Product Review: Nature's Valley Sweet & Salty

I ran out of my favorite South Beach Roasted Nut Creations bars and went on a run to get more. Unfortunately ,Pathmark was out of them and I wasn't about to start running from store to store to find them with gas being so costly. I started scanning the shelves and found Nature's Valley Sweet & Salty bars. When you look for these bars you really need to check both the health food aisles and the cereal aisles. SInce many of these bars contain the word cereal in the title they can be ineither place. I found these in the cereal aisle.I've reviewed the South Beach bars in AC Media and as you've read they are both healthy and extremely tasty. Luckily, Nature's Valley is a close second. Or, even more than a close second. It's very tasty and as the name says it is both salty and sweet, covering two cravings at once.

I do not use these as diet additions I use them as healthy deserts or snacks. When I'm traveling they come in very handy since they fit right in your pocket or purse and hold up well in warm weather. I live in the South for six months a year, chocolate would never hold up when I'm out and about. These are wonderful for people who go hiking or biking. They give you a nice amount of protein, fiber and a bit of sugar for energy.

This is a snack my daughter in law and daughter allows her children to have as long as they brush afterwards.

Dipped in almond butter and packed with nutsthis particular variety is called Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bar. I purchased it only because my favorite South Beach Diet bar was not in stock. This sounded as though it might have a similar taste. In a way it does but its quite a bit sweeter. This bar had the layer of nuts with a creamy bottom layer. It comes in four varieties of nut flavors, Peanut, Almond, Roasted Mixed Nut and Cashew. I counted 22 varieties in all . I now stock up on both when I find them on the shelves.

The package travels nicely, super for car trips, for the office, as a school snack or even a Halloween Trick or Treat surprise. The wrapper colors have a very Autumn like theme , gold, browns, copper and orange. There is a scene in the background that looks like fields and mountains-I'm assuming that is the Nature Valley in the title. One bar is 35 grams, you get 6 bars to a box for around $5 dollars plus change. .

The bar , if eaten out of the box the bar is chewy with a nice nut crunch. If you refrigerate it before eating it the granola bar develops a nice crunch in the base coat. I found it quite delicious, it didn't beat out my South Beach favorite but it was still quite good. The creamy coating is a wonderful texture contrast to the crunch.

Comparing ingredients and nutrition my South Beach Diet bar is way ahead in proteins and generaly healthy ingredients as well as being lower in calories.

Nature Valley created the granola bar category in 1975. Today's lineup includes great-tasting Sweet & Salty Nut, Chewy Trail Mix and Heart Healthy chewy granola bars that are a good source of fiber.

Nature Valley also provides consumers with cereal that is bursting with crunchy chunks of granola bars.

Ingredients, Almonds, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Rolled Oats,Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Crisp Rice, Palm Kernel Oil, Wheat Flakes, Fructose, Canola Oil, Water, Yogurt Powder, Whey Protein Concentrate,Cultured Skim Milk, Yogurt Cultures, Maltodextrin, Salt, Nonfat Milk, Soy Lecithin, Color, Honey, Natural Flavor, Baking Soda, Sunflower Meal,Peanut Flour, Mixed Tocopherols. Almond, Wheat, Milk, Soy Sunflower and Peanut Ingredients for anyone with allergies.

Nutrition:Calories 160 with 60 from fat, total fat 7 grams, Trans Fat 0 grams, Saturated fat 2 grams, Sodium 170 mg, Carbohydrates 22 grams, Dietary Fiber 2 grams, Sugars 12 grams, Protein 3 grams, Calcium 2% DV, Iron 2% DV. Carbohydrate Choices 1 1/2.

Made by General Mills

Call 1 800 231 0308 for further information or write General Mills, Box 200, Mpls, Minn 55440 or go to www.generalmills.com

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