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BANG FOR THE BITE
If you need something to keep you going, these bars are way more delicious than your average cardboard-tasting ones, and they're a little easier on the earth to boot.
COCKTAIL FACT
Clif Bar designed a bar with a wedding proposal for a loyal customer's girlfriend: The expiration date on the wrapper read FOREVER.
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home › tip library › Energy Bars
Does your energy bar taste like it came from the prison cafeteria?
The Bite
Yum, yum. We've never been to prison, but if we did go, the things we'd most like to have there with us would be: 1) the smokin' hot guys from Prison Break, and 2) great-tasting organic energy bars to get us pumped for the great escape.The Benefits
- Boosting your energy faster than a conjugal visit. Pre- or post-workout, or whenever you need a boost, these bars keep you going.
- Supporting eco-correctional brands. Example: Clif Bar purchases wind credits to offset its CO2 emissions, while Kind Bar donates 5% of profits to supporting peace in the Middle East.
- No crimes against good taste. You'll actually wanna put these bars in your mouth.
Personally Speaking
Taking into account all of the Clif Bars and Clif Wine (see our recent vino tip) we consume, we're pretty sure we're putting at least one of the Clif kids through college.Wanna Try?
- Clif Builder's Bar - great prep for heavyweight workouts, these babies pack 20 grams of protein each ($21/12).
- Perfect Foods Bar - a combo of organic carob chips, sea vegetables, and other whole foods make for one chocolatey and nourishing bar ($27/12).
- Kind Bar - made with minimally processed nuts and dried fruit full of protein and fiber ($24/16).
- Luna Bar - specially formulated for women (including plenty of calcium); don't be shy with the Lemon Zest flavor - buy 'em by the case ($19/15).
May 13,2008
Sponsor
All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Energize-her Body
I've eaten my fair share of Luna Bars, and while I prefer them a thousand times over other bars (especially the Caramel Nut Brownie flavor dipped in hot chocolate), for me, there's a better way to energize. It's called sleep, in all its time-consuming, underrated beauty. And while REM doesn't offer food fortification or convenience, it plays a huge role in maintaining one's sense of humor...among tons of other positive things.
So yeah, eat them when you must, but eat the good ones...then take a nap.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to tell a joke...Biter Comments...
This is really depressing. I know you guys are supposed to be "light green", but there's nothing remotely eco-friendly about individually-wrapped products full of faraway ingredients, even if those ingredients are organic. Eat real food, and you'll have more energy as well as more money. Good point about sleep, though.
Yes, disappointing on two counts: the lack of mention of Larabars and the fact that there's nothing eco-friendly about bars that come all the way from Australia (Kind Bars).
I'm glad to see you're readers are on the ball. As soon as I saw the daily tip I was off to add a comment about Larabars. They are the best. I'll eat them occasionally and have to hide them from my husband. Make mine Cherry Pie.
Amen on the lara comment, those bars rock. I rarely by bars but when I do it is either LARA or Odwalla. (another fab option, love the chocolate peanut)
A few weeks ago at the NY Go Green Expo I had the opportunity to try several flavors of organic Bumble Bars. They were delicious, and I really loved the apricot, and they're US made. :)
http://www.BumbleBar.com
You missed my two favorites! Lara Bar and Gnu Bar - both are made of whole food and incredibly healthy. They are both listed on www.greensceneusa.com
I worry that these smaller companies can't/don't keep nut residue out of the allegedly nut-free bars. I don't remember the brand, but one bar from Trader Joe's included a trip to the ER. Are any of these nut-free?
I make my own. They're easy, yummy, healthy, cheap, low miles, and wrapper free.
I must admit that I'm addicted to the Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cliff Bars - though are they even U.S. made?
Susan - do you have a good recipe that you use to make your bars?
Thanks!
Jessica
Yes, yes. I rarely eat bars but my two new faves are Larabars and Odwalla. I love them for all the above mentioned reasons and because they taste delicious to me. In my next bit of free time, I am actually going to try to make my own bar.......save packaging, etc. I'll keep you posted if I come up with an easy and good recipe. Has anyone done that?
Jen - you are SO right about sleep!
I think I have bought an energy bar or 2 - but can't remember the brands. Only when I am on the road. Not having a big market nearby (like, 1 hour away) helps.
But I made this amazing Joy of Cooking recipe with our granddaughters when they were visiting:
Energy Bars
preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x9 pan lined with foil (I suspect you don't need the foil)
1 1/2 c. dried fruit (we used mixed cranberries, plums, blueberries and cherries)
1 c. old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine all in med. bowl, then add:
3/4 c. melted butter (I think 1/2 c. would work fine... 1/2c. = 1 stick)
1 1/2tsp. vanilla
Stir until well blended and press the mixture into the pan.
