To be fair, EVERYTHING is more expensive than beans (50¢ a lb Chicagoland cooked), rice ($33¢ a lb cooked), and broccoli $1 a lb frozen)

Aren’t protein bars more expensive

On a $/kcal basis they gotta be one of the most overpriced nutrition you can get from like a grocery store. Not only are they highly processed, specialized nutrition that is individually packaged in tiny quantities which makes it naturally expensive, high protein products are also all the rage right now so there's a massive idiot tax on them.

Also, don’t protein bars have a bunch of fiber in them too?

Not the ones I've seen. Maybe energy bars that have oats in them but not protein bars that are most often whey protein, sawdust and artificial flavoring...

edit: ironically I put sawdust thinking of a garbage cutting agent but come to think of it that would actually be lots of fibers lol. I'll leave it, I think the point I was trying to make was clear despite the blunder

Well if you have to pay for US-priced surgery, clearly!

Cheaper to make your own protein concoctions with Costco quantities of milk for whey and acid whey. Bonus: byproduct is your choice of a pound of mozzarella or Greek yogurt.