The people earnestly contemplating the wall of power bars at the grocery store used to make me roll my eyes. What’s the point, anyway? A meal should not come in the form of a bar, and I was skeptical of how they were really any different than taking a handful of vitamins. But now that I’m training for a marathon next fall, I’ve had to change my tune. A little.

I have come to accept the fact that runners really do need a burst of carbohydrates to keep their muscles limber and electrolytes to keep them from retching. If I don’t get these things within thirty minutes of finishing a run, I’ll be limping up and down the subway steps the next day like a three-legged turtle. And sometimes a proper meal is too far away to be practical. So here are some of the highlights of my reluctant foray into power foods.

Power Bar: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip flavor, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 16g, Calories: 240
Like Kleenex or Xerox, this was the bar that gave its name to a whole category of products, so it seemed like a good place to start. The taste and texture were pleasing, but man, was there a lot of it. My jaws got tired from chewing the thing, and the sheer bulk of it was tough for me on a post-workout stomach. Conclusion: If you’re the kind of person who works up an appetite while running…well, more power to you.

Balance Bar: Cookie Dough flavor, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 15g, Calories: 210
Due to a peculiar squishiness beneath the wrapping, I decided to store this one in the refrigerator. I stand by that decision, because the first bite really did taste like the cookie dough chunks that come buried in ice cream. With every bite, however, that illusion faded until it felt a little like I was chewing wet sand. Conclusion: It was small and packed a punch, so if you can choke it down…well, more balance to you.

Luna Bar: Toasted Nuts ‘n’ Cranberry flavor, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 9g, Calories: 170
These are marketed specifically to women, with extra fun girlie things like calcium and vitamin D stuffed into every bar. I appreciated that I could detect real oats and dried cranberries rather than just suspicious vitamin mush. What I did not appreciate was the packaging. Right below the image of women cavorting and no doubt menstruating under the moon, was a quote from Erica: “Audrey: You taught me how to walk to the edge, listen to my heart and choose with no regret. Thank you for believing in me.” Really, Erica? This is how you’re baring your soul to Audrey? Conclusion: It tasted like a nice normal granola bar, so if you can stomach the packaging…well, more luna to you.

The perfect power bar? I don’t think if I’ve yet found it, so if you have, comment below and share your thoughts. Until then, I’ll keep on running and searching.