Bake until golden brown on top. 35 to 40 min. Cool in pan on rack.
cut into 18 (at least) bars.
These are WAY too good.
I was shocked that Lara bars weren't on the list! They're so good and raw!
I'm with everyone who suggested making their own bars! My favorite energy bars and 'power spheres' are from 'Rebar Cookbook'. They last a long time, taste great and I know exactly what's in em. I kinda surprised that the homemade option wasn't mentioned in the tip! Slow down, stop racing to the gym, and enjoy creating something yummy and healthy to feed your body!
... or, how about EAT REAL FOOD!
I know they are not foudn on shelves, but please dont forget Shaklee Cinch bars! With 10 grams of protein they really fill you up! And Shaklee was the first company in the world to be certified climate neutral!
Dottie, your recipe for homemade energy bars sounds yummy! I agree that making your own energy bars is best because then you're in control of what goes in 'em. I've always tended to believe that those commercial energy bars are little more than upscale candy bars for the granola crowd. They ARE tasty, though! :-) Still, making your own anything, whenever possible, is always the best way to go.
Ownership & Organics: Bumble Bars and Lara Bars are, I believe, still owned by small companies. Clif Bars seems to be a good-hearted company, inching towards organic last I checked, and sponsoring lots of green initiatives. Odwalla is owned by Coca Cola (and the takeover was not friendly), and on a quick check doesn't contain more than token organic ingredients. I agree with the other readers: the very best of these bars are only the very lightest shade of consumerist-green.
Jessica,
I make "energy squares." They're easier to cut and serve. Here is my recipe for a big 9x13 pan, a batch of 24 brownie size squares, enjoy!
-Susan
1.5 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 cup steel cut oats
.5 cup oat bran
.5 cup flaxseed meal
1 - 1.5 cup nuts (a variety or all walnut, you pick)
1 - 1.5 cup dried fruit (if using dates, blend in food processor with flour to keep them separated and cut back on sugar)
6 tblsp brown sugar
.5 tblsp kosher or sea salt
.75 tsp cinnamon
.5 tsp. cardamom
.5 tsp nutmeg
.5 tsp allspice
1.5 cup pomegranate juice or other not-too-sweet juice (blueberry, etc)
.5 cup grapeseed, canola, or veggie oil
1. Preheat to 375
2. Combine dry ingredients, mix.
3. Stir in wet ingredients, mix.
4. Spread into 9x13 pan, flatten.
5. Bake at 375 for 25 min.
6. Cut when cool & refrigerate.
Love the bars, especially for my son's lunches - IF he can forget that Luna bars are made for women, which he reminds me of periodically. Problem is the wrapper. Yikes - how many are in landfill by now? If only Terracycle would expand their "Energy Bar Wrapper" Brigade (partially underwritten by the Clif Bar folks themselves), there may be hope for all of us that don't bake AND don't want to contribute to landfill. Terracycle has embraced "eco-capitalism", taking the collected wrappers and turning them into a product - for instance, reusable shopping bags. So when Ideal Bite suggests buying, I am always dying to see them go ALL the way - and keep the waste far away from landfill!
www.terracycle.net
Thanks for mentioining the wonderfully-sounding bars. I sure would love to have one or two for dessert.
You can make a very healthy and sweet desserts with acai berry. Learn about fun and short recipes at
http://www.acai.vg
Great infor on those delicious bars.
You can make sweet desserts using acai fruit. Go to http://www.acai.vg/acai_history.html
Or health sites:
http://www.acneway.com
http://www.erectiledysfunction.vg
Thank you Susan and Jessica for the recipes and others for the links. Will checn everything out. Happy eating.
Sally
Lara bars do indeed ROCK. glad to know it was other people's first thought when reading the tip as well. cherry pie is divine!
I've been a huge fan of clif bars (and Odwalla) for ages. yeah, wrappers are bad, but come on. what doesn't come in a wrapper these days? packing a bar for a fast meal is no worse than getting a take away container or a bag of chips. ...right?
save the wrappers and sew a bag, make a shower curtain, bundle them up and return them to the company... i mean, what do you do with bread bags, chip bags, et al? we all want to be greener, but, come on, ease up a bit, people! how about contacting Clif and asking them why they (and all the other guys) can't use more environmentally friendly packaging?
How's the texture of the make-it-yourself bars? I just can't get past the texture of the major brands on the market -- feels like my teeth will be pulled out when I eat one -- but there are always afternoons where I could use the pick-me-up.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: michele | May 13, 2008 at 06:34 AM