Bellybar: Yogurt Berry Crunch

Bellybar Berry Nutty Cravings is taking on a serious challenge, namely to deliver a nutritious snack to hopeful, expectant and recent moms. These three groups take nutrition seriously as several micronutrients are crucial to the health of both mother and child both pre- and post-delivery. This bar is loaded with those micronutrients, including 800mcg of Folic acid (200% RDA), 18mg iron (100%), calcium (25%). It also loads up on key macronutrients, including 8g protein and DHA, an important omega-3 fatty acid for fetal brain development. The bar itself is primarily soy rice crisps bound in brown rice syrup with a yogurt-coating on top. The flavor is good, although we noticed some unpleasant notes, likely from the supplemented nutrients. In general, we enjoyed this bar and believe this is an important product for three very important groups of women.

4 out of 5 Stars

Power Crunch: French Vanilla Creme

Featuring 14g of protein and only 5g of sugar, the French Vanilla Crème bar from Power Crunch is a very enjoyable and nourishing bar. Inside the wrapper, the 1.4 ounce bar is light and crisp, with a wafer bar style bar that has a creamy layers in the middle. There’s also a light vanilla coating around the bar itself, which adds a nice note to the bar’s finish. Functionally, the bar features a proprietary form of dietary protein, Proto Whey, which the manufacturer claims is designed specifically for the human metabolism. Regardless, the bar’s 14g of protein is sure to have appeal to certain consumers. Packaging is clean, but feels slightly devoid of its own identity, with stock imagery and standard type treatment used for all elements of the design. Further highlighting the “Proto Whey” logo might be a good starting point. Otherwise, figuring out some way to make the package memorable or fun would help this bar a lot. Overall, really enjoyable flavor and function, but needs some work on the packaging.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

PowerCrunch: Triple Chocolate

PowerCrunch’s Triple Chocolate “protein energy bar” is a very unique product bar that’s both enjoyable to eat and functional.  The bar is a “crème filled wafer bar”,  which is something that we’ve only seen in cookies and candy bars.  Compared to other protein bars that have a really tough chew to them or eat like cardboard, this bar is light and flaky with a crisp crunch to the finish.    The bar is sweetened with a blend of sugar, fructose, and stevia, which keeps the carbs low (4g of sugar) and the flavor still on point.  It also features 13g of protein from ProtoWhey, which the manufacturer claims is designed exactly to the specifications of human metabolism.   Otherwise, the bar has 210 calories, 13g of fat, 195mg of potassium, 80mg of sodium, 5% RDA of iron, and 1g of fiber.    The wrapper is clean, but feels slightly generic, which might result in this product not being overly memorable or standing out from the crowd.    However, if a consumer does try it, we’re pretty sure they’ll be hooked.  Overall, one of the best protein bars that we’ve ever sampled.
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Clif Bar Crunch: Chocolate Chip

Clif Crunch is Clif’s granola bar line, which is very similar to what you’d get from the likes of Nature Valley – two thin granola bars stacked on top of one another.  Fortunately, this bar does have its own identity, with a slightly softer consistency that doesn’t crunch as much as the competition.  The flavor is heavy on the oats and rice crisps, while added sugar gives the bar a relatively sweet taste.  They weren’t stingy with the chocolate chips, which makes for a nice complement to the oat flavor at the base of the bar.  Nutritionally, this bar is basically an enhanced snack product, with 180 calories, 1g of fat, 3g of fiber, 4g of protein, potassium, iron, and calcium present in the product.  The wrapper is colorful and clean and makes good use of Clif’s branding to the point where it should be easily identifiable to most consumers.  Overall, Clif’s first entry into the granola bar market is a good one.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Odwalla: Chocolate Chip Peanut

While the name “Chocolate Chip Peanut” did a good job of whetting our appetite, we were somewhat letdown by what’s inside this wrapper. There’s neither a lot of peanuts or chocolate chips, but instead you’ve got more of a “peanut butter crunch” thing going on, with a heavy note of peanut butter, followed by some oats and small bits of peanuts. Chocolate is in there, but not to the extent that it deserves to get full billing as part of the flavor name. Oddly enough, this product is also one that has extra protein compared to the other Odwalla bars, although it still comes in at only 7g per bar. In addition to protein, the bar has a fair amount of potassium, fiber, vitamins and minerals on 230 calories and 8g of fat. Like the rest of the Odwalla Bar line, this one’s biggest problem is its wrapper, which is littered text. There’s absolutely no way that any consumer is going to pick up and read more than a quarter of what’s on this wrapper. Our suggestion – get rid of it and stick with the important stuff. That would create room for graphic elements that actually make the bar look appetizing and help sell the bar. Overall, this bar needs work in both flavor and packaging.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Make Your Own Bars

