When the summer doldrums have definitely struck, and the sun saps your last stores of energy, what is a vegan to do?

Why not whip out a few of your favorite granola bars and wake up your taste buds!

With more than a decade of experience tasting the world market’s choice of bars, I’ve found that these bars really do pack a punch. Here are my top brands for an any-time vegan pick-me-up:

While Luna bars come in dozens and dozens of flavors, no matter what my mood, I’m always over the moon with Luna’s Toasted Nut ‘N Cranberry bar. The label suggests that it’s formulated for women, but I can’t imagine trying to keep this balanced delight out of the mouths of men. One is amply rewarded with the sweet, but not too sweet explosions of cranberries, apple juice, and pumpkin buried in the almond, oat and cashew bar.

Moving to Luna’s parent company, Clif, I recommend another pair of winners in the Mojo and Builder bars. Amongst the Mojo bars, I’ve found nothing more perfect than the Peanut Butter Pretzel bar: peanut butter, peanut butter chips and pretzel pieces… P.B. Heaven! Builder Bars (Chocolate, Vanilla Almond, Peanut Butter, and more) are exquisitely filling for long lasting sustenance as you plow through a workout, or just your regular day. There is no way you can doze your way through a summer day that includes either of these hunks.

If you’re gluten-averse and hankering for purity, reach for a Larabar. While the Pecan Pie bar suggests fall, the Cappuccino bar beckons in winter, and the Carrot Cake bar screams spring…you’ve gotta admit these breezy concoctions are made for summer: Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Tropical Fruit Tart, Key Lime Pie, and Orange Float. Quite refreshing.

My all-time fave, though, is a 6-pack of energy bars that are new to the summer scene. Yes, I’m biased because they are sold under my company’s label, Rescue Chocolate. They are called Beyond Bars, and they come in three flavor combinations: Vitality, which sports diced apples, pecans and sesame; Endurance, which features dried pineapple and candied ginger; and Energy, containing black mission figs, apricots, hazelnut, and cacao nibs. They’re freshly make without preservatives and are oh-so-chewy and flavorful.

As with all of the Rescue Chocolate products, the profits from the sale of Beyond Bars are donated to various animal rescue organizations around the country. And, they have an educational mission as well, as told in the title. The idea is to call attention to the agonies suffered by dogs who are chained to a stake all day and night, no matter the weather. The dogs get tangled, injured, and crushingly bored. It’s more humane to unchain, and to let dogs experience life beyond the stake.

So please bring your companion animals indoors now that the weather is too hot for fur coats, or at least let them run free behind a secure fence. And to keep your own energy running, crack open a vegan snack bar!