Lifeway Kefir Probiotic – Sweet n salty peanut

So, two different callouts of probiotic on the label are probably one more than necessary. But the real necessity is actually putting some salt into the product to justify the use of the name “sweet n’ salty” on the bar. Not to be too literal or anything, but it would help, as would some bigger peanut chunks. Underneath a fairly pedestrian yogurt coating – nothing to make one think Kefir in the flavor here – lies a slightly chunky nougat, but not much beyond that, except an exceptionally large number of calories for a bar this size. Make it healthier, or make it better, guys.

Calories – 240
Fat – 13 g
Protein – 7 g
Fiber – 3 g
Total Carbohydrates – 25 g

Rating: 2 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

Zone Perfect Fruitified: Apple Cinnamon

Be it brownie or graham, Zone Perfect has always been able to handle the art of getting bits of titular ingredients into its bars better than the competition, and its Apple Cinnamon flavor is no exception, with tasty – almost juicy – bits of moist apple studding this otherwise pedestrian product. While it’s got nice cinnamon flavor and an easy chew, the bits of soy protein that Zone uses to impart nutritional balance on its products seem to fall into a dusty mix pretty quick in this version. That’s not to say that it’s bad – the bar does well on the virtue scale and would likely be a great pre- or post-workout snack. But the combination of sharp smell and grainy texture does detract from the mix.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 180
Fat: 2 g
Carbs: 27 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 14 g

Honey Stinger: Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Pro

Another Honey Stinger product that has more in common with a candy bar than a nutrition bar, this product contains 20 g of whey protein and a whopping 390 calories. With tasty dark chocolate and a nice spike of chewy dried cherries, as well as the sweetness of honeyed nougat, it’s tough to stop eating. That said, its appearance – and feel – are a bit intimidating. The bar is thick and heavy, almost brick-like, in the wrapper, and while the 20 grams of protein are certainly enough to give it some gym-worthy credibility, bannering it so prominently across the bar’s wrapper doesn’t seem to jibe with the natural honey vibe that is the central focus of the Stinger brand. In other words, if it wasn’t your job to try all the bars on the market, you probably wouldn’t pick it up. Unless you’d heard there was a candy bar in there.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 390
Fat: 17 g
Carbs: 41 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 20 g

Honey Stinger: Peanut Butter ‘n Honey

This Honey Stinger takes advantage of the always-appealing combination of peanut butter and honey to create a delicious bar that, unfortunately, has more appeal as a candy bar than a nutrition product. With a sweet, crispy, slightly crumbly flavor and just the right amount of salt, this is the kind of thing we’d be happy to eat every day. Unfortunately, at 190 calories, it presents a vitamin-packed product with a decent amount of protein (10 g) whose count is just a wee bit too high. Still, with a great looking wrapper – and a killer slogan, “Sting or bee stung” – this is something we’d grab for quick energy.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calories: 190
Fat: 5 g
Carbs: 27 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 10 g

www.honeystinger.com