Power up … on the cheap!

If you're anything like me, you sometimes find yourself needing sustenance while on the go. Hence, a problem: where to get something nutritious, yet convenient? (Tasty and economical don't hurt, either.)

A popular solution for athletes and hikers – heck, active folk of all persuasions – is the energy bar. It's often called a power bar, a name borrowed from a leading brand.

I'm not in the habit of downing this kind of processed item, but sometimes ready-made helps simplify a busy moment. For occasions where nuts and fresh fruit won't carry well or supplies run low, I find the Equate "High Protein" bar to be a reasonable choice.

(If you don’t recognize the name, Equate is Wal-Mart's house line of health and beauty products. Their Pharmacy Department is the place to look.)

A good feature of this particular bar is its protein count – 20 grams to be precise. As a post-workout snack, or for times when you are looking for something closer to a meal replacement than a light snack, it's an excellent choice.

Well, "excellent" is perhaps too strong a word. The Equate bar carries a few ingredients that are less than ideal (e.g. fructose, modified palm oil), but this holds for most of these sorts of products. It's convenient, but hey, it comes with trade-offs.

Another nice feature of this bar is that it often goes on sale at $1 apiece. Yup, $1. That's a heap less than you'll drop on name brands.

P.S. I find "Fudge Brownie" or "Chocolate Peanut Butter" flavors to be best bets.

P.P.S. I am in no way being compensated for the subject matter of this article. Really, I'm not. Just wanted to give the heads-up on a fine deal.