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

WildBar: Mountain Mint

Made with raw cacao and wild blue green algae, this gluten free, vegan, and USDA Organic bar is designed to be the “ultimate meal in a bar.” The bar, which is dark in color and has a dry but chewy consistency to it, has a lot of flavor to it, including cacao, mint, and macadamia nuts. Unfortunately, these flavors aren’t balanced well, resulting in a harsh, almost off putting, mint flavor that leaves a bad taste in your mouth (and a lingering aftertaste). Conceptually, we think it’s a good one, and some refinement to the recipe might make this a better tasting product. Otherwise, this bar is likely going to appeal to someone who’s really hell bent on adding blue algae (Crystal Manna and Blue Manna) to their diet. On the packaging front, this product’s wrapper design made us expect something very different than what was inside it. Specifically, the bright colors and emphasis on the mint leaf seemed to be somewhat of a head scratcher, while there are no visual aides to call out the other ingredients in the bar. That seems like a big mistake, especially since mint isn’t something that’s likely to whet the palate of too many bar shoppers. Overall, this bar needs work, both in packaging and flavor.

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 185
Fat: 2g
Fiber: 14g
Protein: 5.5g
Vitamins: Vitamin B5: 9%, Vitamin D 3%, Vitamin E 8%, Magnesium: 2.5g, Copper 26%, Zinc 12%, Selenium 16%, Molybdenum 37%, Phosphorous 60%

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

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