There are energy bars. There are protein shakes. And then there are ModBalls—the overachieving, 100-calorie spheres of virtue that promise to fuel you through airport security lines, child-rearing marathons, and possibly a casual Ironman.
I tried ModBalls because apparently, I’m the kind of person who believes “sustained energy” comes in snack form and not, say, from eight hours of sleep or a life without crushing expectations. ModBalls tout themselves as the antidote to the sugar-loaded shame bars you find at gas stations—those gritty rectangles pretending to be chocolate chip cookies but taste like a mistake.
Instead, ModBalls arrive in convenient poppable form, like if a granola bar and a multivitamin got into CrossFit and started bragging about it. They come in two delightfully earnest flavors: Almond Coconut Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chocolate, the latter of which tastes like someone whispered “Reese’s” while tossing kale into a Vitamix.
Each ball contains a nutritional résumé longer than most of my job interviews: over 75 fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, and chocolate. Which is incredible, considering it’s still somehow only 100 calories. I assume a few of the vegetables are imaginary, because I’ve eaten plenty and never felt this allegedly “natural energy.”
ModBalls were invented by a food scientist named Stephen Story, who was dissatisfied with the average snack’s inability to help his kids achieve peak athletic performance. Because nothing says “I love you” like feeding your children a superball of nutrient density so they can out-sprint the competition while emitting zero artificial ingredients.
I will admit, they do keep you going. Not in a jittery, “I made poor decisions at Starbucks” kind of way, but more of a gentle nudge that says, “Yes, you can survive this toddler tantrum and hit your step count.” The energy is smooth, steady, and somehow doesn’t demand a nap as payment two hours later.
Still, if you’re the type who enjoys chewing, be warned: these aren’t exactly melt-in-your-mouth experiences. They have the consistency of a fruitcake that’s been to a fitness retreat—dense, chewy, and unapologetically earnest about it.
If you’re into snacks that wear capes and make your trail mix look lazy, ModBalls might be your new thing. Just be prepared to say the phrase “plant proteins” unironically from now on.