PROBAR MEAL Bars Part 2

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Team 101

PROBAR has recently introduced a brand new line of “meal” bars, and since we’ve tried a few of their products in the past and thought they were excellent, we figured why not go ahead and try out some of the other flavors they have to offer. This review will focus on 4 new flavors in their line of MEAL bars, and they’re aptly titled that because it’s basically a meal in a bar. These bars are made with healthful ingredients that you’ve actually seen in a grocery store, hence why they’re probably healthier than the meal you’d be buying from a fast food restaurant on your lunch break. Their line of MEAL bars is pretty expansive, 12 flavors in all, but this review today is going to focus on their 4 new flavors: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Original Blend, Superfood Slam and Koka Moka. PROBAR states: “Our company’s goal is to change how the world thinks when it comes to real, whole food. PROBAR products are proof that a food maker can wholeheartedly commit to quality, sustainability—and sheer deliciousness. Part of the Simply Real® promise is sourcing the finest all-natural, 100% vegan organic ingredients from growers who believe in these things as well. As you check out our products, they all have one thing in common: they started with only the best raw ingredients”. To learn more about PROBAR, be sure and check out their web-site for more information on their line of products, as well as how you can order their bars directly from their online store. Lastly, don’t forget to visit the PROBAR Facebook page, and as a special for our Food Review 101 readers, if you enter the code “BLOGGER” when purchasing something from their online store, you will receive 40% off your first purchase!

The first flavor we took a look at was their Koka Moka bar, which they describe as a “delectable mocha flavored bar” that is sure to please any coffee aficionado’s palate. Our first bite into this bar was filled with a rich chocolaty goodness with subtle hints of coffee, combined with just a bit of richness from the addition of almonds and vanilla. Texturally, it has a semi-soft bite to it mixed with a bit of crunchy texture from the bits of sesame and pumpkin seeds mixed in, which we think most people will really enjoy. After that, we moved onto their Superfood Slam bar, and the main and obvious reason for this bar’s name is because it’s mixed with super ingredients like: organic acai berries, pure raspberries, dark chocolate and live greens. If the thought of “live greens” scares you, you’re not alone; however, this bar actually just tastes like raspberries and other sweet delectable fruit. This isn’t as chocolaty as the koka moka bar, but if you’re looking for something a tad sweeter, perhaps you try this bar and let us know what you think in the comments section below. For the most part, all of the bars in this review have the same texture, so expect it to be pretty consistent throughout. The next flavor was perhaps the most anticipated of the bunch, and that’s because the next flavor was their Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bar. PROBAR says of their delightful concoction: “Which is better peanut butter or chocolate? You don’t have to decide with this ooey-gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bar packed with swirls of organic peanut butter and dark chocolate that will satisfy all your cravings”. This bar is packed with a peanut butter flavor that we weren’t really expecting, and we think that any peanut butter lover would absolutely love this bar. The chocolate chips were dotted throughout this bar; however, it wasn’t like eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup or anything like that. Their peanut butter chocolate chip bar might be our favorite yet, but with that in mind, we’ll move onto our last flavor. That last flavor just so happens to be their Original Blend, which is a combination of “of whole grain goodness, chunky nuts and moist, delicious fruits”. Our testers thought this bar was definitely the most classic of the bunch, and is perhaps the bar that most resembles the traditional granola bar. It has a sweet flavor to it that combines well with the whole almonds, oats and fruit. Overall (4.5 out of 5).

The pros are that the flavors taste great, the texture is soft and chewy, you can buy them in grocery stores or from their online web-site, they’re made with awesomely healthful ingredients, and it’s just an overall great product.

The cons are that the high calorie and fat count might scare off a few people, however, the fat comes from healthful sources like nuts and seeds.

Nutritional Information For 1 PROBAR Original Blend Bar:

Calories 370
Fat 18g
Sodium 70mg
Carbs 47g
Fiber 6g
Sugar 20g
Protein 9g

Noosa Premium Yogurt

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Team 101

You might not have heard of Noosa Yogurt until fairly recently, and that’s because the company actually got its start in Noosa, Australia. Noosa recently moved some of their operations over to Colorado, which is why we are now able to enjoy it here in America. You can now found Noosa yogurt lining the shelves of your local grocery store, as well as national chains like Whole Foods. They say: “We took a page from the Greeks with their famously rich yogurt. Ours is made in small batches, set and infused with honey to give it that delicious sweet-tart tang, and smooth, velvety texture that sets us apart from the throng”. Noosa has six different flavors to choose from: Honey, Blueberry, Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry Rhubarb and Peach. To learn more about Noosa and where you can find them in your area, be sure and head to their web-site for more information.

