And Now For Something A Little Different... - LÄRABAR Review

This post brought to you by LÄRABAR. All opinions are 100% mine.

I realise this post is a little out of character for me, especially since ready-to-eat products don't often fit into my whole homemade-is-better philosophy, which means I've turned down a lot of product reviews that weren't a good fit.

When the folks at SocialSpark asked me if I'd like to participate in a new campaign for LÄRABAR, though, I just couldn't resist... especially since they were kind enough to send me a box of assorted flavours to do a review.

You see, in the world of ready-to-eat snacks, LÄRABARs are about as unprocessed as it gets, with 19 different flavours based on all-natural fruits and nuts.

I've been a fan for several years now, having first discovered them while training for a two-day 60km walk. I needed a nutritious and portable snack I could easily pack for my training walks - something I could count on to get a quick energy boost, but that didn't have the chalky texture of some energy bars and without all the added sugar of store-bought granola bars. A friend suggested that LÄRABAR might be the alternative I was looking for... and the rest, as they say, is history.

These days, I'm clocking a lot more time behind a desk than I am on the hiking trails, but I do like to keep a stash in my desk for the occasional emergency - forgotten lunches, quickie breakfasts, or midafternoon pick-me-ups. They're not too pricey (usually $1 or $2, depending on the store)

I'm still a little miffed about the fact that my beloved Pistachio flavour has recently been discontinued, but I was happy to discover the new Carrot Cake bar is just what I needed to fill the void - it's got all the elements of my favourite carrot cake recipe, like pineapples and walnuts, and an intensely cinnamony flavour. Other favourites are the Cherry Pie, which has a great tangy dried cherry flavour, and the Cashew Cookie, which is a straight up blend of dates and cashews.

The Good Stuff:

• Every single flavour is made from all-natural GMO-free ingredients. There's nothing on the label that you wouldn't find in your own kitchen - no preservatives, no fillers, no colourings. Plus they use fair-trade cocoa and chocolate chips.
• The flavours made without chocolate chips contain no added sweeteners, while the rest are unsweetened except for the cane sugar contained in the chocolate chips.
• The flavours made without chocolate chips are also 100% gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, kosher and vegetarian/vegan. (Unfortunately, the chocolate chips aren't manufactured in a dairy-free facility, even though they are made using vegan ingredients)
• ....and did I mention they're delicious? They're soft and chewy, not too sweet, with a nice nutty crunch.

The Not-So-Good Stuff:

• The main component of every LÄRABAR is dates. I happen to like dates, so it's not a huge issue for me, but these are definitely not for date-haters.
• Speaking of dates, the other issue is that they work better in some flavours than they do in others - I find that flavours that play well with dates (like Carrot Cake or the aforementioned Pistachio), rather than those that try to mimic the flavour of foods where dates normally wouldn't belong (like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough... it's good, but it's not like any cookie dough I've ever tasted).
• Like most energy bars, they're a great meal supplement or a post-workout snack, but at an average of 200 calories per bar, they're not exactly a low-cal treat.
• And lastly, all of the flavours contain at least one kind of nut... though if peanut allergies are a concern, flavours containing peanuts are manufactured on a separate line, which means any flavour that doesn't include peanuts on the label is still peanut-free.

So, there you have it. All things considered, I'm planning on keeping my desk stocked with LÄRABARs for as long as they keep making them... they may not be the best snack if I want something low-cal, but they're still way better than a donut on the days when I don't have time for a sit-down breakfast.

Now, here's the really good news... in tandem with their recent feature on The Biggest Loser, LÄRABAR is giving out a coupon for $1 off any 2 LÄRABARs - at an average price of $1 to $2 per bar, that's like getting one (almost) free! Click here to get your LÄRABAR coupon (sorry fellow Canucks, it's a US-only offer).