NoNuttin’ Granola Bar: Chocolate Chip

Compared to their Double Chocolate Chunk flavored bar, NoNuttin’s Chocolate Chip bar has far less chocolate flavor. However, it’s still plenty to satisfy and it also leaves more oat flavor in the mix. Plus, there’s a note of what tastes like brown sugar and/or brown rice syrup (kind of earthy, hint of molasses). All of these flavors combine to give the bar just the right amount of each flavor, with a mild level of sweetness to complement the oats and chocolate. It has a definite high quality feeling to it, which is definitely a plus for this bar. From a portion point of view, this bar is definitely on the lighter side, having only 130 calories and 5g of fat per bar. However, being a gluten and nut free formulation is something that should definitely give this bar some added marketability. On the packaging front, this 1.06 ounce bar has a pastel green wrapper that’s pretty busy as far as text elements are concerned. While the name itself is clever, we’re not huge fans of the logo (they’ve got a yellow character blocking the “o”), plus something just feels disjointed about the way that things have been arranged. Our eye was circling around looking for the focal point and trying to absorb everything that’s on there. Still, the flavor is great and if they can tweak the label we think this bar would be perfect.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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KIND Bar: Fruit & Nut Delight

This is sort of Kind’s catch-all dried fruit and nut bar and its mix of peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts, the nut part is certainly up to snuff, although we’d like it if there was a bit more variety to the fruit beyond raisin and apricot. Also, the Kind folks really overdid it with the honey/pectin coating on this one – it glistened and gleamed dangerously, and we were a bit worried we’d lose a tooth. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, and the flavors were all pretty distinguishable in the mix. On a packaging point, the blue trim on the wrapper is absolutely gorgeous.

Calories: 170
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 3 g
Fat: 11 g
Carbs: 16 g

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

KIND Bar Plus: “Calcium” Mango Macadamia

The first of the Kind Plus bars that we sampled was this one, Kind Plus “Calcium” Mango Macadamia. It’s an amazing tasting bar, blending the flavors of coconut, macadamia, mango, and puffed rice into a harmonious mix. The addition of calcium, folic acid, and vitamin D3 is a plus, as is protein and fiber that comes naturally from the bar’s ingredients. Packaging is attractive and appetizing, just like most other KIND bars, with plenty of clear space to see the bar through the wrapper. Overall, an impressive tasting bar that’s nutritious to boot.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

Review: YouBar (YouBars.com)

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Eat Natural: Macadamia and Fruit Bar

This bar is billed as a “luxurious bar full of premium quality ingredients and nothing else.” It delivers nicely on that promise, with a soft base of puffed rice, coconut, and sesame seeds, followed by some sweet apricot flavor before having just a touch of crunch from the nuts (macadamia and Brazil nuts). We really enjoyed the layers of flavor, especially since the bar tastes very raw and natural. They’ve carefully balanced the various flavors, resulting in something that gives your palate just the right amount of savory and sweet. From a nutrition point of view, this gluten free bar has 243 calories, 15g of fat, 3g of fiber, and 4g of protein. It also has 22g of carbohydrates, 8% RDA of iron, and 35mg of sodium. The packaging is straight forward and easy to understand, although it lacks the visual pizzazz that you’ll find in some competing bars (e.g. KIND). Punching up the look seems like the biggest opportunity for this bar. Otherwise, we wouldn’t change a thing.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Our list of bar exhibitors that will be at the 2009 Expo West Show in Anaheim.  Are you going?  Let us know — we’d love to stop by.

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Kind Fruit + Nut Bar: Sesame & Peanuts with Chocolate

KIND’s Sesame & Peanuts with Chocolate is one of those products that tastes exactly like what it says on the label.  The bar, which has a chocolate coating on the bottom and diagonal chocolate stripes across the top, has a pleasant flavor that’s more sesame than peanut.  The bar has a solid crunch to it without only a slight chew, which seems like a good way to not make this bar seem too indulgent.  From a nutritional point of view, this bar’s 230 calories, 4g of fat, 2g of fiber, and 6g of protein are good, but there are certainly many other bars out there that provide more.  Still, this product’s packaging, which uses a large window where you can see the bar, are certain to whet the appetite of anyone who sees it.  That’s a massive leg up over 90% of the other products in this category.  Overall, killer taste and packaging, but a bit more substance would be nice.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Kind Fruit + Nut: Almond & Coconut

