Clif Bars: the Abridged Version

Ever since I first tasted a Clif mini last summer, my pre-workout snack has never been the same. Clif bars have come to be my perfect and thus preferred fuel before a run; their precise combination of protein and carbohydrates has been proven far superior to my former snacks. As a result of this discovery, I determined to sample each and every Clif bar flavor. My decision to take on this endeavor occurred before the peanut butter-Salmonella scandal, so my brief reviews below exclude the Peanut Butter Toffee and Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch varieties...keep your fingers crossed that they may safely return to store shelves soon!
General Info:
Nutritionally, all Clif bar varieties are equivalent; one bar typically contains 3-7 grams of fat, 9-12 grams of protein, and 18-23 grams of sugar. Each bar also provides a smattering of vitamins and minerals: 25% RDA for calcium, 100% vitamin C, 25% iron, and several others. For more specific information, click here.
Clif bars all carry the same price tag as well: my Whole Foods sells them for $1.19 each, and Target sells them for 99 cents.
With all that said, below is my take on each variety in terms of tastiness.
The List:
-Apricot: Oddly enough, reminiscent of orange marmalade--shall we call Paddington Bear? Very moist. Recently reformulated.
-Banana Nut Bread: Strong banana flavor, unlike many allegedly banana-flavor bars. Identical flavor to the real thing (i.e., banana nut bread), but much more nutritious!
-Black Cherry Almond: One of my least favorites. Although the package reads "cherry," the flavor was decidedly lacking on cherryliciousness. Bonus points for plenty of almonds.
-Blueberry Crisp: If you purchase this bar, prepare to unwrap a muffin-like treat. Softer than many varieties, with a suprisingly fresh blueberry taste.
-Carrot Cake: Another fabulous rendition of a favorite baked good. The only thing that could make this even better is a blob of cream cheese icing...I suppose that would detract from the bar's health benefits, however.
-Chocolate Almond Fudge: Reminds me of a milk-chocolatey brownie with a plenitude of nuts. I'd prefer a more intense cocoa flavor...see below.
-Chocolate Brownie: One of my top picks! This variety achieves an authentic brownie-like consistency with a deeper chocolate flavor. The only downside is its tendency to leave attractive black remnants in your teeth.
-Chocolate Chip: Hands down favorite. This is always the first variety to dwindle in my box of Clif minis. The soft texture makes it more like chocolate chip cookie dough than an actual cookie. I always look forward to eating these.
-Cool Mint Chocolate: I must reiterate what others have said of this bar--it is the closest one can get to Thin Mint flavor without hunting down a Girl Scout. It has the same effect of the Chocolate Brownie variety--it leaves you with a black-flecked grill.
-Cranberry Apple Cherry: No doubt my least favorite variety. This bar is just a melange of non-distinct flavors, none of which appreciably shines through on your taste buds. My advice to Clif: ditch this flavor and develop something with fewer ingredients in the mix. As a side note, its flavor reminded me of gummy fruit snacks. Weird.
-Crunchy Peanut Butter: This bar is the most protein-packed, lowest in sugar, and most peanut-tastic. A bite into one of these guys is like taking a spoonful of crunchy PB right out of the jar. The only drawback is its lasting breath effects--it always leaves me tasting peanuts mid-run.
-Maple Nut: Think pancakes 'n syrup...in bar form. Deliciously sweet, and I love its inclusion of chopped pecans.
-Oatmeal Raisin Walnut: The name says it all--it's an oatmeal raisin cookie! The raisin population was a little low in my bar, so it was more like a regular ol' oatmeal cookie, but the combination of cinnamon, molasses, and walnuts made for quite the pleasant flavor experience.
-White Chocolate Macadamia: This bar converted me. That is, I am no longer a white chocolate hater. I now embrace the wonders of white chocolate, especially in combination with hearty macadamias. This bar is quite sweet and the highest in fat (7 grams), making it quite cookie-like, so I would enjoy this variety with less regularity than the others.
I have previously reviewed the seasonal flavors; if you're interested in reading about my take on those, click here.
Clifs are for more than just pre-workout snacks...here are a few other ways to enjoy them:
That concludes this Cliff's Notes version of Clif (ha!). I'd love to know, what's your favorite flavor? Why? Which ones can't you stand?