Make your own bars with ingredients found at your local grocery store. Read more

Luna Protein: Chocolate Cherry Almond

Luna Protein Chocolate Cherry Almond lives up to its name on taste. Light and subtle – if a bit bland – the three named flavors blend such that none overpowers the others while successfully masking the bar’s soy and whey protein. The bar feels mostly chewy, with a pervasive, mild crunch and occasional dried cherries that offer both a textural surprise and a burst of flavor. At 180 calories, this bar falls on the lighter end of the spectrum, but that’s intentional. The packaging calls the bar an “indulgent satisfaction – under 200 calories,” while also boasting its nutrient load. The bar delivers a smattering of vitamins and minerals at moderate levels, topping out at 30 percent of your daily suggested intake. However, for putting “protein” in the name, this bar is light on that particular nutrient. While 12 grams might be fine for the typical office worker, that’s a small dose for most consumers who will reach for a protein product. Overall, Luna Protein Chocolate Cherry Almond is a well-rounded bar that comes up a little short in the protein department.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Love Candy: Milk Chocolate

Why are we reviewing a candy bar? Well, this one is actually what we’d call a “hybrid” as is implied with the bar’s tagline (“as healthy as candy can be”). And really, it’s not all that far off from some of the bars that we’ve sampled in our day, many of which include chocolate coatings and nougat centers. As for this bar, it’s a really well crafted product, with a caramel center that’s surrounded by roasted almonds and pecans before finally given a chocolate coating and a granola topping. It’s sweet, but savory, with a nice amount of chew and crunch to the bar. Factoring in the chocolate coating, there’s a lot of indulgence in this bar. “Healthy”? Well, it’s a little questionable. The bar has 1g of fiber, 2g of protein, 170 calories, 9g of fat, and low levels of Vitamin A, calcium, and iron. That being said, this certainly isn’t the most nutritious product out, but it’s certainly got more to it than mainstream candy bars. Packaging is a standard style candy wrapper, which they’ve used to create a premium look through the use of well executed branding and design. They’ve also had this bar USDA Organic certified, which should help with the target demographic. Overall, if it’s as healthy as candy can be, candy just can’t be all that healthy – but this bar sure does taste good.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Pure: Cherry Cashew Bar

This bar is made with ingredients that are USDA Organic, raw, vegan, and gluten free, which helps make it live up to its “for all people” tag line. There’s a pleasant base of date and almond flavor to the mix, which has been sweetened with agave and has a slight crunch from small chunks of walnuts throughout. The cherry flavor is subtle, adding a nice tart flavor to the otherwise earthy tasting bar. We’re definitely pleased to see that they didn’t make it too “fruity” tasting. Nutritionally, this 1.7 ounce bar packs a fair amount in, including 400mg of omega 3, 4g of organic fiber, 6g and protein, 200 calories, 9g of fat, and vitamins and minerals. Packaging has a relatively simple style of presentation to it, with a white wrapper that’s decorated with a yellow illustration of a female face. It’s an appealing design that has a definite vibe of health and nutrition to it. The rest of the wrapper has a lot of text on it, but in this case, it all logically fits together as opposed to creating clutter. Overall, an exceptional tasting bar that delivers the perfect balance of flavor and nutrition.

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Luna: Caramel Nut Brownie

Luna’s Caramel Nut Brownie bar is an especially good one, both in terms of the nutrition content and the bar’s flavor. It’s definitely one of the more indulgent bars that we’ve seen from Clif’s Luna Bar lineup, with a sweet chocolate flavored soy, rice, and oat base (70% organic). From there, they’ve drizzled chocolate and caramel on the top of the bar, while the bottom also has a decadent chocolate coating. As a result, the bar is chewy but has some slight crunch and it’s sticky to the touch — so you might want to eat it directly from the wrapper. Nutritionally, this 180 calorie bar has 8g of protein, 1g of fiber, and loads of vitamins and minerals. Also notable is their promotion of the bar’s “Low Glycemic” index, thanks to the use of brown rice syrup as the bar’s sweetener. So, if you’re looking for a snack that’s more than just empty calories, this is a great choice. On the outside, the new Luna bar look is great, with clean illustrations that give the bar a look that should fit well with the yoga crowd that this bar is meant for. Definitely one of the better Luna Bars that we’ve sampled.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

