Granola Bars

Think back to your playing days as a 12 year old soccer phenom, and inevitably you will remember the ritualistic eating of the granola bar. It's halftime: get some orange slices, some granola, and you're ready to rock. Since that Quaker started selling his oats, we have been infatuated with the idea of the granola bar as a delicious, healthy snack. While our love for those chewy little guys grew, so too did our options, and now we are lost in a jungle of supposed healthy deliciousness without a map to lead ourselves to freedom. Well, fear not my friends, for I have decided I will evaluate every granola bar I can get my hands on and let you know, once and for all, what is the ultimate combination of both taste and nutrition.


Quaker Chewy Granola Bar, Chocolate Chip: The standard. The classic. But does it still hold up against our newer models? Like most granola bars, it is dry, but tasty. The chocolate and the granola work well together. However, it is a tiny serving that leaves you hungry for more. From a nutrition standpoint, it certainly isn't bad for you, but there isn't a whole lot there.

Kashi Go Lean Crunchy Bar, Chocolate Caramel: A new contender. Is it granola? Technically no. Is it a supposedly healthy snack option in a bar form? Yes. As for taste, it's fine, but as that general blandness that most Kashi products contain; a little like eating cardboard. The texture adds to this feeling. However, not an altogether unpleasant experience. The chocolate coating does add a bit of sweetness, and the bar isn't any dryer than the Quaker one. The texture can be blamed on the nutritional value: this little guy boasts a nice dose of both protein and fiber.

Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bar, Fruit and Nut: A hybrid of sorts. This granola based bar incorporates fruit, nuts, and some sort of coating to give it a more pleasing texture. As the name indicates, it does seem to be some sort of trail mix that has been formed into a bar, grant it a trail mix that has been overrun by granola. Despite the more pleasing mouth feel, the bar itself is still lacking in flavor. The nutrition angle does not present any good reason for this, seeing as the bar is nearly as empty as our Quaker friend.

Clif Bar, Crunchy Peanut Butter: Another non granola based entry, which gives it's a different consistency than our other friends. It appears and tastes like really, really think peanut butter shaped into a bar, however it does not demand to be eaten with a beverage like real peanut butter (or our dry granola bars, for that matter). As far as taste goes, the first bite is great, but as the eating continues the peanut butter gets to be a little much. This is a larger bar, so more calories than our other contenders, but it also has the most protein by far and easily matches our Kashi bar for fiber.

Nutrigrain Cereal Bar, Strawberry: Our final entry is not really granola either, but the Nutrigrain line is popular enough to merit consideration. The fruit filling is the best tasting of all the bars, but as a snack it's pretty tiny. Like the Quaker bar, you may find yourself hungry again before you know you've even finished. Nutritionally it isn't much to speak of either: like the granola based options, not a whole lot of good or bad in the nutrition information.

So what's the verdict? If I'm eating a healthy snack I want to be at least mildly pleased with the taste, but I also want to be full. If I can have all that and get some good nutritional value, I'm sold. Go pick up a Clif Crunchy Peanut Butter Bar and thank me later.