snickers Hi Protein is a very average, generic-tasting protein bar.
In the UK, not only are there many more flavor options, but they much more closely resemble actual Snickers bars. While the texture is still slightly thick & chewy compared to Snickers bars, the overall flavors are very similar.
If you’re in the United States and want to try the UK versions of these bars, you can check out The Skinny Food Co, which I where I ordered mine from!
