Review - Supreme Protein Bar

Brand:  Supreme Protein

Flavor:  Apple Cinnamon Morning Protein Bar

Where to get it: here @ BodyBuilding.com

                Well hello, adorable little oats stapled all over the top of this bar! I like you. You make me feel like I’m eating a bar where some of the ingredients might actually exist outside of a lab. This is a great little bar, especially if you eat it for breakfast, as the package recommends. 180 calories is very reasonable, and the apple cinnamon taste is pretty good. Additionally, you get 15g of protein. If you’re a person who eats Nutrigrain bars or any kind of granola bars with your breakfast, you should definitely try this and get a little extra protein for your buck.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Just shy of natural apple cinnamon (I’ll take it though)

Taste rating:  6.5/10

Qualities:  Gluten-free, Made in the USA

What’s in it:

Review - Pure Organics Ancient Grains Bar

Brand:  Pure Organic Ancient Grains

Flavor:  Peanut Butter Chocolate

Where to get it: here @ Shop.ThePureBar.com

                The first ingredient in this bar is peanuts, but when you unwrap it, it kind of looks like pasted-together birdseed. Don’t dismay! The smell is wonderful, like a fresh jar of peanut butter. The taste is also pretty great, very peanutty, subtly chocolatey, and all the crispy grains give this bar a firm but not hard texture. It’s low in sugar (8g), and at 160 calories, it just about as perfect as a snack bar can get when you need something between meals, or even before bedtime. Anything to keep me  away from the Reese’s at midnight…

                 

               

Tastes like:  Lightly chocolate-d peanuts

Taste rating:  7/10

Qualities:  All natural, Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Organic

What’s in it:

Review - Metragenix White Crispy Crunch Protein Bar

Brand:  Metragenix

Flavor:  White Crispy Crunch

Where to get it: here @ 2to1proteinbars,com

                The little white “crunch balls” on the outside of this bar don’t only make it interesting, they are also completely delicious. I have no idea what they’re made out of…I wonder if they have any nutritional value at all. Say…could I get a snack bag of just the crunchy balls? And if I did…would it just be full of empty calories? I could die wondering, because I feel like that’s not a real thing that’s about to come into my life. The interior of the bar is really just another so-so tasting protein bar, but the composition does make it interesting. If you’re looking for something a little different and you’re a fan of protein bars, this one is worth trying.               

                 

               

Tastes like:  Vanilla cereal, then bland protein powder

Taste rating:  6/10

Qualities:  Made in the USA

What’s in it:

Review - Skout Apple Cinnamon Trail Bar

Brand:  Skout Bar

Flavor:  Apple Cinnamon

Where to get it: here @ SkoutOrganic.com

                I’ve tried Skout products before, and I’m always impressed with how simple, easy, and good-tasting they are. This bar was absolutely no exception - it’s one of the best fruit bars that I’ve tried. The texture is thick and chewy, and the apple flavor shines through in a very genuine way. I think it’s safe to say that any Skout snack is a great choice if you want something simple, good for you, and true to flavor.

Tastes like:  Sweet apple happiness

Taste rating:  10/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, Non-GMO, vegetarian, vegan, Certified organic

What’s in it:

Review - B'Bites Peanut Butter Crisp

Brand:  B’ Bites

Flavor:  Peanut Butter Crisp

Where to get it: here @ bbitesnacks.com

                These little blocks are full of admirable ingredients, low calories, and low fat. They just taste so similar to so many other products on the market that I wouldn’t seek them out. The peanut butter flavor is not central to these like the title implies, the brown rice syrup flavor is the front runner here. The texture is good - they aren’t dry or sawdust-y at all. I hate that I don’t have more to say about them, I think if I hadn’t already tried so many other products, I might have a fresher outlook on these. If you don’t know what my “tastes like” on these mean, I think you should try them to form your own opinion. So snacky, so jaded. ‘Tis the life I have chosen to lead.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Everything else in the Brown Rice Syrup Brigade

Taste rating:  5/10

Qualities:  All natural, Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan

What’s in it:

Review - Don't Go Nuts Bar

Brand:  Don’t Go Nuts

Flavor:  Blueberry Blast Bar

Where to get it: here @ Amazon.com

                Something bad happened to this bar. I’m convinced. Bad batch? Bad life choices? Bad hair day? It has to be something. These can’t ALL taste like this. Unfortunately, I had but one bar to try. The initial taste was really good – soft, nice white chocolate flavor…I even made a little “ooooh” noise. Several seconds later, I was ditching the rest of the bar in the garbage can. The blueberry presence has such a weird aftertaste, I really feel like something might have been wrong. There was just this overwhelming blueberry taste, but also like it was chemical- or perfume-related. If I see these bars again, or am sent some, I will certainly get you guys an update.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Like a tasty blueberry cake…that’s been doused in grandma’s perfume

