Soylent built its reputation on complete meal replacement — first as a drink, then as bars. The brand's promise is simple: 20% of your daily nutritional needs in every serving, backed by a science-first approach to food. But Soylent's bar line has had a rocky history. Here's where things stand in 2026.
Soylent launched its original food bar in 2016 — and promptly recalled it after widespread reports of customers getting violently ill. The culprit was likely an algal flour ingredient. The bars were discontinued, reformulated, and relaunched multiple times. This history matters because it shaped consumer trust (or lack thereof) and forced Soylent to be more transparent about ingredients.
The current Soylent bars (Squared line) are a complete reformulation from the originals. Different ingredients, different format, different manufacturing. But the brand's history still follows them in reviews and consumer sentiment.
Current Soylent Squared bars:
With only 5g of protein and 100 calories, Soylent Squared bars are not protein bars in any meaningful sense. They're miniature meal replacement snacks designed for convenience and nutritional completeness. You'd need four of them to match the protein in a single Quest bar.
The original larger Soylent bars (now discontinued in most markets) had 12-15g protein and 250 calories. If those return, the protein story changes. As of 2026, the Squared format is the primary bar offering.
Positives:
Concerns:
Soylent takes a "nutritional science" approach rather than a "whole food" approach. Every nutrient is precisely measured and added. If you value nutritional completeness over ingredient simplicity, this works. If you want clean-label bars, look at RXBAR or Aloha instead.
Soylent Squared bars are small (100-calorie snack size) with a soft, brownie-like texture. Flavors include Chocolate Brownie, Citrus Berry, and Salted Caramel. The taste is acceptable but unremarkable — mildly sweet with a slight soy aftertaste. They're designed to be inoffensive and convenient rather than delicious.
Most reviews describe them as "fine" rather than "great." They won't satisfy a candy bar craving the way Built Bar or Barebells might, but they're easy to eat quickly.
Soylent Squared bars run approximately $1.50-2.00 per bar. At 5g protein, that's $0.30-0.40 per gram of protein — extremely expensive from a protein perspective. But the value proposition isn't protein — it's the complete micronutrient profile. You're paying for convenience and nutritional insurance, not protein delivery.
Best for:
Not ideal for:
As of 2026, Soylent has largely shifted away from bars to focus on their drinks and powder formulas. The Soylent Complete Snack bar was discontinued in 2023 and has not returned. Some third-party sellers on Amazon still list old stock at inflated prices, but we do not recommend purchasing these as shelf life is a concern. Soylent's current snack offering is the Soylent Complete Cookies, which replaced the bars. If you specifically want a bar-format meal replacement, alternatives like Huel Bar, Zing Bar, or GoMacro are actively produced and more widely available.
Soylent's bar product had a troubled history. The original bar launch in 2016 was followed by a recall after consumers reported nausea and digestive issues, which Soylent attributed to a binding agent. The reformulated "Squared" bar launched in 2018 with better reviews but was eventually discontinued as Soylent focused on their more profitable drink line. The bar segment remains a gap in Soylent's product lineup, and the company has not announced plans to re-enter.
If you were drawn to Soylent bars for their meal-replacement macros (balanced protein, carbs, and fats with added vitamins), consider these alternatives:
Huel Bar: The closest equivalent. 200 calories, 15g protein, 27 vitamins and minerals. Available in chocolate and peanut butter flavors. Huel is the natural successor for complete nutrition bar seekers.
GoMacro MacroBar: Organic, plant-based with 10-12g protein. Not a complete meal replacement but offers clean ingredients with good macros.
Zing Bar: Formulated by a registered dietitian with 10-13g protein and balanced macros. Less processed than most alternatives.
Soylent bars are not protein bars. They're nutritional convenience snacks that happen to contain some protein. If you're on this site looking for protein bars, Soylent isn't the answer. If you want a 100-calorie snack that covers 20% of your daily vitamins, the Squared format does that job. For actual protein delivery in bar form, look at literally any bar in our best protein bars ranking.
Rating: 5/10 — Interesting concept, poor execution as a protein bar. Decent as a fortified snack, but doesn't belong in the protein bar conversation.
No, Soylent discontinued their Complete Snack bar and has not released a replacement as of 2026. The company now focuses on drinks and powders. Some old stock appears on Amazon from third-party sellers, but we do not recommend purchasing discontinued inventory due to shelf life concerns.
Soylent bars were discontinued after the company shifted focus to their more profitable drink and powder lines. The bar product had a troubled history including a 2016 recall due to consumer reports of nausea and digestive issues. The reformulated version launched in 2018 but was eventually dropped from the lineup.
Huel Bar is the closest alternative, offering balanced meal-replacement macros with 15g protein and 27 vitamins and minerals per bar. For plant-based options, GoMacro MacroBar provides 10-12g organic protein. Both are actively produced and widely available on Amazon and their respective brand websites.
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