Myoplex Lite: Peanut Caramel Crisp

With a label boasting 15 grams of “high quality protein” and bearing the Myoplex brand name, the promise of this bar is clear. A protein blend (both soy and whey) stands at the top of the ingredient list and that’s reflected in the taste. While its layer of crushed peanuts and caramel over chocolate creates an interesting texture – a mixture of crunchy and chewy – the peanut and chocolate accents only create a distraction from the cardboard undertone common to the protein bar category. The real test, though, is the nutrition panel. The bar’s 15 grams of protein is less than others in the category, but it also weighs in at a scant 190 calories – making it more of a pre-workout snack than a meal replacement. Where the bar really shines is on its nutrient content. It boasts 50 percent the USDA’s daily suggested intake of a suite of vitamins, including A, C, and E. It’s also a significant source of calcium, magnesium and zinc. Overall, the Myoplex Lite bar offers a good source of quick nutrition, even if it’s not the tastiest option on the shelf.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Pure: Cherry Cashew Bar

This bar is made with ingredients that are USDA Organic, raw, vegan, and gluten free, which helps make it live up to its “for all people” tag line. There’s a pleasant base of date and almond flavor to the mix, which has been sweetened with agave and has a slight crunch from small chunks of walnuts throughout. The cherry flavor is subtle, adding a nice tart flavor to the otherwise earthy tasting bar. We’re definitely pleased to see that they didn’t make it too “fruity” tasting. Nutritionally, this 1.7 ounce bar packs a fair amount in, including 400mg of omega 3, 4g of organic fiber, 6g and protein, 200 calories, 9g of fat, and vitamins and minerals. Packaging has a relatively simple style of presentation to it, with a white wrapper that’s decorated with a yellow illustration of a female face. It’s an appealing design that has a definite vibe of health and nutrition to it. The rest of the wrapper has a lot of text on it, but in this case, it all logically fits together as opposed to creating clutter. Overall, an exceptional tasting bar that delivers the perfect balance of flavor and nutrition.

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Oskri Organics: Coconut Bar with Organic Dark Chocolate

Blurring the lines between what we’d consider a “bar” and a piece of candy, Oskri Organics’ Coconut Bar with Dark Chocolate is extremely enjoyable nonetheless. This vegan, USDA Organic bar will be a hit with anyone who likes coconut, for there’s really nothing else to the inside of this bar. The chocolate coating adds a further touch of indulgence, but it’s might lighter than what you’ll find in a coconut candy bar (e.g. Mounds). Packaging has a pretty simple, but earthy look to it. We’d like to see more emphasis on the “with Organic Dark Chocolate” subtext, which is currently much smaller than the “Coconut Bar” text. That would certainly lure in more consumers – and be a more accurate descriptor of what’s actually inside the wrapper. Overall, we’re big fans of this bar, although it’s certainly a product that we’d only have once in a while as a treat.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Larabar Jocalat: Chocolate Coffee

Like other Larabar products, this one is made with simple, understandable ingredients, including dates, walnuts, hazelnuts, cocoa, cashews, and coffee (all are USDA Organic). The resulting mix is quite good, especially since the flavor of the nuts helps mask the flavor of the dates, which can tend to overwhelm other flavors. The use of cocoa also helps quite a bit, with a touch of indulgence added to this nutritious tasting bar. And speaking of nutrition, the bar has 4g of protein, 5g of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and 190 calories. So, there’s some substance to it, but not too much, and just the right amount of vitamin content to make this a worthwhile snack. Last, but not least, is the packaging. It’s dark colored theme seems like the right choice for a chocolate and coffee flavored bar, while placement of the USDA and Fair Trade logos are a plus. On the other hand, the “JOCOLAT” text seems to make it hard for the eye to find the flavor of the bar – just something to consider. Overall, a very enjoyable bar.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jammy Sammy: Apple Cinnamon & Oatmeal

Like its counterpart, “Strawberry Jam & Peanut Butter”, this sandwich bar delivers excellent flavor in a nicely portioned size. Flavor wise, it tastes exactly like we would have expected based on the name of the product. There’s a lot of apple flavor that has a hint of cinnamon to the finish. The exterior has a nice oat flavor, with a consistency that’s like that of smooshed bread. Ultimately, it tastes very similar to the apple flavor that you’d expect to find in other mainstream products, such as cereal or oatmeal. That’s fine by us – and we think it will be a hit with kids as well. Packaging is colorful and clean, with an excellent design that gives of a credible vibe of nutrition and quality. The product is USDA Organic certified – and the logo is a key part of the front part of the wrapper. Overall, this is a very enjoyable and convenient product that’s sure to be something that will go over well with kids.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Calories: 100
Fat: 2g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1g
Sugars: 10g

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

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%

Jammy Sammy: Strawberry Jam & Peanut Butter

This is the first “sandwich bar” that we’ve ever tried – and Revolution Foods has done a great job with it. It tastes spot on like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, although in a slightly smooshed form. The “bread” comes in the form of a chewy flour (barley and peanut) based exterior. Plus, this USDA Organic bar has just the right amount of flavor from both the peanut butter and jelly – it will definitely pass with kids (and it has no “crust” either!). Nutritionally, the bar has 110 calories, 3g of fat, 2g of protein, 1g of fiber, vitamin C, and iron. That should certainly satisfy parents. Packaging is bring and colorful, with a full wrap around the bar. Overall, a great product that could be used as a snack or for that moment when you’re in a pinch and need a nutritious lunch item for your kids.

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