Taste rating:  2/10

Qualities:  Non-GMO, Kosher, Certified Organic

What’s in it:

Review - One Bar

Brand:  One Bar

Flavor:  Cherry

Where to get it: here @ theonebar.com

                You really can’t argue with this bar. It’s little, it’s simple. It’s good for you. Pick a fruit that you like, and you’ll enjoy this bar as a quick snacky. It’s more than a fruit leather, it’s thicker and takes more time to chew. I also really like the simplicity of the packaging to go along with the simplicity of the product. Thanks for not putting dancing cherries or apples on rollercoasters on the front of your wonderful little product, One Bar.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Meaty fruit

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan

What’s in it:

Review - Bakery On Main Granola

Brand:  Bakery on Main

Flavor:  Apple Raisin Walnut Gluten-Free Granola

Where to get it: here @ BakeryOnMain.com

                A long time ago, I went on one of those popular prepackaged food diets (one of the most popular ones here in the US). I didn’t work, but they had a cereal packet that I was OBSESSED with. It had little balls of whatsit (as does this granola) and things that looked like Cheerios. It was ridiculously expensive, and of course even more so if you tried to order it outside of one of their weekly meal plans. I said goodbye to that cereal, and have yet to find anything like it…until now.

                This is marketed as granola, but it’s not really like any other granola that I’ve had. I typically like to mix my granolas into a yogurt, which I would not recommend with this, as there are no oats to get deliciously al dente, and the circles (that you can see in the picture) are corn-based. I dumped this stuff into a mug with some unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and BAM! I was right back in fancy cereal town! Sweet, cinnamon-y, apple-y deliciousness. As a granola, I say nay. As a cereal, I say yay!

                 

               

Tastes like:  Apple-y cereal

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Non-GMO, Kosher, vegetarian, Gluten-free, vegan

What’s in it:

Review - Jimmy Bar!

Brand:  Jimmy Bar!

Flavor:  No Bluffin’ Banana Muffin

Where to get it: here @ Jimmybars.com

                I love bananas. I love muffins. Sadly, this bar fell short of being close to either of these things. It’s not a crispy bar, but the texture is pretty hard – clearly not muffin-esque. The banana flavor is very subtle, which makes everything difficult, because there are no other flavors in this bar. If this was a banana/blueberry or banana/chocolate situation, then I would be okay with the slight banana taste. When you make banana the star of the show, don’t let it go on stage wearing sweatpants. Dress that banana up in a LBD and some fake eyelashes. (I really like Jimmy Bar’s packaging, though.)

                 

               

Tastes like:  Blandly banana

Taste rating:  5/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan, all natural

What’s in it:

Review - GFB Oatmeal Raisin

Brand:  The Gluten Free Bar

Flavor:  Oatmeal Raisin

Where to get it: here @ theglutenfreebar.com

                I was expecting this to taste like an oatmeal cookie (wishful thinking, I know), but I would say it tasted like the “essence” of an oatmeal cookie. Let me explain. It lacked the “oaty-ness” of an oatmeal cookie, but all of the other components were there. It was sweet, like molasses and brown sugar, and had a lot of good cinnamon and nutmeg taste. Lots of carbs (29g), but also a good amount of protein (12g) considering that this is a vegan snack. Yay for the creatures! At 190 calories, this seems like the perfect between-lunch-and-dinner buddy to have in your bag. Full disclosure:  I am really thinking about how good this bar would taste if I used it instead of a spoon with a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

                 

               

Tastes like:  A nice cinnamon cookie bar

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, Non-GMO, Kosher

What’s in it:

Review - Bounce Natural Energy Ball

Brand:  Bounce  

Flavor:  Coconut & Macadamia

Where to get it: here @ Rei.com

                These smell absolutely divine right out of the package. The light tan color, covered in coconut, is also really appealing. They have a really strong protein powder taste though, and it cuts through the coconut flavor pretty quickly once you start chewing. I didn’t taste the cranberry at all, which is just fine since I don’t particularly like them, but that protein powder taste was just too strong for me to get this whole thing down. Unfortunately, they also have more grams of sugar (9) than protein (8), which is a letdown to me anytime a product specifically advertises itself as a protein product. On the plus side, that sugar does come from agave and fruit, not refined sugar.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Protein powder covered in coconut

Taste rating:  5/10

Qualities:  All natural, Gluten free, Non-GMO

What’s in it:

Review - Think Thin White Chocolate

Brand:  Think Thin

Flavor:  White Chocolate High Protein Bar

Where to get it:  here @ ThinkProducts.com

                0 g of sugar? Yay! 240 calories? Less yay. Tastes nothing like white chocolate? Booooooo. And when I say nothing like white chocolate, I mean that this bar tastes about as much like white chocolate as green beans do. I am not exaggerating. So there’s that disappointment, but what DOES it taste like? I actually sampled this with 3 of my co-workers, and the most complementary thing that was said was, “it tastes like a boring candy bar.” I’m not really on board with the candy bar comment, because that makes it sound like it tastes really good, and…it doesn’t.

