The Savory Protein Bar We’ve All Been Waiting For(?)

How do you feel about a savory protein bar? Does it fill you with a sense of vague dread at the prospect of biting into something salty, umami-fied, and potentially very weird? Or, conversely, does it give you a feeling of relief that you won’t have to eat yet another artificial-tasting sweet bar in the relentless pursuit of protein and gains?

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Well, whatever it prompts in you, all of us will have to reckon with the fact that savory protein bars exist with increasing regularity, because they may just be on the up. And there’s a new one in town. 

Takeaways Protein Bars: It’s Time For Something Different

In a press release yesterday, snack company Takeaways announced the rollout of its savory protein bars in three flavors: Cheese Pizza, Pepper Jack, and White Cheddar. It’s billing these as a corrective to the sweet protein bars that completely dominate the market (there are other savory protein bars here and there, but they’re far from mainstream or widespread).  “We’re building a new category to replace the declining volume of legacy salty snacks with modern nutrition and convenience. Takeaways is for those of us who always order a round of fries for the table,” says its founder, Ashley Baxter. 

Takeaways has been teasing the release of its protein bars for a couple of months on Instagram, but now, the day has finally arrived. Nutrition-wise, each bar offers 12 grams of protein, three grams of fiber, between one and two grams of sugar, and 120 calories total. The protein in the bars comes from real milk and cheese, and they’re gluten-free and made with non-GMO ingredients. Takeaways also promises “clean-finger portability,” in case you were worried about these being greasy.  

Where Can I Find These Bars? And Are They Any Good?

Let’s address question one first. Takeaways bars are not yet in stores, so if you want to try them, you’ll have to buy them on its website. You can preorder them from today, and they’ll be shipped out from July 1. The bars cost around $39.99 for a twelve-pack.

As for whether they’re any good – honestly, it’s a little early to say. Reviews so far are a little thin on the ground, and until they start going to customers, we won’t get a broad swathe of opinion. To be honest, though, while I know the prospect of eating a cheese bar might feel a bit affronting to some, I like the sound of them…if nothing else, for a break from the endless onslaught of sweetness. And we have savory protein chips, so why not bars?