Review of New Gluten Free Snack Bars: Kit's Organic Fruit and Nut Bars
October 14, 2012
Those of you who regularly read my Blog know that I like to sample and review gluten free snack bars. They're the perfect on-the-go snack whether you need a quick boost between meetings, are running the kids to and from activities, or traveling. Take them on a plance, keep a few in your car, pack them as an emergency "back up" snack or meal on a trip...
In the past, I've tried Luna Protein bars, Soy Joy, and most recently NuGo bars. Recently, I had the opportunity to try Kit's Organic Fruit and Nut Bar by CLIF.
Kit's Organic Fruit and Nut bars remind me a lot of Larabars, which are also gluten free. Kit's bars are made from just a handful of simple ingredients: dates, nuts, and -- depending on the specific flavor -- fruit, unsweetened chocolate, coconut, coconut oil, and sea salt. As a discriminating, health-conscious mom, they are a home run in my book, because they're not only GLUTEN FREE, but also all-natural, organic, GMO free, and rice free. Rice never used to be something I was concerned about, but given the recent news surrounding arsenic in rice, I have to say I'm particularly alarmed, given how much rice the typical gluten free person ingests (after all, rice and rice flour are typically a main ingredient in many gluten free foods like pasta, bread, crackers, baked goods, and even snack bars). So now I'm even more careful than ever reading labels! But Kit's passes the test. Kit's Organic Fruit and Nut bars are also dairy free and soy free for those with other dietary restrictions.
It's great to find a bar like Kit's that fits my criteria and tastes great, too. The dates and fruit give you a natural, subtle sweetness without added sugar -- and the protein from the almonds, cashews, and peanuts is a great balance. Right now, it comes in four flavors: Peanut Butter, Cashew, Berry Almond, and Chocolate Almond Coconut (sounds like an Almond Joy, right?...but trust me, much healthier!). My favorite was probably the Choclate Almond Coconut, and my son's favorite was the Peanut Butter. Each bar is between 170-200 calories, depending on the flavor, with up to 50% of the calories coming from fat (but mind you, this is the very HEALTHY fat from nuts). Each bar supplies between 12-20% of daily fiber and 3-6 grams of protein.
Kit's Organic bars are available nationwide in natural foods stores and in the natural aisle of select grocery stores for around $1.59 per bar. Please let us know where you've been able to find them -- and what you thought of them!