NoNuttin’ Granola Bar: Double Chocolate Chunk

For a bar that’s named “NoNuttin,” this bar sure has a lot of flavor. Using a gluten free and nut free granola base, it has a pleasant oat and crisp rice flavor with a slight crunch to the finish. Otherwise, the bar is soft and slightly chewy There’s also a pretty heavy note of dark chocolate, which gives the bar a slightly indulgent – and very satisfying – flavor. We love the very lightly processed feeling to the bar, which is a testament to the product’s simple list of ingredients. What’s also nice is the bar’s relatively low amount of calories (130), making this a great choice as a light snack or supplement to a meal. There’s not a whole lot in this bar in the way of nutrition, with 2g of fiber, 2g of protein, 2% calcium, and 6% iron Packaging is decent, although the logo is somewhat hard to read and the placement of the flavor name requires your eye to search a bit. Prime placement of the product’s nut and gluten free recipe is smart and opportunistic. Overall, we really love what’s inside the wrapper, but the design needs a bit of work.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clif Bar: Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch

While there’s not a ton of crunch to the bar, there’s a nice dose of peanut butter flavor to this bar. The addition of peanut butter also adds a fair amount of chew to the bar, while oats, soy crisps, and a touch of chocolate chips give the bar some crunch on the way out. We can’t help but feel as though there should be more to the chocolate flavor – it’s really muted in its current form. So really, this bar is like a more chewy version of your typical Clif Bar. That’s not a bad thing, but more a question of preference. In terms of substance and nutrition, this bar has 260 calories, 6g of fat, 11g of protein, 5g of fiber, and a bevy of vitamins and minerals. Plus, it does a nice job of satisfying hunger and a sweet tooth craving all in one shot. On the outside, it looks just like every other Clif Bar wrapper, which, in our opinion, could use a few more visual differences than just a color change in the mountain graphic. Overall, another solid bar from Clif – but not one that’s going to get anyone overly excited.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kashi Golean Roll: Oatmeal Walnut

Kashi’s “GoLean Roll” line is an interesting one and their Oatmeal Walnut flavor is definitely one of the better flavors. This bar is very chewy, almost to the point of being difficult to eat (it will give your jaw a workout), and there’s a slight amount of crunch to it from the puffed rice coating. The center of the bar has a pretty decent “oatmeal” flavor, although it was hard to distinguish anything that really tasted like walnut. Ultimately, our biggest issue with this bar is how processed it tastes (and looks). The same can be said for the long ingredients list, which, despite being “all natural,” will require a food science degree to decipher. Nutritionally, the bar has 12g of protein, 6g of fiber, and 190 calories. It claims to be developed for an “optimized glycemic response” (slow release carbs to balance blood sugar and protein/fiber to help you keep satisfied). On that front, the bar seems to work as advertised – it definitely satisfied our hunger. Packaging is good and takes advantage of the popular Kashi brand, but we can’t help but feel like the concept of a “roll” is somewhat unappetizing. Overall, a decent bar, but we’d like it more if it were easier to chew.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Eat Natural: Almond & Apricot Bar

Made in the UK, this bar is billed as being a “luxurious bar full of premium quality ingredients and nothing else.” It’s a yoghurt coated bar that’s made with dried fruit, nuts, puffed rice, and honey. Flavor is really good, with a pleasant tasting body that’s light but crispy, with a sweet note of honey, fruit, and yogurt followed by some crunch from the almonds, which are added in large pieces. Eat Natural has done a great job with this bar, blending extremely enjoyable flavor, substance, and nutrition. From a nutrition point of view, this 235 calorie bar has 2g of fiber, 4g of protein, calcium, and iron, which certainly isn’t the most nutritious bar out there, but it’s still a good one. Packaging is intuitive and appealing, with the name “EAT NATURAL” making a pretty obvious statement about what’s inside the wrapper. Plus, you can see through the clear plastic wrapping, which helps whet the appetite. Overall, a very enjoyable bar that’s flavorful, nourishing, and nice looking.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honest Foods: Blueberry Vanilla Crackle