Perhaps the most normal yogurt flavor they make is Honey, which is why we thought it would be a great place to start this review. Our first bite was filled with the natural flavor of the yogurt, honey, and just a touch of sweetness from the cane sugar that they threw into the mix; however, the sugar content is surprisingly low. The texture of the yogurt is somewhat thick with a bit of velvety smoothness to it that they said we should expect, so there really weren’t any surprises aside from how awesome it was. This Greek yogurt is different from others that we’ve tried, in the sense that it isn’t incredibly thick that you have a hard time eating it. Next, we took a spoonful of their Blueberry yogurt, and as the picture below indicates, this yogurt is chock full of blueberries. The third ingredient is real blueberries, not some fake corn sugar coated blue dots that many large companies like to pass off as blueberries. This yogurt is so much better than the traditional stuff you buy at the store, mainly because it’s made with a short and simple list of real ingredients that you can actually pronounce. Continuing with the success of the other two, we headed for their Mango yogurt. Their mango yogurt is tasty and interesting, but we wouldn’t say it was our favorite in their line of awesome tasting yogurt. It definitely tastes like yogurt infused with real mangos, but it just wasn’t something that our tasters would choose over the other flavors in their line. Noosa’s Raspberry yogurt was the next in our line of flavors, and what we liked about this was pretty much in line with all of the other nice things we’ve said about Noosa’s variety so far. It has a semi-sweet quality to it that isn’t overwhelming or underdone, rather, it’s a nice balance of sweetness, yogurt and real fruit puree that Noosa has managed to get into one tub of yogurt. We can honestly say that we’ve never had Strawberry Rhubarb yogurt prior to this review, but after tasting this we can say that we’re certainly glad we did. If you’ve ever had strawberry rhubarb pie before, expect that same flavor in this yogurt—which we thing is quite a compliment. It has more of a strawberry influence than rhubarb, but that isn’t to say that you can’t taste any rhubarb at all. Lastly, we came across their Peach yogurt, and our judges thought this was a nice take on a somewhat classic combination. It tastes like an upgraded version of the peach yogurt you’ve been eating for years now, with the only difference being that this is made with real peaches, making it much healthier in the process. Overall (5 out of 5).

The pros are that they have 6 decadent flavors to choose from, the texture of the yogurt is velvety smooth, it’s high in protein, you can find them nation-wide at your local grocery store, they’re made with real ingredients, and it’s the best yogurt we’ve had to date.

The cons are that it’s high in natural sugar, which you can escape from when you’re dealing with yogurt.

Nutritional Information For 113g Of Honey Yogurt (Half Of The Small Tub):

Calories 140
Fat 6g
Sodium 50mg
Carbs 16g
Fiber 1g
Sugar 10g
Protein 9g

Whole Fruit Smoothie’s

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Team 101

Our newest review is for Whole Fruit Smoothie’s, of which is a fairly new product that you can find in the frozen section of your grocery store. The smoothie’s come in three different flavors: Strawberry Banana, Pineapple Mango, and Mixed Berry. You may have seen Whole Fruit products prior to this review in the form of Fruit Bars or Sorbet; however, we’re pretty sure you’ve yet to read up on the newest addition to their Whole Fruit line. J&J Snacks says, “Whole Fruit Smoothies are made with chunks of real fruit and bursting with a refreshing taste. Get all the taste & quality with better-for-you benefits”. We were excited to try out these little smoothie cups, because they sound and look refreshing, in addition to only have 100 calories per cup. To learn more about Whole Fruit, be sure and head to their web-site for more information on their existing line of products, as well as their brand new line of Whole Fruit Smoothie’s.

The first flavor we tried out was their very refreshing sounding Strawberry Banana smoothie, which actually does contain bananas and strawberries in it. As you can see from the picture below, the smoothie is quite thick and more along the lines of Italian ice. If we’re just talking about the flavor though, this smoothie simply tastes like strawberries and bananas with just a bit of milk mixed in to make things a bit richer. We were afraid this smoothie would be too sweet, but it’s actually right in the middle on the spectrum of being too sweet and not sweet enough. Being frozen, it allows you to take your time eating this smoothie, making for a nice afternoon snack. Next, we tried out their Pineapple Mango smoothie, and our testers thought this flavor was equally as tasty as the first one we tried out. The pineapples and mangos are the only ingredients you taste, but in the case of a pineapple mango smoothie, that’s a good thing. Lastly, we tried our hand at their Mixed Berry concoction, which contains mostly blueberries, strawberries, and a few ingredients we didn’t really care for. The flavor was good, just like the rest of the flavors we tried out, which means you should to expect to find the same quality with this flavor. The texture of all the smoothies is the same, so just expect to find that Italian ice aspect running throughout each of the three flavors from this line of Whole Fruit Smoothies. If you’re a stickler for healthy ingredients, than a few of the items in these smoothies might not be for you; however, if you’re strictly looking for a great tasting frozen smoothie, we recommend you check out these new Whole Fruit Smoothies. Overall (4 out of 5).

The pros are that they have 3 flavors to choose from, you can find them at grocery stores nation-wide, the flavors are good, the textures are good, and it’s an overall decent product.

The cons are that they have a bit of added sugar in them.

Nutritional Information For 1 Banana Strawberry Smoothie:

Calories 100
Fat 2.5g
Sodium 20mg
Carbs 18g
Fiber 0g
Sugar 16g
Protein 1g