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

Odwalla: Sweet & Salty Peanut Bar

Odwalla: Sweet & Salty Peanut Of all the Odwalla bars that we’ve sampled, this one is probably the best. That’s the result of heavy peanut and oat flavors, which give the bar a decidedly less processed feeling in your mouth. There’s also a heavy dose of sweetness (from brown rice syrup and sugar) and salt, which make the product have the “Sweet & Salty” flavor that’s promised in the bar’s name. Then again, this bar eats very much like the classic Payday candy bar, which very much makes us question just how nutritious this bar really is. On the nutrition panel, the product has 190 calories, 6g of fat, 2g of fiber, 5g of protein, and vitamins and minerals. It also claims, in the fine print, to be made with 24% organic ingredients. All of this adds up to something that might make for a good snack, but not something that’s offering a ton of nutrition relative to the competition. Packaging is just okay, with a cluttered front label that has text running all over it. There are images of nuts, but they’re off in the corner, while the Odwalla logo still doesn’t seem overly credible to us on things other than smoothie and juice drinks. Overall, it’s nice tasting, but we think they can still do better.

Rating: 3.5 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

Honey Stinger: Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Pro

Part of Honey Stinger’s protein bar lineup, this bar’s most notable selling point is the fact that it contains 20g of protein. Advertised as a having dark chocolate, almond, and coconut flavors, this 3 ounce bar is loaded with enjoyable flavor as well as nutrition. The flavor of this bar can definitely hold its own, with the smooth chocolate center delivering a rich dose of flavor with light coconut and almond notes. If there’s anything we might change, it’s the sweetness of the bar, which is a bit strong, but it does help mask the underlying protein flavor. The bar weighs in at 380 calories, so there’s plenty of substance to it, plus there’s 20g of fiber, 3g of fiber, and loads of vitamins and nutrients. Packaging definitely looks and feels like a protein bar, with a dense 3 oz bar that has bold and colorful labeling. Plus, the Honey Stinger bee logo works quite nicely, emitting a wholesome but aggressive vibe that helps define this product’s niche. Overall, a really nice tasting bar that’s backed with 20g of protein. One of our favorite protein bars to date.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

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: 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

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

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

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

Pure Protein: Blueberry Crumb Cake

This protein packed workout bar has two layers for your, uh, chewing pleasure. The soft blueberry pie filling stuff on top isn’t bad, but the “crumb cake” layer has the consistency of dried silly putty. Still, the maltitol in the vanilla yogurt coating gives it enough of a sweetness level for you to choke a bar down – while providing the non-fattening sugars that a carb-watcher needs. All in all, it’s not a bad change-up from the usual chocolate and vanilla protein bars.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Calories: 300
Fat: 10 g
Carbs: 29 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 28 g

Bobo’s Oat Bars: Strawberry

When we saw this bar, we were pretty excited to see how the rolled oat base that Bobo’s Oat Bars are known for pair with dried strawberries. Unfortunately, there strawberry flavor is completely overpowered to the point where it’s really hard – if not impossible – to taste the strawberry flavor. Otherwise, this bar delivers a very enjoyable oat base that’s nourishing and tasty, with a moderate amount of sweetness. Packaging is clean and wholesome, which fits perfectly with the type of bar that’s inside the wrapper. Overall, it’s a good bar, but we’d pick one of Bobo’s other flavors unless they can give us more strawberry flavor.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

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

18 Rabbits: Cheeky Cherry Chocolate

Using a very soft granola base that’s heavy on the oats, 18 Rabbits’ Cheeky Cherry Chocolate is certainly a bar that’s easy on the jaw. The bar has a decent amount of sweetness, thanks to the addition of a bevy of sweeteners that have been used sparingly, including maple syrup, honey, and tapioca syrup. It’s a certified organic, wheat free formulation that delivers 4g of protein and 4g of fiber. The cherries and chocolate are definitely secondary flavors, but we felt as though a bit more cherries would make this bar even better. Chocolate adds to the finish, adding just a drop of indulgent flavor to this healthy tasting bar. Packaging is attractive and polished, with time clearly spent crafting and placing the elements that are on the front of the label. A viewing window is a plus as well. Overall, a very enjoyable bar.

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Honest Foods: Apple Ginger

Honest Foods bills its bars as “baked whole food bars”, which appears to refer to its soft oat and nut base. The bar has a soft but slightly chewy texture, with a heavy amount of oat flavor. There’s a hint of almond butter to it, but otherwise we do not taste any of the other nut ingredients that are in the bar. Then there’s the apple, which hits your palate in a big way. Really, we think there’s too much sweet apple flavor relative to the base grain flavors. Plus, it almost completely hides the ginger, which seems like a bit of an afterthought. Packaging wise, we like the look of the bar and the Honest name (hey, it worked for Honest Tea). Definitely worth a try.

Rating: 3.5 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

Next Page »