REDCON1
Cookies N Cream
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A rare multi-animal, “real-food-style” protein blend in a bar, with a soft-meets-crunch texture many reviewers rank at the top of the category.
When to choose REDCON1 Cookies N Cream
Best for training days or long stretches between meals when you want 20g of complete protein with real-carbohydrate energy; not ideal for low-carb or vegetarian needs.
What's in the REDCON1 bar?
Cookies N Cream gets its nostalgic flavor here from cocoa (Dutch‑processed), vanilla, and a creamy white coating—built with oils and a touch of whey—while soy crisps add the “cookie” crunch.
Under the hood, this is an MRE‑style bar: 20 grams of protein drawn from a surprisingly broad mix (beef, chicken, salmon, egg, pea, and brown rice), plus smaller amounts of soy and whey.
Carbs run high for a protein bar, coming from both whole‑food sources (dehydrated sweet potato/yam, oats, fruit) and refined ones (maltodextrin, dextrose, starches), with soluble tapioca fiber and sugar alcohols keeping sweetness up and added sugar moderate.
Fats are a blend of palm‑based oils, soybean oil, MCT oil, and a little from nuts. The result is a substantial, dessert‑leaning bar with top‑tier protein, big energy from carbs, and a carefully engineered texture.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Calories
- 260
Protein
2015HIGHAt 20 grams, protein lands near the top of the category and comes from a ‘real‑food’ blend: beef, chicken, salmon, and egg are paired with pea and brown rice proteins, with a little soy isolate and whey in the coating. That mix delivers a complete amino‑acid profile and good digestibility, but it also means this bar isn’t vegetarian and carries milk, egg, and fish allergens. In practical terms, you’re getting meat‑level protein quality with plant proteins rounding out the texture and balance.
Fat
99MIDMost of the fat comes from refined oils used for structure—palm kernel oil and palm oil (more saturated) plus soybean oil—alongside MCT oil (a quick‑burning fat from coconut) and smaller amounts from peanuts and almonds. It’s a middle‑of‑the‑road fat load, skewing toward shelf‑stable, processed oils rather than olive‑ or avocado‑style fats. Expect a mix of saturated and unsaturated fats, with MCTs offering fast fuel rather than essential fatty acids.
Carbs
2920HIGHCarbs are a blend of clean and refined. On the whole‑food side you’ve got dehydrated sweet potato/yam, oats, and bits of blueberry/goji; on the engineered side, maltodextrin and dextrose (fast glucose), pea/tapioca starches, and soluble tapioca fiber (a resistant dextrin) shape texture and glycemic feel. Sugar alcohols (maltitol, sorbitol) and glycerin add sweetness and softness with fewer sugar calories—expect a mix of quick and steadier energy rather than a slow‑carb bar, and note that polyols can bother sensitive stomachs.
Sugar
84HIGHEight grams of sugar come from a mix of added sugar/dextrose and naturally occurring sugars in the dried fruit and small amounts of lactose from the whey‑based coating. Much of the sweetness actually comes from sugar alcohols (maltitol, sorbitol) and a tiny dose of sucralose, which lower added sugar but are highly processed. That trade‑off keeps sugar moderate without making the bar bland, though polyols can cause gas or urgency for some people, especially in multiples.
Calories
260210HIGHAt 260 calories, this eats like a substantial snack or light meal. Most calories are driven by the carbohydrate system (sweet potato/yam, oats, starches, polyols), with 20 grams of protein providing a solid share and a moderate 9 grams of fat filling in the rest. If you need quick, portable energy with meaningful protein, this profile makes sense; if you’re chasing a low‑calorie nibble, it’s on the hearty side.
Vitamins & Minerals
No stand‑out micronutrient pops above 10% Daily Value on the label. You’ll get small amounts of iron, calcium, and potassium from the grain/fruit and protein blend, and there’s vitamin A palmitate/beta carotene listed largely for color—not as a meaningful source. Consider this bar primarily for macros, not vitamins or minerals.