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Be back tomorrow with a weekend recap!

'Tis the Season...for Clif Bars?

After seeing them all over the blogosphere, I finally spotted the ever-elusive bars of the season: Limited Edition Clif Bars. These seasonal favorites are available only during the months of the winter holidays. I first encountered them at an on-campus convenience store in mid-November; more conventional establishments (e.g., Whole Foods or your local grocery store) might have begun stocking them earlier in the year.

Anyway, with the end of the holiday season fast approaching, I figured that I had better post a review of these seasonal bars, pronto! Now is the time to stock up before they disappear for another 11 months.

Iced Gingerbread
Of all three seasonal flavors, Iced Gingerbread enticed me the most. Did someone say icing?! If you recall my birthday's mound of frosting, er, cake, you'll remember that I have a healthy appreciation for all that is fluffy and heavily sugared. Plus, who doesn't like a good gingerbread treat during the holidays?
I opted to sample my bar before a brisk morning run. A half-bar serving provided the perfect mix of protein and carbohydrates to fuel my body, and its intense sweetness satisfied my sweet tooth. The amount of ginger flavor was just right in that I could detect the gingerbread taste without being overwhelmed by its notorious "bite." My one complaint is that the overall flavor experience was a bit too sweet, at least as a first-thing-in-the-morning snack. Perhaps if I had sampled it later in the day, I might have eaten this little brick of sugariness with more gusto.
The Iced Gingerbread variety contains 250 kcalories, 6 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, along with Clif bars' typical array of vitamins and minerals.

In addition to enjoying this as a pre-workout snack, you might also enjoy this bar heated in the microwave, accompanied by a glass of your favorite milk (soy/nut/cow's).

Spiced Pumpkin Pie
Next up on my list was the bar that featured my favorite squash in its name...pumpkin! While this flavor does not include "iced" in its name, rest assured that there is still plenty of the sweet stuff; the icing is merely spread across the bar's bottom rather than drizzled ever so attractively as it was on the gingerbread variety. Once again, this bar was heavily sugared, but its spice combination was not as notable as in the gingerbread variety. I would have appreciated a little bit more clove action. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this flavor, and it provided just the right oomph for my morning run, as is to be expected of my beloved Clif products.
The Spiced Pumpkin Pie variety contains 240 kcalories, 5 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and a host of vitamins and minerals. I love that Clif bars provide a vegan source of calcium--250 mg (25% RDA) per bar.
This bar was scrumptious enough for me to consider using it as a pumpkin pie substitute when an inopportune craving strikes. Try topping it with regular/soy whipped topping or your favorite soft spreadable cheese spread, such as Laughing Cow or Tofutti.

Pear Apple Strudel
Last among the seasonal flavor lineup was the Pear Apple Strudel. Honestly, I don't think I have ever tasted strudel in its traditional form, so I didn't know quite what to expect out of this flavor. Upon first bite, it was palatable but the flavor was not at all the pear-apple melange I had imagined. Instead, its taste reminded me of...chardonnay. It had a tart sweetness not unlike wine grapes. While this flavor does get points for the pretty icing design, I would rank this variety 3rd out of three. I may revisit it after I try a real strudel:)
The Pear Apple Strudel variety contains 240 kcalories, 5 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and the usual vitamin and mineral mix.
In honor of its strudel heritage, this bar might also be paired with fruit. Try crumbling it into small pieces as an alternative topping for fresh berries or applesauce.

If you'd like to sample these flavors for yourself, hurry to your local Clif supplier today--they won't be in stores for long! They are also available for sale online here.

Enjoy your last few moments of the weekend!