                 

Tastes like:  The makers have never tasted white chocolate

Taste rating:  2/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, Kosher, Made in the USA

What’s in it

Review - Wai Lana Fruit & Nut Bar

Brand:  Wai Lana

Flavor:  Fruit & Nut Bar

Where to get it: here @ WaiLana.com

                Wai Lana, why do I love you so? I KNOW WHY. Because you make delicious, quality products, that’s why. These fruit and nut bars are no exception. They taste like the flavors that they advertise, and the texture is wonderfully moist and chewy. I love the packaging – all the flowers and fruits…beautiful. The serving size on these bars is HALF a bar, so don’t go crazy when you see 120 calories. That’s for half the bar. They are well-worth the 240 calorie hit though if you’re looking for some natural energy or a natural sweet snack (no added sugars!). I’m just a huge fan of this brand.               

                 

               

Tastes like:  Fruits, nuts, and dates

Taste rating:  9/10

Qualities:  Gluten-free, Non-GMO, Vegetarian, Vegan, Made in the USA, No artificial ingredients

What’s in it:

Review - Promax Lemon Bar

Brand:  Promax

Flavor:  Lemon Bar

Where to get it:  here @ ProMaxNutrition.com

                                Mmmmm lemon. Give it to me! First bite, lemon! Chew chew chew, hmmmm, I’m no longer certain I want to eat another bite. It wasn’t the worst bar that I’ve tried, for sure. There was something about it though. That first taste is so good then it morphs into something else that really isn’t identifiable as a familiar flavor. That concerns me a little bit. Maybe it’s just the protein isolate blend that Pro Max is using. I’m sure it’s nothing nefarious, but I wouldn’t choose this bar a second time.

Tastes like:   Lemon at first, then…chemicals?

Taste rating:  5/10

Qualities:   Gluten-free, vegetarian, Kosher

What’s in it:

Review - Purely Elizabeth Granola

Brand:  Purely Elizabeth

Flavor:  Original Ancient Grains Granola

Where to get it: here @ PurelyElizabeth.com

                This is my new favorite thing - unique, tasty, really just flat-out spectacular granola. It tastes great right out of the bag, but I especially like to dump it into my yogurt. It has enough grains that it will sog up a bit if you let it sit in there long enough, which I love to do. It also has enough “other things” that it doesn’t completely sog up into a worthless carb-bomb. The ingredients are also not your “every day” panel of oats and sugar, you’ve gotta love being able to work millet and amaranth into your diet. I can confidently say that if I never ate another type of granola, I’d be satisfied with this one for the rest of my days.

                 

               

Tastes like:  The best granola in all the land

Taste rating:  10/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-GMO, Certified organic

What’s in it:

Review - Bricks Turkey Bar

Brand:  Bricks

Flavor:  Turkey Sweet Potato Cranberry & Pumpkin Seed Bar

Where to get it: here @ BricksBars.com

                 Well, at least I will never accuse Bricks of false advertising. Just about everything they put into this bar makes it onto the front wrapper in the form of the name. The pumpkin seeds are more for texture, I am assuming. I think the name, being filled with all these nice holiday ingredients, can lead you to think there might be a pumpkin taste to this bar, and there isn’t.  It’s very true to turkey flavor though, and the black pepper is a force, but not an altogether unpleasant one. It’s a funky bar, and also safe to share with your pooch, which is pretty cool.

                 

Tastes like:  TV dinner turkey with pepper gravy

Taste rating:  5/10

Qualities:  Gluten-free

What’s in it:

Review - Somersault Snack Co. Santa Fe Salsa Somersaults

Brand:  Somersault Snack Co.

