ModBalls Are What Happen When Trail Mix Gets Ambitious

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 are positioned as a compact alternative to more traditional snack bars, with a dense texture and a long ingredient list.

Flavors and Texture

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.

Ingredients and Nutrition

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.

For me, they worked best as a convenient snack between meals rather than as some kind of performance product. Individual experiences will vary, and nutrition claims are best checked against the current package.

Texture and Everyday Use

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.

ModBalls Verdict

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.

For more options, see our Best High-Protein Snacks for Families guide.