Review of Kellogg's Special K Bars

"I'm hungry!" I snapped, three days into my diet. Things had started off well. I was following Denise Austin's 21-day Jump Start meal plan. The food was good, and I got to eat enough to satisfy me at meals. By day three, however, between meals was difficult. I was allowed snacks, but fruits and vegetables didn't cut it. I was hungry, and it was no fun!

I looked for good diet-friendly snacks at the grocery store. As you've probably noticed, there are many 100-calorie snacks available now. I picked up one that was actually 90 calories per serving - the Special K Bar in Vanilla Crisp.

I found the Special K Bar delicious! It's a crispy cereal bar, and the cereal is more like Rice Krispies than like Special K. The vanilla flavoring and sweetness are just right for curbing a craving for something sweet, and a drizzle of vanilla icing adds a nice touch. It's a real treat.

Special K Bars -- Nutritious and delicious

Despite containing only 90 calories, the Special K bar is enough for me to stave off hunger and cravings for an hour or two. It's also healthy and nutritious, in the tradition of Special K cereal, containing a cereal made with rice, whole grain wheat, and wheat germ, and applesauce used as a sweetener and flavoring. Each bar contains only 1.5 grams of fat, with 1 gram of saturated fat, and zero grams trans fat.

One drawback is that the Special K bar is less vitamin-enriched than Special K cereal. Each bar contains only 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance for thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6. No other vitamins or minerals are mentioned. This is, however, intended as a snack bar, and not a meal bar, so it is not supposed to be a major source of vitamins and minerals.

Special K Bars -- Portable and economical

Special K bars are small enough to carry easily in a purse or pocket, and do not crumble while being carried. Each bar is individually packaged.

The price per bar is quite reasonable, especially when compared to typical vending machine snacks. I purchase a box of six bars for $2.18 at Winco Foods, which works out to about 36 cents per bar.

This is a simple, portable, and satisfying snack for both dieters and non-dieters. Special K bars are available in a variety of flavors, including Vanilla Crisp, Blueberry, Strawberry, Honey Nut, Peaches and Berries, or Chocolatey Drizzle. Find your favorite flavor, and give it a try. I highly recommend this snack.