REDCON1
Red Velvet Cake
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A meat‑forward protein blend (beef, salmon, chicken) under a dessert‑style red‑velvet coating, with a texture that reviewers keep calling best‑in‑class. It’s an engineered bar with whole‑food nods like oats and sweet potato, not a minimalist ingredient list.
When to choose REDCON1 Red Velvet Cake
Choose this if you want a mini meal you can toss in your bag—post‑workout, on the road, or anytime you want a dessert‑leaning bar that still hits 20g of protein. Skip it if you’re chasing ultra‑simple ingredients, strict low‑carb, or avoiding common allergens.
What's in the REDCON1 bar?
At first glance, this Red Velvet Cake bar looks like dessert; under the hood, it’s a meat‑forward protein bar.
REDCON1 builds its 20 grams of protein from a blend that starts with beef, salmon, and chicken, then layers in egg white, pea, and brown rice protein—with a little whey in the frosting‑style coating.
Carbs come from both whole foods (gluten‑free oats, sweet potato/yam, blueberries, goji) and refined helpers (maltodextrin, dextrose, sugar), while fats span palm/soybean oils, peanuts, almonds, and a dash of MCT oil.
That mix places it near the top of the pack for protein and calories, with moderate fat and carbs, and modest sugar kept low by sugar alcohols and high‑intensity sweeteners. Natural flavors/colors and a sweet dairy‑based coating carry the red‑velvet vibe.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Calories
- 280
Protein
2015HIGHProtein here is truly mixed: animal proteins (beef, salmon, chicken) and egg albumin lead the blend, joined by plant proteins (pea and brown rice), plus soy protein isolate and a little whey in the coating. That combo supplies a complete, high‑quality amino acid profile and helps explain the strong 20‑gram showing, though the whey‑based coating means it’s not dairy‑free despite the meat‑first positioning.
Fat
119MIDThe 11 grams of fat come from a grab bag: vegetable oils (palm/palm kernel bring more saturated fat; soybean adds unsaturated), nuts (peanuts and almonds supply mostly heart‑healthy mono‑ and polyunsaturated fats), and a touch of MCT oil for quick‑burning energy. It’s a mixed bag nutritionally—some stable saturated fat from palm, some beneficial unsaturated fat from nuts and soy—so the overall profile sits in the moderate range for bars.
Carbs
2520HIGHCarbs are a blend of whole‑food and refined sources. You get slow‑burners from gluten‑free oats, dehydrated sweet potato/yam, and berries, alongside faster carbs like maltodextrin and dextrose, plus pea starch and brown rice flour for structure. Expect a mix of steady and quick energy rather than a purely low‑glycemic ride, with the bar’s protein and fat helping to smooth the edges.
Sugar
64MIDSugar lands at 6 grams, coming from added sugar and dextrose plus natural sugars in the dried berries and a bit from the dairy coating. Most of the sweetness is actually handled by sugar alcohols (maltitol, sorbitol) and zero‑calorie sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium), which keep sugars modest but are highly refined and can bother sensitive stomachs at higher intakes.
Calories
280210HIGHAt 280 calories, this is a hearty bar. Calories are spread across macros—roughly from protein (20 grams), carbs (25 grams, including some sugar alcohols/glycerin), and fat (11 grams)—with the nuts, oils, and coating pushing density up. Think more mini‑meal than light snack.
Vitamins & Minerals
Calcium stands out at about 20% Daily Value, likely from the whey‑based coating and other dairy solids. Smaller amounts of iron (from grains, plant proteins, and the meat proteins) and potassium (from the sweet potato/yam and coconut water powder) show up too. Beta‑carotene and vitamin A palmitate appear on the label largely for color/fortification but don’t register above 10% DV here.
Additives
Expect a modern, engineered bar: humectants (glycerin) to keep it soft, sugar alcohols and high‑intensity sweeteners for sweetness without much sugar, emulsifiers (lecithins, mono‑ and diglycerides) for texture, cellulose gum for binding, and potassium sorbate to protect freshness. These ingredients do their jobs well but are highly refined—more convenience than kitchen‑cupboard simple.
Ingredient List
Cattle hides, bones, or meat
Cold-water finfish
Domestic chicken muscle meat
Eggs
Brown rice grain
Yellow pea seeds
Oat grain
Ipomoea batatas storage root
Yellow and green peas
Blueberries
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
Taste and texture are the calling cards. Multiple reviewers rank MRE Bars near the top for mouthfeel: soft inside, a bit of snap outside, and none of the jaw‑tiring taffy chew.
Fitness Informant gives the texture a perfect score and calls out the real inclusions like oats and berries, which you can actually see. On Reddit, fans like None-ya-Business- call MRE Bars their go‑to, and ClarkGriswoldsEggnog points to the animal protein and sweet potato combo as a fresh twist in a crowded category.
Amazon ratings back that up with a solid 4. 3 average and a large majority of 5‑star reviews, often praising how satisfying the bar feels as a meal replacement.
In short, people who prioritize flavor and a substantial bite tend to be happy here.
Main Criticism
It is not a featherweight. At 280 calories with 25g carbs and 11g fat, some users find it heavy for a snack and closer to a small meal.
Price gets side‑eye too, often a bit higher than average, especially outside promos. The sweetening system leans on sugar alcohols like maltitol and sorbitol plus sucralose; those keep sugar modest at 6g but can bother sensitive stomachs.
Ingredient purists may also balk at refined carbs such as maltodextrin and dextrose in the blend. Finally, it is not for everyone diet‑wise: it contains dairy in the coating and a long allergen list (egg, fish, soy, peanuts, almonds, coconut), and it is not vegetarian.
The Middle Ground
So where does the truth land between the love letters and the eye‑rolls? If you judge a bar by texture and flavor, this one earns its applause.
Fitness Informant and PricePlow both rave about how easy it is to eat, and plenty of Redditors keep these on hand precisely because they feel like a real treat that actually fills you up.
The counterpoint is valid: a few commenters call the brand overhyped, and if your personal definition of clean is short‑and‑simple ingredients, this label will read busy. But busy is also how you get a dessert‑like coating, steady softness, and 20g of protein from an uncommon meat‑forward blend.
The heaviness critique is fair—at 280 calories, it is intentionally more mini meal than dainty snack. And flavor mileage varies; one user griped about a different flavor’s banana intensity, which is a reminder that taste is personal.
For Red Velvet specifically, the dairy‑based coating helps deliver that cake vibe while quietly adding to the allergen and processing conversation.
What's the bottom line?
REDCON1’s MRE Bar in Red Velvet Cake is the definition of a purposeful trade‑off: an indulgent, bakery‑leaning experience paired with a hearty macro profile and an engineered ingredient list. If you want a light, super‑minimal bar, this is not it. If you want something that eats like dessert, brings 20g of mixed‑source protein, and actually holds you for a few hours, it earns its spot.
Use it as a post‑lift refuel, a breakfast you can tear open during a commute, or the afternoon snack that keeps you out of the office candy drawer. Just know the fine print: not vegetarian, not dairy‑free, contains fish, egg, soy, peanuts, almonds, and coconut, and the sugar alcohols may not agree with everyone.
For the right eater, though, this bar threads a rare needle—comforting and substantial without tipping into cloying or chalky. Condensed listicle blurb: A dessert‑leaning mini meal with 20g protein from a meat‑forward blend and a best‑in‑class soft bite; great when you want satisfaction over minimalism, less great for strict low‑carb or sensitive stomachs.