Additives
This is a carefully engineered bar. Humectants and bulk sweeteners (vegetable glycerin, maltitol, sorbitol) keep it soft; soluble tapioca fiber binds and adds fiber; emulsifiers (soy/sunflower lecithin, mono‑ & diglycerides) help the coating and texture; potassium sorbate preserves freshness; and sucralose boosts sweetness. Titanium dioxide is used to whiten the coating (permitted in the U.S., banned in the EU), underscoring that this is more functional than “minimal‑ingredient.”
Ingredient List
Meat from cattle
Yellow pea seeds
Brown rice grain
Domestic chicken muscle meat
Chicken eggs
Cold-water finfish
Ipomoea batatas storage root
Yellow and green peas
Blueberries
Lycium barbarum shrub fruit
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“1. RedCon MRE bars - German choc and cookies and cream - 20g protein, 20g carb. MRE bars are my go to, tho…”
“Do Redcon1 MRE Bars count? I love those. All flavors. Animal protein, sweet potato, unique ingredients.”
“I've tried the mre bars, pre workout and occasionally MOAB and have had great results.”
Main Praise
Fans come back to this bar for two things: texture and staying power.
Multiple reviewers call MRE Bars their go-to, and Fitness Informant goes as far as giving the texture a perfect score—soft and easy to bite with a satisfying crunch from the “cookie” pieces.
The flavor line gets real affection too; even skeptics admit Cookies N Cream is reliably delicious, and several flavors are praised across forums and independent reviews.
The macro profile—20g of protein at 260 calories—lands it in that “snack that could be a small meal” sweet spot, which matches the Reddit sentiment that it can stand in for breakfast or a busy lunch.
Amazon’s 4. 3-star average with a strong majority of five-star ratings backs up the idea that, for many, this is one of the few bars they actually look forward to eating.
Main Criticism
The most consistent knock is heft: at 29g of carbs, this is not a low-carb bite. The sweetness relies partly on sugar alcohols (like maltitol and sorbitol) and a little sucralose, which some folks’ stomachs simply don’t love—especially if you eat more than one.
Ingredient purists raise eyebrows at the engineered coating and whiteners (titanium dioxide is allowed in the U. S.
but banned in the EU), as well as the use of refined carbs like maltodextrin and dextrose.
A few voices also call the brand’s bars “overpriced” or “run of the mill,” and if you’re vegetarian or juggling allergens, the meat-based blend plus milk, egg, fish, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts puts this firmly out of bounds.
The Middle Ground
So where does the truth sit between “go-to” and “meh”? If you judge a bar by how it eats, this one is hard to beat: the soft interior, crunchy crisps, and nostalgic Cookies N Cream flavor are genuinely standout.
Even Redditor None-ya-Business- keeps these in rotation, while ClarkGriswoldsEggnog praises the animal-protein-plus-sweet-potato concept—that combo is unusual and effective. On the other hand, if your north star is minimal ingredients or you’re chasing low sugar without polyols, the ingredient deck will feel busy.
And yes, a Redditor or two called the brand overhyped, but “overhyped” loses steam when a product is this consistently palatable. The practical middle ground: it’s a well-engineered, dessert-leaning bar that trades a cleaner label for a great eating experience and reliable satiety.
If your stomach is sensitive to sugar alcohols, start with one bar and see how you do. If you need low-carb or vegetarian, steer elsewhere.
What's the bottom line?
REDCON1’s MRE Bar in Cookies N Cream is a satisfying, portable mini-meal with 20g of complete protein from a distinctly non-whey-first blend (beef, chicken, salmon, egg) plus oats and sweet potato for real carbohydrate energy. The texture is top-tier and the flavor delivers on the cookie-and-cream promise, which explains why it’s so frequently called a “go-to” in reviews. It isn’t a minimalist bar.
S. It’s also not vegetarian and carries several common allergens. But if your priority is a bar that tastes like a treat, actually fills you up, and supports training or long gaps between meals, this is a strong pick.
Condensed listicle blurb: A soft-and-crunchy, dessert-leaning bar with 20g of complete protein from a rare multi-animal blend. Great for training days or busy afternoons when you want real carbs and staying power; less ideal for low-carb eaters, ingredient minimalists, or those sensitive to sugar alcohols.