Make Your Own Bars

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

Sun Valley Bar: Goji Lemon

Admittedly, our expectations for this bar were somewhat low. Why? Well, aside from the fact that we haven’t had that many goji flavored bars (or other food products) that taste all that good, it’s the combination with lemon that made us have low expectations (lemon + goji??). Fortunately, what’s inside the wrapper is an extremely enjoyable product, with a perfectly balanced mixture of flavors. There’s a soft base of oats, almond butter, seeds, and nuts, which gives way to a touch of goji and a pleasant note of what tastes like lemon zest. It very much has a homemade feeling to it, which is furthered by the product’s minimalist label design. Nutritionally, the bar has 230 calories, 10g of fat, 7g of sugar, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron. The ingredient list is mainly comprised of items that are recognizable to your average consumer, which is certainly a plus. So, our only concern for this product is its minimalist packaging, which doesn’t allow you to see in and is completely devoid of any personality. That, in our opinion, might make for a tough sell when it’s going up against more flash competitors. Still, a very enjoyable product.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vega Whole Food Energy Bar: Berry Flavor

Like the other Vega Whole Food Energy bars, this one is made from “raw, alkaline, plant based superfoods.” You’ll find dates, hemp protein, almond butter, agave nectar, sprouted whole flax seeds, cranberries, raisins, almonds, sesame seeds, organic sprouted mung beans, organic wheat grass, and a few other ingredients for flavoring. It’s a soft but chewy bar, with a slightly dry texture, especially at the finish. Flavor is really enjoyable, with notes of the fruit and nuts throughout. There’s also a slightly earthy note of flavor to the bar, which is likely from the wheatgrass, mung, and flax. Nutritionally, the bar is a winner, with 10g of raw protein, 250mg of potassium, 6g of fiber, omega 3 and 6, vitamins, and minerals on top of 240 calories. The bar is great as for snacking before a workout – or to help supplement a meal with something that’s sweet but nutritious. Packaging is probably the only area that we’d like to see some improvement, with a look that feels technical rather than inviting. To a degree, the label made us expect a bar that didn’t taste good, which is fortunately not the case. Overall, it’s a very enjoyable product, but kicking up the packaging a bit would definitely help.

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

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: Blueberry Crisp

Made with organic oats and soybeans, Clif’s Blueberry Crisp bar has a pleasant tasting base that’s very chewy with a slightly crispy finish. There’s a fair amount of flavor to this bar, with the oats and blueberries providing the majority of the flavor, while an earthy note added flax seed and oat bran. It’s a relatively sweet bar, but not too sweet to the point where you can’t consume it during physical activity. Functionally, this bar definitely has some sustenance to it, with 240 calories, 5g of fiber, 9g of protein, and loads of vitamins and minerals. It’s just the right portion for a quick pick me up – or even to replace a light meal. Packaging has a “crunchy” vibe to it, complete with brown toned colors and an image of a mountain climber. It’s appealing and credible, especially given the equity that exists in the Clif Bar brand name. Overall, a very enjoyable product.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

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;

ProBar: Nutty Banana Boom

ProBar has hit the nail on the head yet again with this one, a pleasant bar that blends nuts, seeds, and fruit into an awesome tasting “whole food meal.” The bar has multiple layers of flavor, including notes of oats, dates, dried bananas, and nuts, all of which are perfectly balanced and working in unison. Like other ProBar products, this product one is extremely satisfying and nourishing, which is the result of the organic and unprocessed nature of the bar (your body will be thankful!). The bar has a variety of key nutrients, including fiber, protein, potassium, calcium and iron. Packaging is extremely appealing, with images of bananas, nuts, and seeds on the front — it whet our appetite very quickly. Overall, this is a great choice for a meal replacement bar. We’ll definitely be reaching for this one again.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Calories: 380
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 7g
Protein: 9g

