[Photographs: Brooke Porter]
Hi, I am Brooke, and I am a snackaholic. My perfect dinner? Carrots and hummus about a minute, a number of pretzels drizzled with peanut butter the following, adopted by a few cheese and crackers—all consumed while standing in the kitchen area. While my at-home eating routine have improved (because of my hubby, who recognized upon relocating that people would both starve if he did not break me of these), Irrrve never leave my apartment with no supply within my purse. See, you are able to go ahead and take snacker from the kitchen—but the snacker will undoubtedly bring your kitchen together with her.
Granola bars are simple to stash, and that i made the decision to begin by tackling Nature Valley, which first folded out this snack nearly 4 decades ago. Today, you will find seven varieties (Crunchy, Sweet and Salty Nut, Protein, Granola Thins, Soft Trail Mix, Roasted Nut Crunch, and Yogurt), with 28 different flavors together.
Before opening the boxes, I'd a sense that Sweet Salty Nut —which is available in five flavors—were more chocolate bar than granola bar. Despite getting the term "Nature" within the name, ingredients include high maltose corn syrup along with other a few things i can't pronounce, and you will find 13 grams of sugar and 2 grams of saturated fats in every bar.
This is what I discovered:
Peanut
The very best layer were built with a nice sheen, like oil have been put on it having a brush. After I pulled a peanut off, it were built with a caramel-y glue similar to a Peanut. Also it wasn't remote. Regardless of the healthy quantity of peanuts on the top (the greatest nut-to-granola ratio from the bunch), I did not get a hint of salt. The coating at the base sampled nothing beats peanut butter, because the box claimed it might it had been more Reese's Peanut Butter Cup filling than other things.
Almond
While there have been less almonds on the top, this bar had the very best crunch—no surprise since almonds would be the hardest nut here. Despite as being a tad lighter colored, the almond butter coating wasn't really discernible in flavor in the peanut. Even though there is the faintest touch of salt, sweet still dominated.
Cashew
Only half a cashew was visible on top layer (on closer inspection, Used to do locate one more little piece). I recieve that cashews would be the most costly nut one of the group, but seriously. Fortunately there have been some—but not really a lot—mixed in, giving the bar a general cashew-y flavor. Although this one was the saltiest, it lacked the crunch from the others no real surprise, since cashews take presctiption the soft side.
Mixed Roasted Nut
There is a level split between peanuts and almonds on the top, but, again, cashews were missing for action. The packaging calls the coating about this one "mixed nut," however the pale coloring was most like the cashew, and, frankly it simply sampled sugary. This variety had probably the most nuts overall, and also the best crunch.
Chocolates, Peanut, and Almond
There have been lots of peanuts on the top, although not an almond around the corner. I did not miss them though, because of the abundance of chocolate chunks and also the chocolate coating. Basically had in summary in a single word: Peanut.
The decision: These bars are extremely sweet with this snackaholic, particularly when eaten between breakfast and lunch, when i did. But when dessert is exactly what you are after, opt for the chocolates--it'll satisfy that craving, and with no guilt that could include eating a real chocolate bar.
About the writer: Brooke Porter is really a La native now residing in Brooklyn. She's an affiliate editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter at @brookeporter1 .
Brooke Porter Katz is really a La native now residing in Brooklyn. She's an affiliate editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter at @brookeporter1 .