Protein bars: the snack that promises to turn you into a Greek god but often leaves you feeling more like a Greek tragedy. Lidl, the unsung hero of budget shopping.  Aldi, the other budget champ, known for its surprises down every aisle. But when it comes to protein bars, are they contenders or just pretenders? I put to test an Aldi protein bar against the Lidl protein bar.

Lidl Protein Bar: The Brownie Bust

Lidl, oh Lidl, you had me at “crisp,” but you lost me at “brownie.”  Lidl have a wide selection of protein snacks available, this gave me a pit of confidence especially as they were promoting all the protein goodies at the time.  I eagerly grabbed a box of their protein brownie bars, visions of fudgy, chocolaty delight. When I removed a bar from the box I had high hopes, it wasn’t a thick boy which can make protein bars a choir to chew, it seemed light and a the packaging had the word crisp, filling me with false hopes of a bar with less chew and more crisp.

Chocolate brownie, how can you go wrong? Somehow Lidl went wrong, so wrong. The flavor was supposed to be chocolate brownie, but I could hardly find any resemblance. Protein bars have came a long way over the years, with some actually being enjoyable, not this one though.  Taste, there was a very thin chocolate layer, but this didn’t add much taste, it just didn’t really have much taste at all other than an artificial sweet and weird protein taste, defiantly not brownie.

Worse than the taste is the texture. Eating this bad boy was certainly a choir for the jaw, it was so chewy that it hurts. . It was so chewy that I began to wonder if they confused “brownie” with “taffy.”. After getting about half way through I was struggling so decided to put it in the microwave for a seconds to soften it up. It kind of worked, it went from a terrible tasting Moam, to a terrible tasting nougat, But still, no sign of that elusive brownie.

In case my subtlety is too subtle, I’ll spell it out: I did not enjoy the Lidl protein bar. And to add insult to injury, I bought not one, not two, but three of these bars because I hate wasting food. So, brace yourself; I’ve got two more dates with disappointment.

Sorry, Lidl, maybe your other protein snacks can salvage your reputation, but for now, it’s a hard pass from me.

Aldi Protein Bar: The Jaffa Revelation

Again im not really familiar with Aldi protein bars, but I understand Aldi has some great protein products. I basically picked what they had, which was a jaffa and a mint flavored protein bar.

Admittedly, I’m not typically drawn to the idea of orange chocolate, but the Aldi Jaffa protein bar pleasantly surprised me. The bar has a strong and pleasant Jaffa flavor, with a thick layer of Jaffa goo. The chocolate coating is definitely something Lidl could learn from, thick chunky chocolate coating. Unfortunately this bar also comes with a chewy texture, not quite jar breaking but enough of a workout to put me off. This bar also had some chocolate crispy pieces inside, again lacking in the quantity of them.

Compared to the Lidl protein bar the Aldi was great, but still has a lot of work compared to the other bars out there. I defiantly wouldn’t eat this as a ‘treat’ but I would buy it again.

What About The Macros?

Lidl                           Aldi

Calories  183 kcal       Calories 213 Kcal

Protein 22.5g              Protein 22g

Carbs 12.8g               Carbs 15.4g

Fats 4.5g                    Fats 7.8

Now, if you’re one of those folks who worship at the altar of macros, Lidl technically wins in this department. But honestly, I’d trade a few extra calories and fat grams for a bar that doesn’t leave my taste buds in existential crisis mode.

Overall

In the epic battle of Lidl vs. Aldi protein bars, both contenders will pump up your protein intake without deflating your wallet. But the clear winner in this budget battleground is Aldi, offering a flavor punch and a more enjoyable overall experience.

So, the next time you find yourself navigating the treacherous waters of the protein bar aisle, remember: Lidl might save you a few calories, but Aldi will save your taste buds from embarking on a flavorless odyssey.

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