Go Raw: Real Live Flax Bar

Made with sprouted organic flax seeds, organic apricot, organic raisin, organic date, and organic lime juice, this bar is a tour de force of the organic and raw way of life. The bar itself eats like something that’s on par with “fruit leather”, those chewy pressed fruit snacks that most of us had as kids. However, that’s where the similarities end, for this is a far superior product in just about every aspect. Flavor comes in the form of dried fruit, which is a mixture of apricot, raisin, and date flavors, and the sprouted flax seed. It has noticeably earthy flavor to it, which is to be expected given the use of flax. Nutritionally, this vegan, non-GMO, USDA Organic bar has a nice hit of protein, fiber, and omega-3, plus the benefits of eating raw and unprocessed food. Packaging is busy, but effective, with an extremely text heavy design that works for some strange reason. However, we do think that calling attention to the fact that it’s made in a solar powered production facility might be a marketable benefit. Overall, a stellar bar – definitely one to try.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 164
Fat: 7g
Fiber: 7g
Protein: 5g

ProBar: Maple Pecan

ProBar has achieved perfection again, this time in the form of their Maple Pecan bar. It is a splendid mixture of nutritious organic, whole foods that deliver enough substance to replace a meal and plenty of enjoyable flavor to satisfy your palate. On the flavor side, there’s a slight note of maple to it, but the base of the bar is the classic ProBar style formula (nuts, dates, seeds, peanut butter). As the name suggests, they’ve added pecans, which combine nicely with the maple, giving the bar an almost butterscotch-like note. The pecans, as well as the nuts and seeds, also create the “savory” flavor that the bar advertises. There’s a nice yin and yang thing going on inside this wrapper – and it’s definitely one of the best bars that we’ve ever had the pleasure of testing. On the outside, they’ve done a great job as well, presenting a design that’s an accurate portrayal of what’s inside the wrapper. Plus, the combination of nuts and maple graphics makes our mouth water. Overall, if there were a bar “hall of fame”, this one would certainly deserve to be in it.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Calories: 400
Fat: 22g
Total Carbs: 44g
Fiber: 6g
Protein 9g

Honest Foods: Apple Ginger

This is a nice tasting bar, with notes of oats, apple, ginger, raisins, and seeds. It’s moderately sweet and somewhat sticky, with a fair amount of chew to the bar. The result is something that’s quite palatable and provides just the right amount of substance to supplement a meal or act as a snack. At 210 calories and 9g of fat, this vegan bar delivers 4g of fiber, 5g of protein, whole grains, and 190mg of omega-3. Honestly – and no pun intended –our biggest complaint about the bar is how quickly it disappeared. A hungry person could certain devour this in only a few bites (as we did). Packaging is simple and effective, with a name that lines up nicely with the whole foods that are inside this wrapper. Overall, a very enjoyable product.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honest Foods: Almond Trail Mix

Honest Foods’ Almond Trail Mix bar is a pleasing bar, but we don’t really consider it a trail mix bar. In this case, it’s got a decent amount of oats to the mixture, which have been paired with almond butter, nuts, seeds, and raisins. While there are almonds present in the bar, the majority of the almond flavor comes from the added almond extract. If you’ve ever used almond extract, you probably know that a little goes a long way – and in this case, they need to use a little less of it in future batches. Aside from this issue, the concept and quality of the bar are quite good. Packaging is minimalist, but very appealing, especially since you can see the bar right through the label. Overall, a good effort, but they definitely need to dial down the almond extract.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calories: 210
Fat: 9g
Fiber: 4g
Total Carbs: 31g
Protein: 6g

ProBar: Art’s Original Blend

Art’s Original Blend is named after Art Eggersten, the founder of ProBar. It’s a soft and chewy bar that basically tastes like a trail mix bar, delivering a soft base of oats that is accented with peanut butter, nuts, seeds, raisins, dried fruit, dates, and chocolate chips. But, unlike other trail mixes that we’ve tried, this one has just the right amount of savory and sweet. Plus, it’s loaded with nutrition, including 9g of protein, 6g of fiber, calcium, iron, and Omega 3 and 6. Like other ProBar varieties, this bar is definitely something that is substantial enough to be a meal replacement product. It seems like the perfect product for the person who is on the go or for those occasions (like a long car trip) where you can’t necessarily get something healthy to eat. Packaging is bright and colorful, but we’re not sure that it’s an accurate portrayal of what’s inside the wrapper. Specifically, it seems to emphasize the fruits that are in the bar, which might lead one to believe that this is some sort of fruit bar rather than the trail mix product that it really is. Nit picking aside, this is one of those products that we’d reach for again and again — a true classic.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Go Raw: Banana Bread Flax Bar