Of Honest Foods’ “Granola Plank” line, this was our favorite – and a new member of our Hall of Fame. The bar blends flavor and texture perfectly, starting with a base of nuts, seeds, and puffed rice, wheat and corn. It’s soft but has a slight amount of chew and crunch, which has then been perfectly flavored with vanilla extract, dried fruit (blueberries & cranberries), brown rice syrup, brown sugar, natural flavors, and a touch of salt. The resulting bar has great depth of flavor, starting with the grains and nuts, followed by the dried fruit, and finally finishing with vanilla. From a nutrition point of view, this bar, which is labeled for 2 servings, has 380 calories, 3g of fiber, 4g of protein, iron, calcium, and 300mg omega-3. It’s got a lot of substance to it, so we’d certainly recommend that you only eat half at a time – you certainly won’t be hungry. Packaging is simple and extremely appealing, with a large window to view the bar. The placement of the Honest Foods logo in the centers adds a touch of wholesomeness and credibility to the product. Overall, one of the best bars we’ve had in a while.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Clif Mojo: Honey Roasted Peanut

Beware starting this one, as the mix of sweet and salty peanuts definitely means you’ll have to finish it. It’s heavy on the nuts, which means plenty of protein, but also plenty of crunch and chew from the mixture of rice, rice syrup, and bits of pretzel. At 70 percent organic, it’s got some virtue, but mostly, it’s got the taste of peanut butter candy. Great stuff.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 200
Fat: 10 g
Carbs: 20g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 10 g

Bora Bora Organic Snack Bar: Almond Sunflower

The Almond Sunflower variety of the Bora Bora Organic Snack Bar line is an extremely enjoyable bar. It’s made with only a few simple ingredients, including raisins, nuts, seeds, rice, agave syrup, and brown rice syrup and it’s certified organic. From a flavor point of view, the product actually has a lot more peanut flavor than it does almond, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. That’s followed by a touch of salt, some sweetness from the brown rice and agave sweeteners, and a fair amount of crunch from the nuts and seeds. Wellements’ effort is extremely well executed, with just the right amount of sweet & savory as well as a nice balance of chew & crunch. Nutritionally, the bar has 180 calories,, 2g of fiber, 5g of protein, iron, and calcium. Lastly, there’s the packaging, which is appealing and lets you get a good look at the bar before you open it. Overall, a very palatable and nourishing bar that looks great to boot.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Clif Bar: Chocolate Almond Fudge

As far as Clif Bar products go, this is definitely one of the more indulgent tasting bars that we’ve sampled. It uses a base of organic oats and soy, which have been nicely paired with a strong dose of chocolate / cocoa flavor and a small dose of nuts to provide some crunch. Like most other Clif Bars, this product has a soft, but very chewy consistency, which helps give this product a feeling of substance. There’s a lot of stuff in this bar, including rolled oats, soy crisps, roasted soybeans, chocolate chips, nuts, and loads of added vitamins and minerals. The result is something that tastes great and has a lot of nutrition to it, including 10g of protein, 5g of fiber, and vitamins A,C,E,B1,B2,B3, and B6, just to name a few. On the exterior, the label is classic Cliff Bar, which makes it instantly recognizable. However, the use of the color red as the accent color isn’t what one would naturally choose for a bar called Chocolate Almond Fudge (maybe something dark or brown?). Overall, a very enjoyable and energizing bar.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Honest Foods: Pomegranate Walnut Crisp Granola Plank

Designed to be a fresh made granola “plank,” this bar does a great job of combining that wholesome made at home flavor with the convenience of a ready-made bar. There’s a nice oat and nut flavor to the base, with almonds, peanuts, and walnuts adding some crunch. Dried fruit in the form of cranberry and pomegranate provide some chew and a dash of sweet flavor, which is a nice complement to the granola base. However, they’ve also added some additional flavoring to the bar, which, as you eat the bar, starts to mask the flavor of the granola. In our opinion, this bar can hold its own without the added flavoring, so we hope to see if removed in the future. On the exterior, the product looks very clean and appealing, with a clear front that has only a red strip for the logo going across it. The use of lowercase text and a simple font gives the product that “wholesome” feel that they’re clearly going for. Overall, very enjoyable, but it would be more enjoyable without the added flavor.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honey Stinger: Rocket Chocolate

Featuring a dry but chewy consistency that’s loaded with chocolate, the Rocket Chocolate flavor of Honey Stinger is a very enjoyable product. Like the other Honey Stinger products, the base is made with soy crisps and rolled oats, which add nutritional value and substance to the bar. Its flavored with chocolate chips, cooa,,and, of course, the “honey stinger” blend (honey, sea salt, water), before finally being coated with ground almonds. The flavor of the bar is spot on, with just the right amount of chocolate, crunch, sweet and salt. Nutritionally, the bar has 190 calories, 4.5g of fat, 2g of fiber, 10g of protein, and it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. On the outside, they’ve given the product and aggressive, but wholesome theme that’s a nice alternative to the artificially formulated bars on the supplement aisle. Overall, a really enjoyable tasting and looking product that’s definitely got some substance to it.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elevate Me!: Espresso Cocoa Crunch

