Abstract: A nutrition or other food bar which includes, preferably in moderate to high levels, peptides in the form of hydrated high water activity peptides. The peptides are typically either intact proteins or hydrolyzed proteins. Inclusion of peptides in the form of high water activity peptides helps prevent migration of water from sugars to the proteins which would otherwise result in formation of hard crystalline sugars and food bars which are excessively hard. Whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey protein are preferred high water activity peptides.