Flavor:  Santa Fe Salsa Somersaults

Where to get it: here @ SomersaultLifeCompany.com

                                I’m usually on the fence when it comes to these new jumbles-of-seeds-as-snacks thingamajigs, but these are 100% delicious. Just enough seeds to be seedy, just enough seasoning to not be ONLY seedy, the ingredients are a perfect balance of savory and seed-er-y. The “Santa Fe Salsa” isn’t super spicy either, so you can actually taste the ingredients, unlike other snacks that are clearly trying to cover up what they’re made of. I would definitely nom these again, and I will for sure be seeking out some of Somersault’s other flavors.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Some oats and seeds went on a vision quest

Taste rating:  9/10

Qualities:  All-natural, Non-GMO

What’s in it:

Review - Hail Merry Macaroons

Brand:  Hail Merry

Flavor:  Choco Macaroons

Where to get it: here @ HailMerry.com

                Tiny little sweet balls of coconut sweetness, you’re just SO GOOD! Looking for a treat? Like coconut? Grab some of these Hail Merry Choco Macaroons. I’m not even a big fan of chocolate and I absolutely LOVED these. The bag I had contained 3 little macaroons – the perfect amount for when you really need to feel like you’ve had dessert. Even better, you can enjoy one here, one there, one later – just to squelch that nagging voice in your head that tries to send you to the office vending machine around 3 pm. They pack a great flavor and sweetness punch, so I’m really not being unrealistic when I say you CAN just eat one and feel pretty good about it, and that’s almost no calories at all. Plus…coconut is healthy, right? These are basically vegetables.

               

Tastes like:  Chocolate coconut YUM

Taste rating:  9/10

Qualities:  Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Gluten-free

What’s in it:

Review - Papa Steve's No Junk Raw Protein Bars

Brand:  Papa Steve’s No Junk Raw Protein Bars

Flavor:  Peanut Butter Crunch

Where to get it: here @ PapaSteves.com

                If you’ve been counting calories for any amount of time, you know that eventually, each one becomes really, really precious. That’s how calorie-counters succeed, we learn that if we have that 500-calorie donut at the breakfast meeting (that we didn’t even enjoy that much, we only ate it because it was “there”…crap), we are going to struggle for the rest of the day trying to stretch our remaining 700ish calories over our remaining 14ish hours of consciousness. It is for this reason that I almost never get impressed/fall in love with any kind of bar that has over 200 calories. I simply cannot eat a bar for a meal. I can’t do it. I want other things. It doesn’t feel like real food to me, it always feels like a snack.

                This bar…is a little different. Yes, it has 295 calories and 31g of carbs. Yes, you need to pay attention and not go to bed thinking, “Wow, I ate three of those Papa Steve’s bars today in between my meals”. HOWEVER…if you’re a peanut butter fan, and you miss eating peanut-buttery desserts from heaven above…this bar needs to be behind your “Break In Case Of Emergency” glass. It’s got such an authentic peanut butter taste, but there’s a little extra to it, so it fulfills a need different than the peanut butter you put on your oatmeal on gym mornings. The “Dessert” need. The “I Need To Eat Something Bad” need. But it’s NOT something bad. The ingredients are stellar, plus you get 20g of protein and no added sugar.

                Thank you, Papa Steve. Thank you a whole bunch.

                 

               

Tastes like:  A mellow peanut butter experience

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Raw, vegetarian, Gluten-free, Non-GMO, Made in the USA

What’s in it:

Review - Quest Banana Nut Muffin Bar

Brand:  Quest Nutrition

Flavor:  Banana Nut Muffin

Where to get it:  here @ QuestNutrition.com

                I KNEW if I stuck with these Quest bars that I’d eventually find one that I could fall in love with! This is the one.  If you don’t like bananas, stop reading now. This is obviously not for you. I LOVE bananas, and banana-flavored things. This bar brings a strong banana flavor, but none of that nasty “artificial banana” flavoring. The carbs are great if you’re a diabetic looking for something sweet-tasting to trick your brain.

               

Tastes like:   Nutty banana taffy

Taste rating:  7/10

Qualities:   Gluten free

What’s in it:

Review - Bobo's Oat Bars

Brand:  Bobo’s Oat Bars

Flavor:  Lemon Poppyseed

Where to get it: here @ BobosOatBars.com

                                 

                As an openly anti-chocolate woman, I was super stoked on this lemon poppyseed oat bar from Bobo’s. I love oats, and this guy is VERY oat-y. The lemon poppyseed flavor is very slight, but I’m okay with that. I usually pretty happy with basically any level of lemon poppyseed, so if Bobo’s wants to make me a “SUPER LEMON POPPYSEED EXPLOSIONZZ!!” bar, I’ll go ahead and hoover that too. All of that was a pretty weird way for me to say, I super liked this bar a lot. And it’s vegan! I’m not vegan, but I love animals, so if I can find things that I like that also do no harm, well, you just can’t complain about that. The pack a heavy calorie punch – 380 for the whole bar, but they do come in smaller, snack-like sizes. Bobo’s is going on my short list of, “please feed me more of this, please.”

               

Tastes like: 

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, non-GMO, Kosher

What’s in it: