LÄRABAR Original Fruit & Nut Bar

Natural bar is surprisingly tasty

Pros

- Great taste
- Natural ingredients
- Meets several other dietary needs

Cons

- Not a focused energy bar
- Not likely available in bike shops

Review

I'm not sure how this Larabar got into my bike ride food stash. It's a brand I'd hear of before, but I didn't buy it for myself, so maybe my wife or my mom picked it up at the store and gave it to me as something new to try. "He'll eat any of those granola bar things," I'm pretty sure they think.

This one was Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and because of the chocolate part, I had avoided throwing it into my jersey pocket many a ride before because chocolate usually melts and makes a mess. However, on this morning, I wanted to try something new and it was cold enough out that melting wasn't a worry.

At my turn-around point thirty miles out, I stopped for coffee and a snack. I pulled out the Larabar and unwrapped it. Surprise! It wasn't chocolate coated, like I assumed it would be (I missed the 'chip' part of the name), but there were chips and they were only a little melted; no mess, really. Since I had zero Larabar exposure before, I was expecting a dryer texture, but the bar was moist and chewy. This flavor is great - a nice balance of peanut butter and chocolate and not too sweet. I was impressed.

It's great to see that Larabars are made from recognizable ingredients - in this case simply dates, peanuts, chocolate chips, and sea salt. I don't require much, but these bars also tick a lot of boxes for common diet desires: dairy free, gluten free, Kosher, soy free, vegan, and non-GMO.

Larabars go for about a buck at your local supermarket or retailer. They're not a "cycling" energy bar, so you probably won't find them at your local bike shop. Still, I recommend them for those days when you just need a nice, tasty bar and a some variety on a ride, or just for life on the go.

- Review by Anthony D. Morrow.