CytoSport Muscle Milk Bars

Trying to catch up with my thriving metabolism is like chasing down a carrot on the end of a stick, and as a result I'm always on the lookout for new, better ways to fuel the caloric fire. Recently, I've become pretty partial to Muscle Milk Bars, a product of longtime energy expert CytoSport.These protein-packed goodies come in a box of eight and can be found for around $25 per box, depending on where you find them. Each bar features 300 calories of pure trailside propellant. After consuming dozens (yes, dozens) of the Chocolate Peanut Caramel and Vanilla Toffee Crunch models, I now favor the chocolate flavor, though both are good enough for my fanny pack. I even ate several of these bars on the go, and found that if you stuff the wrappers behind your headlight, you can easily consume Muscle Milk while riding.The energy that follows is solid and sustained, though there is a bit too much sugar here for my tongue's liking (this was a lifesaver anytime I started bonking). I was pumped that these Muscle Milk Bars are lactose-free, and the fact that they are packed with whey protein makes them even better. The bars go down easily with a few gulps of water and are filling enough that oftentimes I would save half for further down the trail.If you're a fan of name-brand candy bars or are reluctant to try something with "muscle" in the name, take another minute to consider Muscle Milk Bars; they taste decent, work great and are used and endorsed by several big-name racers and teams. What's not to like about that? -Chris Denison