I have had the opportunity to try so many awesome, healthy, natural energy bars over the last two years and have showcased many here. Recently, I have tried some great new ones and one that contains an ingredient that is VERY new to me – crickets! Well cricket flour. Yes, real crickets. They are a great protein source. Who knew? Today, I will tell you about new bars from the folks behind Thunderbird Energetica called Gather Bars, Exo (the ones with crickets) and REV’d Bars which are premium, non-GMO nutrition bars with maca. You ready? Good news, I also have extras to share! Read on for the details!
Gather Bars are a new line from Thunderbird Energetica. They are, “inspired by the diets of our ancient ancestors.” The bars are loaded with “superfood” seeds and nuts and are very satisfying! The bars are vegan, all natural, grain-free, soy-free, non-GMO, low in sugar and have no added sugar or agave. They come in three flavors: Superseed Spirit (pumpkin seeds+sunflower seeds+hemp seeds), Hazelnut Heart (hazelnuts+coffee+maca powder) and Pecan Persistence (pecans+goji berries+pistachios).
These bars are super clean! Here are the ingredients in the Superseed Spirit: Organic Dates, Macadamia Nuts, Almonds, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Hemp Seeds, Macadamia Nut Butter, Organic Coconut Shreds, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Cinnamon. Hazelnut Heart and Pecan Persistence have similar all natural ingredients. These bars weigh in at between 150 and 250 calories each. They are all 1.7 oz. I love the texture of these bars. They are crunchier than the traditional Thunderbird Energetica bars, but still chewy… if that makes sense.
I tried all three and shared them with Maureen and Jen, too. My favorite is the Pecan Persistence. I love pecan pie and this tasted like the healthiest pecan pie ever. Think dates instead of molasses and delicious nutty flavor. The goji berries add a bit of additional sweet, tart taste. I did not notice the pistachio flavor too much, but saw the chunks of pistachio in the bars. The Hazelnut Heart has a nice nutty, mocha flavor and extra energy from the maca and coffee! The Superseed Spirit is great if you love coconut. It is sweet and nutty with the extra crunch (and protein) from the hemp seeds. Such a healthy combo! These bars are healthy and delicious. A win-win!
Want to try these? I have one of each bar left to send to two lucky readers. See giveaway instructions at the end of the post. In the meantime, you can keep up with Thunderbird Energetica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Exo’s mission is to “normalize the consumption of insects as a sustainable food source.” They believe the way to accomplish this is through healthy, delicious food products that include insects as an ingredient. They say, “our protein bars are formulated to be the perfect introductory vehicle to bring insect protein to the masses.” I will say that this was the toughest energy bar to get my friends to try. Of course there is the “are these vegetarian?” (No? See FAQ link below) question and then the cricket flour fears, “will this taste like bugs?”
In addition to caring about sustainable food and good taste, these guys have a good sense of humor. They say, “Crickets are good luck in some countries, prizefighters to in some and food in most.” Exo bars contain 270-300 calories, 10g protein and 5-7g fiber. They use only real, nutrient-dense whole foods in the bars. They are gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free. The bars come in Cacao Nut and Peanut Butter and Jelly. The Peanut Butter and Jelly tastes nice and sweet and peanutty. It does not taste too much like jelly to me, but I liked it a lot. I shared the PB & J with friends at the ITU triathlon expo and they enjoyed it, too. The Cacao Nut is paleo friendly. I am less a cacao fan. These bars were tasty but a bit dry, but the husband and I preferred the PB & J. Please note: People with crustacean allergies may be allergic to crickets.
Want to try these? I have one of each Exo bar flavor left to send one bar to two lucky readers. See giveaway instructions at the end of the post. To learn more about Exo, read their FAQs, follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Last but not least, meet REV’D. REV’D is a premium nutrition bar made with organic Peruvian maca and “killer taste.” REV’D caters primarily to the skate, snow and surf cultures of Southern California and the Rocky Mountains and is now offered online. I chatted with them on Twitter and they sent me an awesome box of samples to try and share with runners, too!
REV’D Provision Co. is “a small, passionate company going up against the established corporate nutrition bar giants.” Their mission is to offer “the best-tasting nutrtion bars you’ve ever had, made with good-for-you ingredients like whole oats, soy nuts, protein, fiber and organic Peruvian maca.” Bars that will give you the nutrition to feel “REV’D,” too. They use pure, simple, ingredients that bring out the taste of premium peanuts and rich cocoa. REV’D bars contain no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives, no trans fat, no hydrogenated oils and no high fructose corn syrup. They are also non-GMO. The bars come in three flavors: Peanut Butter Cookie, Double Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie (new). The texture of these is like old school Power Bars. I liked all of the flavors and they were easy to digest for running and the gym. My favorite is Peanut Butter Cookie.
Want to try these? I have a bunch of Double Chocolate Brownie bars and a few samples sized Peanut Butter Cookie bars left to send to two lucky readers. See giveaway instructions at the end of the post. To learn more about REV’D, follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
I will send two lucky winners a sampler package of Gather Bars, REV’D bars and Exo Bars. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Winners must be in the US, 18 or over and this offer is void where prohibited. The giveaway runs through August 13th. Winners will be selected and notified on August 14th.
Please note: I was not compensated to write this post. I did receive sample bars from all three companies in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
PS. Don’t miss my other active giveaways including $50 Paypal cash and CEP Compression socks!