Good taste, fair texture, but sketchy nutritional value
I was skeptical about this product at first. Most energy bars have the taste and texture of thick cardboard. The thought of trying to get a kid to eat one was not terribly appealing. But surprisingly, they were not bad.<br /><br />The appearance is a plus. Each bar is individually packaged in bright green and blue plastic. This product looks like a cross between a nutty brownie (which may not appeal to some youngsters) and a candy bar. The taste isn't bad, either--like rich, dark, crunchy chocolate. It requires a bit of chewing--which, again, may be a turn-off for some kids. But it really satisfies and stays with you for a long time. It took two bars to stave my hunger, but I imagine a child would require only one to keep him/her happy.<br /><br />They are not particularly healthy, though, in my opinion. I counted at least four kinds of sugar repeated early in the list of ingredients. At 130 mg of sodium per 1.26 oz bar, they seemed to have a pretty high salt content. There are vitamins and minerals added, but they appear to be of chemical rather than natural origin--which means they may not be readily digested and absorbed into the body. I was really disturbed to see silicon dioxide (basically sand, which has been linked to restless leg syndrome) included in the list of ingredients. And with the excito-toxin MSG frequently being listed these days as &#34;natural flavor,&#34; I was more than a little suspicious about seeing that item as an ingredient.<br /><br />If you are desperate for something to feed your kids on the go, these are okay. They are pretty solid, so I think these would work well in the glove box or under the seat as an emergency snack for the kiddos. Unlike a candy bar, they won't melt in the heat. But they seem to have only barely more nutritional value than a chocolate bar. You might be better off reaching for the trail mix or a bag of raw nuts, instead.
Rating: 3 stars