What "Stage" did you add protein bars back in?

I've scoured my info from my Dr & NUT but there doesn't say a darn thing about protein bars. What Phase or Stage or how many weeks out did you or can you add them back in? Certain bars, like Quest bars don't have anything crunchy or chunky, they are like a smooth caramel/cookie type texture. I wouldn't dream of eating some of the crunchier ones, but I was thinking specifically that Quest bars might be good because they are smooth and I could chew them to mush. I'm 5 weeks out, started Phase 4 foods today. 

I'm having surgery soon and I was wondering about this too as far as when protein bars would be okay.  Quest are not prefectly smooth.  There's a few nuts chunks in places.  I'd wait till your allowed to have nuts and seeds.  I don't know how long that's restricted.

Personally, I won't consider eating them until maintenance. I am sure other opinions will be shared.

My info says 5 weeks out!

I chose not to eat them until I had lost a great deal of weight. I ate a few last April while out of town. Then got some for an out of town trip in June and at the end of July and then once again in early October. For me they are almost a slider food and therefore I'm not wild about them. They also are border line trigger-y for me. I don't get horrid cravings from eating a Quest bar, but I also don't want it to be over when it's done and gone. That said, they are an excellent option for me when I travel, but otherwise I stay away from them.

Others will have very different opinions, I'm sure.

At my 3 week checkup I was instructed I could have protein bars. I've tolerated them just fine (Pure Protein bars) and eat them once in a while. For some people they are a trigger-- some are packaged like and look like candy bars. Be cautious.

I actually tried one today.  I'm 7 weeks post-op and I only ate 3 bites of one.  It wasn't that good, so I stopped eating it.

I started trying different ones a few weeks after being cleared for all foods and found that for *my* taste buds most were pretty awful. I do like Quest bars and had 1/2 a bar a day for a bit for the combined protein and fibre.

However - now that I'm further out and can eat more at a time, I really prefer to eat regular food. For the 200 calories in a quest bar I can have a full (small) meal with a variety of flavours and textures. I still keep Quest bars around, and keep one in the bottom of my purse, but it's more of an emergency meal than a regular thing.

Its an emergency tool. I also have one in my purse but haven't resorted to it yet. Real food is better! I can see how it would be handy for travel and such but I would save them for occasions like that. I am not a sweet toith so I would much rather have a hunk of meat!

See, before the VSG I was a complete vegetarian, so this whole eating meat thing to me is new and I'm not digging it. I was thinking the protein bar might be helpful for times when like I'm sick, like now and can't seem to stomach my usual eggs, cheese & what not. The dairy from those is making my sinus cold worse. I was just curious. :)