Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll High Protein Bar Reviewed & Taste Tested

Welcome to another installment of my 52 Bars in 52 Weeks protein bar review series! This week, I tasted the Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll Bar—a decadent low-carb protein bar that was made to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your macros in check. Hiking in ketosis? This bar would work for you.

Let’s see how it stacks up as a hiking snack.

Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll High Protein Bar First Impressions

Quick Details

Price: RRP: $4.80 per bar

Flavours: Creamy Caramel Crunch, Butterscotch Crisp, Caramel Nougat, Caramel Nut Chew, Caramelised White Chocolate, Cherry Coconut, Chocolate Coconut, Chocolate Chip Crisp, Chocolate Hazelnut Crisp, Chocolate Decadence, Fudge Caramel, Sea Salt Caramel Crisp,

Packaging

The Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll High Protein Bar comes in a slim, pale hospital-wall-yellow. Maybe this was elegant at some point in time, but it feels old-fashioned and not particularly appealing.

The warning labels are also, arguably, insanely huge. Have these guys been sued before? While it's great to see clear warning labels, this feels like an excessively large font choice.

Protein Bar Nutritional Claims

• High protein: 10g

• Low carb: 3.2g

• Low sugar: 2.5g

The rule of thumb in the world of protein bars is that 20g of protein = high protein. Technically however, if more than 20% of the total serve is protein, it can also be labelled as high protein in both the US and Australia. At 10g of protein in a 50g bar, this is 20% protein.

Protein Bar Taste Test

Aroma

This snack protein bar from Atkins has a subtle caramel smell. While I could visibly see chocolate it was weird to not be able to smell it at all.

Texture

The name 'creamy caramel crunch bar' implies this thing is going to have some decent resistance and require some chewing. In stark contrast, the texture and consistency is more akin to mousse. It's so soft and doughy that my teeth plowed through it unexpectedly fast and slammed together. It's almost non-existent.

It's bizarre because it looks so solid right up until you bite in. The haphazardly distributed crispy crunch on the top of the bar is absolutely essential and easily the most enjoyable textural part of the bar. Without it, it'd be like eating air.

Flavour

The Atkins bar is very creamy to start, and the mild, but distinct, caramel emerges later when it’s almost all dissolved into nothing. The creamy vanilla flavour is quite strong. There’s no chocolate flavour at all.

The aftertaste is nice enough, but strongly artificial, and I found it sickly sweet after a few bites. If you don't like sweet bars, you won't like this one.

I didn't finish it as it was too sweet for me, but the second taste taster reckons that overall it's comparable to a Golden Gaytime in flavour.

Rating out of 5: 3/5

Without the crumble on top this bar would be a paste. The aftertaste is slightly artificial and to eat the whole bar is sickly.

Atkins Protein Bar Nutritional Analysis

Ingredients List

Milk chocolate (maltitol, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavours), caramel flavoured layer (polydextrose, maltitol, cocoa butter, glycerol, soy protein, whole milk powder, soy oil, milk protein, flavours, emulsifier (soy lecithin), salt, cocoa mass, vanilla flavour), glycerol, milk protein, polydextrose, soy crisp 5% (soy protein, tapioca starch, salt), soy protein, maltitol, thickener (acacia gum), sustainable vegetable fat, hydrolysed wheat gluten, cream powder (milk), cocoa butter, whole milk powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin), flavours, sweetener (sucralose).

Contains: Milk, Gluten, Soy.

Macronutrient Breakdown

• Protein: The 10g of protein is coming from milk, soy protein, hydrolysed wheat gluten, and soy crisp. Milk and soy protein are both complete proteins, soy crisp is simply more soy protein combined with tapioca starch to deliver crunch, and hydrolysed wheat gluten is good, but not a complete protein.

• Carbohydrates: With just 3.2g of carbohydrates per bar from tapioca starch and polydextrose, this bar isn't remotely my first choice for a hiking trip. We need plenty of carbs when hiking and there are more nutritious ingredients that could have been included. However, for any hikers adhering to a ketogenic diet on trail, this bar is a rare and convenient option.

• Fats: 11.5g fat is in this bar, mainly coming from cocoa butter, soy oil, and sustainable vegetable fat. 'Sustainable vegetable fat' commonly includes less healthy oils like palm oil, but it's hard to tell when it's not explicitly listed.

• Fibre: 5g of fibre per bar is a great amount for a protein bar! Fibre helps promote satiety and aids in digestion to keep you regular. This is especially useful when you're on the trail and likely eating a lot more processed or dehydrated food that can play havoc with your guts.

• Sugar: With 2.5g of sugar, this bar relies on sugar alcohols (maltitol), polydextrose, and sucralose for sweetness. While this keeps the carb count low, some individuals may experience mild digestive discomfort with sugar alcohols and sucralose is an artificial sweetener.

My oh my that's a long list

Consumption Recommendations

This bar can be eaten for a quick energy and protein snack during hikes but should be paired with other natural and whole-food options to balance its reliance on processed ingredients and artificial additives.

Ingredients like polydextrose and glycerol can have a mild laxative effect, so ensure adequate hydration to counterbalance any potential digestive issues. I'd recommend eating this at home to test for gastrointestinal reactions before heading out on the trail, or reserving it for the campsite after your day of walking is done.

It's also a big melt risk so store it away from your body heat in your pack

Key Takeaways for Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll High Protein Bar

• Cost per bar: $4.80

• Cost per 100g: $9.60

• Cost per gram of protein: $0.48

• Low-carb: Good choice for the small bracket of hikers maintaining a ketogenic diet.

• High in fibre: Excellent for digestion on the trail.

  
  

Final Thoughts

The Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll High Protein Bar is an option for hikers seeking a low-carb, high-fibre snack that is super sweet. The ingredient list is pretty long and there are lots of processed ingredients in there, which is why the aftertaste is artificial. It was so sweet I couldn't (and didn't want to) finish it.

This was really disappointing because it looks incredibly good!

I've included it in this list because I had someone ask about ketogenic-friendly protein bars, and this one would do the trick. It meets the brief but I'd like to see fewer ingredients. It's not the best option out there for the rest of us, especially with the potential for digestive upset, but it has decent protein and fat for recovery and will still give benefit.

FAQs Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll Protein Bar

Where can I buy Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Roll Protein Bars?

You'll find these bars at Coles & Woolworths, health food stores, and the Atkins Australia website.

Is the Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Bar keto-friendly?

Yes, the bar is keto-friendly as it's low in net carbs, using sugar alcohols like maltitol and polydextrose as sweeteners.

Can I use the Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Bar as a meal replacement?

No, this bar is best used as a snack – and a pretty small one at that! While it provides a good balance of protein and fats, it lacks sufficient calories, vitamins, and minerals to serve as a full meal. And you need so many calories on a hike that you'd have to eat handfuls of these just to make up the calories. Please don't eat this instead of a meal!

Are there any allergens in the Atkins Creamy Caramel Crunch Bar?

Yes, this Atkins snack bar contains milk, soy, and wheat (hydrolysed gluten), making it unsuitable for individuals with allergies or intolerances to these ingredients. Always check the label for specific allergen information.

Where can I find more protein bar reviews?

Follow @thehikersnutritionist on Instagram for regular protein bar reviews and flavour comparisons. Otherwise, stay tuned to this website for a new protein bar review every single week.

Disclaimer

I bought this bar using my own money when I saw it on special (half price!) at the supermarket. Atkins had involvement in the production or commissioning of this review. My opinions are my own and I stand by them.