Billed as “The world’s simplest protein & fruit energy bar”, the flavor of this bar certainly lives up to this intention. Blending whey protein isolate, dates, organic raisins, apples, almonds, cranberries, cocoa, and coffee beans, the product has a very “raw” and homemade flavor to it. It has a dry but chewy consistency, with pleasant notes of dried fruit and nuts, followed by decent note of cocoa and a hint of coffee to the finish. All in all, it’s a very pleasant and satisfying bar to eat. Nutritionally, this bar has 230 calories, 6g of fiber, and 16g of protein, which is certainly enough substance for us. That leaves us with the packaging, which is the largest area for improvement. Specifically, there’s something that’s unappealing about the design, especially compared to the better designs of other players in the category. We’d probably say the same for the name, which sounds like something that’s more appropriate for a supplement product. Overall, very enjoyable flavor and nutrition, but needs work on the packaging.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Luna: White Chocolate Macadamia

Featuring a refreshed looking design and a “new recipe,” this product is very much improved. It features a base of soy crisps, which chew and taste in very similar fashion to crisped rice. Flavor is good, but not really chocolaty, with an almost milky flavor to the bar. The nuts add some crunch, but not much in the way of flavor, but that’s to be expected from macadamia nuts. Last, but not least, there’s a drizzle of white chocolate over the top as well as a coating on the bottom. All in all, it’s a pretty well rounded flavor. Nutritionally, this bar is, like all Luna bars, formulated for the dietary needs of women. That means lots of calcium, iron and folic acid, as well 3g of fiber, 9g of protein, and lots of other vitamins and minerals. Packaging looks great, with a modern look that’s a step above the old Luna design. Calling out the product’s nutrition focus and the fact that it’s made with 70% organic materials seems like a smart move. Overall, a very enjoyable bar.

Rating : 4 of 5 stars

Calories: 190
Total fat: 7g
Protein: 9g
Potassium: 140mg
Sugars: 11g

ProBar: Apple Cinnamon Crunch

ProBar’s Apple Cinnamon Crunch is a bit different than most of the other ProBar products that we’ve sampled. First of all, it’s sticky to the touch and has a slight crunch to it. There’s a decent apple flavor to it, followed by dates, raisins, seeds, and nuts – typical ProBar ingredients. The resulting mix has good fruit flavor – and the dried apples are a nice change of pace from what we typically see used as flavoring in bars. Same goes for the packaging, which has big and bright images of apples with cinnamon sticks mixed in as well. Overall, we found this bar to be very enjoyable.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calories: 370
Fat: 19g
Fiber: 7g
Protein: 9g;

Honest Foods: Maple Almond Crunch

The Maple Almond Crunch “Granola Plank” is definitely our favorite flavor of the Honest Foods lineup. The maple aroma is extremely inviting, and the flavor of the bar is awesome and enjoyable. However, Maple Walnut Crunch might be a more appropriate name as the bar has the distinct flavor of walnuts throughout the mix. There’s also a nice oat flavor to the bar, which helps give this bar its soft but crunchy consistency. Packaging is clean and attractive, with a clear front panel that lets you see the entire “plank” before purchasing. Plus, we like the size of the bar (3oz), which feels substantial and nourishing. Overall, an exceptional tasting bar that has a great balance of flavor, nutrition, and packaging.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Per serving (2 per bar)
Calories: 190
Fat: 7g
Protein: 4g
Fiber: 3g

Lifeway Kefir Probiotic Wellness Bar: Chocolate Crisp

Despite the huge chunk of chocolate displayed on the bar’s label, this is not a candy bar. Instead, it’s a well executed bar that’s made with soy and rice crisps, flavored with a decent amount of chocolate, and covered in a coating of kefir (for the uninitiated, that’s a fermented milk product with probiotics). From a taste point of view, this bar is just about perfect, blending crunch and chew with a balanced chocolate flavor. Aside from the probiotics (10 live and active cultures – which require refrigeration while at your local retailer), the bar has 11g of protein and 1g of fiber. Packaging is clean and appealing, although we were definitely lured in by the chocolate cube which isn’t part of the bar. Overall, it’s a very enjoyable bar with great nutritional benefits.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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