As I have said before, eating healthy on the go can be a big challenge. It is so easy to grab whatever is around. Sometimes the easiest thing to reach for is an “energy bar”. Some energy bars on the market are filled with ingredients that you can’t pronounce and taste more like candy than food. I have been in search of the best, healthy energy bars that contain real food and taste good. I reviewed some great ones in the past few months. I was fortunate to try some great, healthy energy bars recently. Even better, I have some giveaways so you can enter to win some, too!
I remember trying NuGo Nutrition bars when we lived in NYC. The original bars were low glycemic, 100% natural and high in protein. I used to get these whenever I saw them. Peanut Butter chocolate was my favorite – of course! In the last few years, Nugo has launched a number of additional natural, healthy bar options. Today NuGo makes 7 different kinds of bars. I contacted them about trying some gluten-free and vegan options during my elimination diet and they sent me samples of the NuGo Dark line.
One of NuGo’s goals is “To help people make better snack choices without compromising on flavor.” They use no hydrogenated oils or trans fats in their products and they never use waxy vegetable fat compounds in place of real chocolate. They use only all natural, top quality ingredients like antioxidant-rich real dark chocolate in their bars. They are so passionate about this that they started a petition on Change.Org to ensure that labeling is truthful. Check it out: Stop Dark Chocolate Deception, Sign FDA Petition!
So how do the NuGo Dark bars taste? I really like them! They are not too sweet because they are made with real dark cacao which is not super sweet like milk chocolate. They are crunchy and remind me of granola bars/traditional energy bars. I tried 3 and gave 2 to Stacy (but I got a bite of one of them!):
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip reminded me of the chocolate covered granola bars I used to eat as a kid (in a good way) – more like the grown up version. The bar was satisfying as an afternoon snack and not too sweet. It was very satisfying.
- Mocha Chocolate had a pretty strong coffee taste which is always OK with me. I loved this with my cup of coffee!
- Peanut Butter Cup was surprisingly not my favorite. I would definitely eat it again, but I would pick the Chocolate Chocolate Chip first. It did not distinguish itself to me like the traditional Nugo Peanut Butter Chocolate. I prefer the sweeter milk chocolate with peanut butter in this case.
- Chocolate Pretzel was tasty – I loved the salty/sweet. This bar might not be sweet enough for everyone (Kelli!). Stacy said, “I love the salty/sweet combination. While dark chocolate isn’t quite as sweet, the bar still had the intended effect of this combo and I thought it was pretty tasty!” It is also Lindsay’s favorite.
- Mint Chocolate – Stacy said, “I’ve been a long time fan of this flavor combination! I tried this one as an afternoon treat with some coffee and it was delicious! Again, it’s not really sweet, but it offers just enough to make you feel like it’s a treat, but with far less guilt!”
NuGo Nutrition offers additional lines that are gluten free, low carb, low glycemic and even vegan, gluten free candy bars! I will definitely be trying some more options. You can keep up with Nugo Nutrition on Twitter, Facebook, Gluten Free Facebook and Pinterest.
One lucky winner will receive a mixed box (12) of NuGo Dark bars to try! Enter with the Rafflecopter below!
I was intrigued last year when I saw Journey Bars which are all natural, savory energy bars. Their website says it perfectly:
What is a savory bar? Notice from our flavors, we’re not trying to be a candy bar disguised as a healthy snack. We have real flavors that taste like real meals for when you need real food. (hint: it’s not loaded with sugar!)
When do I eat this? When you don’t have time for a meal because you are too busy hiking, biking, or stuck in meetings. Journey bars are great for when you are on-the-go. (hint: really…any time you’re hungry.
Journey Bars are gluten free, dairy free, soy free and vegan. They use pea protein and whole ancient grains like quinoa, buckwheat, oats and amaranth and almonds to craft the unusual, savory flavors. The bars are available in 5 flavors: Sesame Ginger, Sea Salt, Rosemary, Coconut Curry and Pizza Marinara. They all come in around 200 calories with 9 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of sugar.
So how do they taste? I think they are great! They are not like any other energy bars I have tried. They are savory and remind me of a flavored breadstick more than an energy bar. The texture is different, too. They can get a bit crumbly. That said, I love the unique flavors and the fact that it feels like I am eating food and not candy. I ate these when I was working at the Chicago Marathon expo for lunch. It was a good call! Here are my thoughts on these bars:
- Coconut Curry is the one I have had most frequently. I am a huge curry fan, so I really enjoy this one. It reminds me of going on vacation in the Caribbean.
- Rosemary has a good taste. I was worried that it would be overpowering but it isn’t. It is like eating a bread that is infused with rosemary.
- Pizza Marinara was surprisingly my favorite. When I first saw it last year, I was worried it would be fake tasting like “Gino’s Pizza Rolls” or strange. It is actually delicious. You can taste the herbs and spices and it left a nice taste in my mouth without being too strong.
- Sea Salt was a bit bland, but would pair well with a salad or other vegetables.
- Sesame Ginger was surprisingly my least favorite. The flavors were too subtle. I like ginger and sesame a lot. Neither flavor came through for me in this bar.
I will definitely be adding Journey Bars to my pantry. As I said I loved them as an on the go lunch option. Some bars (especially sweet ones) leave me hungry for more. These are very satisfying. You can keep up with Journey Bar on Twitter and Facebook.
One lucky winner will receive one bar of each flavor (5) to try! Enter with the Rafflecopter below!
Please don’t forget to click the green button on each entry you choose. If you already like my page on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter, click that button on the Rafflecopter and get credit! The giveaway is open through the end of the day on Tuesday, October 29th. I will select and notify winners on Wednesday, October 30th. One prize per winner – winner selects prize from available options in order of draw. Only valid for participants in the US at this time.
What are your favorite energy bars? Do you like them sweet or savory?
Please Note: Nugo Nutrition and Journey Bars provided free products to me for review and giveaways. All opinions and comments are my own or those of my friends.