Using a relatively simple and short list of ingredients, this bar has a very natural and homemade feeling to it. The main flavors are coconut, almonds, rice, and honey, which combine beautifully to make a sweet and nutty bar.  It has a good amount of chew too it, while the nuts add some crunch, making it the best of both worlds.  From a nutritional standpoint, this bar certainly isn’t as strong other bars that are out there, but it does manage to give you 4g of protein and 4g of fiber in a low GI, dairy free, gluten free format.  That being said, we view this as a wholesome snack choice, given its simple, lightly processed feeling.  Packaging is extremely well done, with a  large viewing window that lets you see the bar and whets the appetite.  The rest of the design is modern and compact, with a splash of color atop the KIND logo.  Overall, one of the best there is in terms of packaging and flavor, while providing a modest amount of fiber and protein.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Daily Snack Bars May Facilitate Weight Loss

- Pilot Study Led by Dr. David Katz, Director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center Links KIND Fruit + Nut Bars to Weight Loss and Decrease in Blood Pressure -

DERBY, Conn., Oct.30 /PRNewswire/ — Snacking — at least on the right kind of food — may help with weight control, according to a recently completed pilot study at The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. In the pilot study, 20 overweight adults consumed two KIND Fruit & Nut Delight Bars per day for eight weeks along with their habitual diet. The group experienced an average weight loss of 0.6 pounds, and a reduction of 0.2 in their BMI, along with lowered blood pressure (-3.6 systolic and -1.7 diastolic). Given the modest sample size, these findings are suggestive rather than definitive, and an expanded follow-up study is now planned.

“Snacking can add calories to the diet, and cause weight gain,” said Dr. David L. Katz, the principal investigator, and Director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “But snacking on wholesome foods can help control appetite and weight, while providing excellent nutrition — and displacing less filling foods that contribute empty calories. KIND bars are just that kind of snack food, made principally of nuts and fruits. We were gratified to see preliminary data support the hypothesis that such bars may offer health and weight benefits when consumed routinely. We are now eager to conduct an expanded study and generate more definitive results.”

KIND Fruit + Nut Bars are manufactured by PeaceWorks Holdings LLC, an American company based out of Texas and New York. According to the CEO of the company, Daniel Lubetzky, the line was introduced five years ago to “address the need for snacks that can be both healthful and delicious — to be KIND to one’s body at the same time as we are KIND to our taste buds.”

Mr. Lubetzky added, “We are grateful for Dr. Katz’s research, which we consider essential as our nation is challenged to overcome the diabetes and obesity epidemics. We are thrilled at the potential of having scientific data confirm our intuition for creating healthy snacks from wholesome ingredients you can see and pronounce.”

KIND Plus Nutrition Bar Named ‘Best New Product’ at Natural Products Expo East

NEW YORK, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ — While thousands of food products were showcased at the Natural Products Expo East this past weekend at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, only one came away with the title of “Best New Product”: KIND Plus. The Mango Macadamia flavor of KIND Plus — the first new line of products since the launch of PeaceWorks’ original KIND Fruit + Nut Bars — was singled out at the massive tradeshow’s New Product Showcase as the best new food item. The contest was sponsored and officiated by the Natural Products Association and The Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine.

“Considering how many products were under consideration, we’re both thrilled and humbled,” said Daniel Lubetzky, Founder and CEO of PeaceWorks Holdings, the makers of KIND Fruit + Nut Bars. “It’s an incredible honor to have industry leaders single out a KIND Snack as the best new food product at a show as large as Expo East.”

In addition to trade show awards, KIND’s growth and appeal has been recognized by leaders in the grocery industry through the press. In August, the food writers at The Philadelphia Inquirer proclaimed KIND “our favorite bars,” and a September story profiling KIND in the San Antonio Express-News, cited high praise from Yvan Cournoyer, category manager for H-E-B:

“Last year, it was one of the best sellers for the H-E-B stores that had it. So at the beginning of 2008, we made a strategic decision to bring it to the vast majority.” KIND bars went into 125 H-E-B stores in July. Within the chain, that puts it in the same league as PowerBar and Clif Bar, among the highest profile energy bars in the industry. “So in a few short years, it went from being this obscure product to mainstream,” Cournoyer said. “It’s a very sought after energy bar that tastes great and is very healthy for you. At the same time, there’s a great story behind the KIND company.”

Introducing six new distinctive flavors like Cranberry & Almond, Almond & Cashew, and Passion Fruit Macadamia, KIND Plus brings enhanced nutrition to the delicious taste consumers have come to expect from KIND by adding targeted supplements like calcium, antioxidants, protein, and Omega-3. Loyal fans of KIND will quickly recognize the new bars since KIND Plus is made with all-natural ingredients you can see and pronounce, and bursting with flavor and freshness, just like the original line of KIND Fruit + Nut Bars.

Since the start of 2008, KIND has expanded its sales locations by over five thousand in the United States, bringing the total number of retail locations to over 20,000 stores nationwide. KIND is presently sold in nearly every major retail and grocery chain in the United States including 7-11, Albertson’s, A&P, Duane Reade, GNC, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Safeway, Shaw’s, Trader Joe’s, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Vitamin Shoppe.