Think the world’s healthiest fruit leather. Or banana jerky. Either way, we think they’re on to something with this four-ingredient, sprouted organic flax seed product. Made with dried bananas, coconut, dates and the aforementioned sprouted flax, the thin bar has the initial consistency of cardboard but chews into a healthy dried banana treat. Packaging is cheap and simple – just a clear wrapper and a “go raw” label. It needs to be jazzed up, and have the certified organic label on top, but the inside product, with a combination of unique taste and simple healthy ingredients, is surprisingly addictive.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Calories: 110
Fat: 5 g
Carbs: 15 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 4 g

ProBar: Cherry Pretzel

This is actually one of the better ProBars that we’ve had. Blending the salty flavor of pretzels with cherries is a surprisingly good combination. Of course, there are a lot of other good flavors in this bar as well, including peanut butter, oats, coconut, sesame and other seeds, almonds, cashews, and dates. Everything works in unison, delivering amazing flavor in a soft format that’s easy to chew. On the nutrition front, this bar is loaded with fiber (6g) and protein (10g), but also lands at 380 calories and 19g of fat. That being said, this is a bar that’s best suited as a meal replacement, which is why they’ve labeled it “The Whole Food Meal.” Packaging is bright and attractive, with images of cherries and pretzels letting the consumer know exactly what’s inside. Overall, this is one of the best of the ProBar lineup – we’d definitely come back for this one again.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Raw Revolution: Cashew & Agave Nectar

If you’re like us and you subscribe to the belief that raw food is better for you than processed food, then this is a bar that’s worth checking out. Made with only a handful of ingredients (cashew, date, agave nectar, almond, sprouted flax seed), this bar delivers “raw” flavor that’s pleasant and satisfying to eat. The flavor starts out with a light (compared to other bars) date flavor that’s followed with notes of almond and cashew. Bear in mind, the taste of raw nuts is different than that of roasted, so this will likely taste somewhat different than you are expecting. The bar is, as the name suggests, sweetened with agave nectar, which gives it a subtle honey like sweetness and also helps bind this soft and chewy bar together. Packaging is hip and functional, with a cool looking logo that’s tries to make “crunchy” into something that’s fun. Overall, a superbly executed product that delivers great taste and nutrition using only raw ingredients.

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

Fullbloom Baking Company: 12 Grain Toasted Oatmeal Bar

This bar has a very dry consistency, so make sure you have some water nearby when you try it.  Flavor wise, this bar has a homemade taste that’s closer to an oatmeal raisin cookie than what we typically think of as a bar.  The twelve grains have definitely left their influence on this bar, although not in such a way that the product has an earthy flavor.  Instead, and as the name suggests, it’s really about the oats.  The addition of raisins and sesame seeds add a bit of dimension to the flavor, as does just the right amount of salt.   Nutritionally, this 150 calorie bar delivers 4g of fiber, 6g of protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.  Packaging is decent, but hard to read, with multiple text elements (“12 grain”, “oatmeal bar”, “Fullbloom Baking Co.”) competing for your eye without any one in particular winning out.  Still, we like the minimalist style of the wrapper, which allows you to view almost the entire bar before you try it.  Overall, very enjoyable flavor, but it’s a bit too dry for our liking.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Bumble Bar: Original with Almond

Bumble Bar’s “Original with Almond” is a good improvement over their Original bar.  This chewy bar combines sesame seeds, flaxseed, brown rice syrup, almonds, evaporated cane juice, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, and natural vitamin E into a USDA Organic certified recipe that’s also vegan and gluten free. The flavor is big on sesame, with a touch of flax and almond to the finish. However, there isn’t enough in the way of sweetness or almond to this bar — and there’s a slightly off (almost burnt) note that we can’t determine the source of.  Still, if you want a bar that’s made with organic, simple ingredients, this one is hard to beat.  On the outside, this bar has an attractive design, but it also might lead one to believe that this bar has something to do with honey, which it does not.  Otherwise, the bar’s lack of a window to see the bar might be a deterrent, especially since the product lacks any sort of descriptive text that might let the consumer know what to expect inside this wrapper.  Overall, an edible bar made with only a few simple ingredients, but we’d like to see a better connection of the brand to the flavor.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Details: calories 230; total fat 16g; fiber 5g; potassium 160mg; protein 6g