Bars

[Michael Levine]

I was wondering if anyone has found some better snacks than I have in terms of value, cal/ounces, and nutrition. I was checking out these at my local REI today, milky way bar and fritos tossed in at the end for comparison. Everything I got was 20% off retail by virtue of buying 12+. This does make me want to look more into making them. I ought to read through some recipe books for them, but as per usual, you don't try it until you need them, and in my case I'm not sure how shelf stable something i haven't made before is, and it's odd to trust my future (2+ week hike) calories to something untested.

Bar Cal/Dollar Cal/Ounce
Belly Timber – Fair Trade Espresso 141 129
Belly Timber – Pacific NW Blueberries 141 129
Bear Valley – Coconut Almond Mealpack 333 107
Bear Valley – Fruit n Nut Pemmican 367
Hammer Cashew Coconut Choco Chip 128 129
Stinger Waffle – Honey 143 160
Stinger Waffle – Chocolate 143 160
Stinger Waffle – Vanilla 143 160
Stinger Waffle – Strawberry 143 160
Probar – Superfood Slam 144 127
Probar – Peanut Butter 144 127
Probar – Double Chocolate 144 127
ProBar – Superfruit Slam 133 117
Probar – Cran Lemon Twister 136 120
Probar – Old School PB&J 140 123
Probar – Art's Original Blend 140 123
Probar – Whole Berry Blast 140 123
Probar – Apple Cinnamon Crunch 140 123
Probar – Cocoa Pistachio 148 130
Probar – Peanut Butter Choco Chip 149 131
Clifbar – Peanut Toffee Buzz 240 100

Fritos 800 160
Milky Way 360 132

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

I am really into making my own bars but that is so I can avoid questionable ingredients :-) I don't worry about the calories – since they are usually just nuts. seeds and fruit. The sheer volume of healthy fat trumps calories. And they last a long time if stored wrapped in the refrigerator, just grab and go.
It was odd…I found a Larabar hanging out in the back of our pantry and The Toddler and I shared it yesterday. It was good for 6 months still but tasted stale. I figured out why – I am so used to having fresh bars I just made, the taste is so different! I buy my raw nuts and dried fruits at Costco……

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Bar Cal/Dollar Cal/Ounce
US Wellness Pemmican 138 cals/$ 133 cals/oz

Cals/$ doesn't include the $7.50 shipping or the 10% discount you get with a bigger order.

Looks like fritos is the best cals/$ value. Bring some super fatty bean dip.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

I'd say quality is priceless ;-) Fritos are pretty questionable food…lol!

[Mary D]

I have to avoid most commercial bars thanks to my iodine allergy (brought on by disinfecting my water with iodine back in the 1980s). Even Clif and Luna bars are now fortified with potassium iodide, which I unfortunately learned the hard way! I pretty much stick with Kashi cereal bars and Odwalla bars, whose manufacturers have so far resisted the temptation to fortify their bars with every vitamin and mineral known to man. I read the label every time I buy some, though.

I am really dubious about using homemade bars, especially raw ones, in situations where I pack up the car for a month and head for distant points (like Wyoming) for several 7-10 day trips. The food for the last trip of course spends several weeks in my car! The other problem is before the trip even starts–the bars sit there in my refrigerator hollering "Eat me now!"

[Steven Paris]

@Mary:

Try these, available at Fred Meyer:

http://earnesteats.com/

Very simple ingredient list. Try the Almond Trail Mix Bar (with almond butter in it). These are super tasty!

[John S.]

snickers

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Ernest bars are good….. +1

[Brad Abrahams]

I strive for simplicity in ingredients. I'm a big fan of Stoats Porridge Bars. They are available at REI. The classic is only three ingredients, Oats, Butter, Sugar. That one is my favorite at 300 calories per bar. There are lots of other varieties with more cals per ounce.

[chris smead]

Stinger waffles are my favorite. Also balance bar gold (the carmel/chocolate ones),
And a new one I found is called simply coconut. It's made by balance as well, but the packaging looks different.

[Ken Thompson]

http://hikeitlikeit.com/2012/battle-of-the-bars/

[Erik Dietz]

I eat these occasionally as a meal replacement when I'm at work and they're Paleo (which is important to me but probably not so much to you). However they have 314 calories, 23g of fat, 20g of carbs, 12g of protein, etc. I took them with me when we went up to the Sespe Wilderness and I loved them. Oh and they taste really good too, which I've found is quite a bit more important when hiking then packing in a crap ton of calories (for me).

http://www.briansbowls.com/products/ohmybar

[Greg Mihalik]

Is Paleo really 66% Fat?

[Erik Dietz]

Greg,

as far as I understand it (and people are free to disagree with me) paleo isn't about particular percentages. It's a high fat, moderate protein and low carb diet that excludes dairy, grains, sugar and fruit. Of course there are all sorts of variations on the Paleo diet but if you're interested in learning more I'm sure you could look it up.

[Greg Mihalik]

Erik,
I did Google it. I found it a little baffling. (No disparagement intended)

I was hoping you'd return with a succinct one-liner (OK, two) that I could understand.

You did.

Thanks

[Erik Dietz]

Hey Greg,

I agree, it can be confusing some of the time. If you're at all interested there's a really good site that's called "marks daily apple" that you could check out. If you google it it'll come up.

[Eddy Walker]

"Of course there are all sorts of variations on the Paleo diet but if you're interested in learning more I'm sure you could look it up"

Isn't that the truth. What you can eat on one site you can't on another

[Curry]

I kow they're heavey, but I love Cliff bars and Builder bars, so I always have a few of those.

[Bob Gross]

I just finished a three-day backpack trip in Sequoia National Park. During the middle of each day, the only solid food I had was either a half or whole Clif bar and then energy drinks. That stuff won't warm the heart of a nutritionist, but it keeps my motor running.

–B.G.–

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