Good news, Celiacs (and others following a gluten-free diet)!
There are more and more snack bars on the market that are gluten-free. They go by all sorts of names: breakfast bars, cereal bars, granola bars, and protein bars. One of the most recent entries into this increasingly crowded market is LUNA, which has offered a line of bars for some time now...but they weren't gluten-free (and their original line of bars still isn't).
But their new line -- called LUNA protein -- is indeed gluten-free, and they pack protein, fiber, and nutrients into a bar that is easy to tote in a purse or bag for a quick and healthy "on-the-go" snack.
These bars are relatively filling even though they're under 200 calories. They come in 5 flavors, and I sampled 4 of them: Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cookie Dough, and Chocolate Cherry Almond (the only one I haven't tried is Chocolate.) May favorite was definitely the Chocolate Peanut Butter, followed by the Chocolate Cherry Almond. My kids really liked the Mint Chocolate Chip. To each his own! I liked the Chocolate Peanut Butter in part due to its consistency, which felt "lighter" than the others. I wasn't crazy about the Cookie Dough variety...it seemed a bit dense...although it certainly wasn't bad...just not my first choice. Although I didn't keep any of them in my purse for very long, I didn't have any problems with them melting or getting "gooey."
These bars pack in 12 grams of soy and whey protein and 3 grams of fiber (from chicory and rice flour) and contain calcium, iron, vitamin D, folate, and antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E). They're sold in grocery stores, and I was able to find a couple flavors in my local Giant food store. They sell for $1.39, which is a great price for a tasty and healthy (and best of all...gluten free!) snack.
I'd love to know what gluten-free bars YOU'VE tried -- and your favorite kinds! Please leave a comment below...
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