Great or Gross Snack Bars: A Review of Think Organic, Clif Kid ZBar, and Larabar's Jocolat

The new game for the health conscious is energy/protein/snack bars. The aisles displaying these items seem to get longer and longer and stacked higher and higher with a selection that can make choosing one over the other quite difficult. The appeal of energy snack bars are overwhelming, as they offer a healthy option for those on the run or to anyone hoping to bridge the hunger gap without caving in to old junk food habits. So, it is clear why so many, even major players in the food world, would want to cash in on the growing group of ingredient-savvy shoppers who won't be fooled by a creative name and a strategically placed box. Even Snickers has staked a claim to this niche with their Marathon bar. While this review will not consider Snickers and some other more widely available bars, please take care to read labels in order to determine whether purchasing some of these purportedly healthy snacks are better than cupcakes or twinkies (For instance, several of Snickers' Marathon bars boasts of 16 vitamins and minerals, yet for a 55 g. bar, the Multigrain Crunch bar has 220 mg. of sodium and no less than 15 g. sugar.)

There are three snack bars that have established themselves as quality items that attempt to provide good options without being so obscure that you have to hit the health food stores to find them. These are Think Organic,Clif Kid ZBars, and Jocolat, made by Larabar, all organic and all tasty. Consider the following pros and cons.

Think Organic, like the other Think products, are gluten-free fruit and nut bars that are made without flour. People on special diets may particularly find the snack options palatable, since finding gluten-free, dairy-free, etc. snacks is difficult enough as it is. These bars have about the shortest ingredient list that you will ever see, aside from a jar of salt, and also add to the daily requirement for fiber and fruit. It appears that the selection of flavors has decreased from about 8 flavors to four, but the remaining flavors include cherry nut, chocolate coconut, apricot coconut and cashew pecan. On the down-side, these bars are not as available as they once were, with their stock becoming spotty at WalMart stores and downright hard to find pretty much anywhere else. Also, be warned: these bars are not cheap on any level unless you catch a great sale.

Clif Kid ZBars are marketed as an item for the kids, but is the only USDA organic item available from Clif (with the exception of the yet-untested Nectar bar, a concept similar to that of the Think bar). These bars can't be said to be gluten-free, but they are made with oat flour rather than wheat. ZBars are fortified with vitamins and minerals and now have seven flavors from which to choose, some to appease moms (e.g. Blueberry) and some to appeal to kids (e.g. Spooky Smores). These bars are widely available at many grocery stores, WalMart Mart and Target, perhaps even gas stations. Because these bars contain flour, it feels more like a cake-y type bar, which may be more satisfying to children and those who want to really bite into something. Also, the price is much better if you buy the box of six, rather than being tricked by the grocery stores' ridiculous offer to pay more for one. The detriment is that these bars have a good bit of sugar that is added, rather than occurring naturally from the fruit, as with the Think bars.

Larabar's Jocolat bar is guilty sort of pleasure for those looking for a healthy treat and love chocolate. Like the Think bars, Jocolat contains no flour but is a fruit and nut, is certified gluten-free and USDA organic. This bar is also non-GMO, 90% raw, provides 1 serving of fruit and offers five flavors including coffee, hazelnut and cherry. These bars are delicious and filling. The bad news is that these bars are expensive, although the price is reasonable in the organic food bar realm. Also, these bars can be so filling because of the dates and nuts that some may be sufficiently sated after eating only half. These bars can also be hard to find, although some grocery stores and many Target stores may have them (you may only find Larabars at Target, a similar option with loads of flavors that are NOT organic).

Navigating grocery stores today is a veritable balancing act of cost vs. value, nutrition vs. taste and satiation vs. health. Each of these snack bars are delicious and meet different needs. Think Organic, ZBar and Jocolat each offer a snack you can enjoy that will feed your body -- trying getting that from a Twinkie.