WHAT: Nature Valley Layered Granola Nut Bars and Soft-Baked Filled Squares
STATS: Vary by flavor. One Almond Butter granola bar contains 190 calories and 11 fat, 21 carbohydrate, 2 fiber, 8 sugar and 4 protein grams. One Cocoa Peanut Butter square contains 180 calories and 9 fat, 24 carbohydrate, 5 fiber, 9 sugar and 3 protein grams. We found them at Wal-Mart, 700 Bowman Road, Little Rock. Visit NatureValley.com.
THE SKINNY: Another year, another batch of snack bars. And Nature Valley has two new varieties: Layered Granola Nut Bars and Soft-Baked Filled Squares.
The crunchy granola bars, which come in Peanut Butter Chocolate and Almond Butter Chocolate, feature three layers: nut butter, whole grain oats/nuts and chocolate. Yet, what they don't feature is much flavor; ingredients like the chocolate and peanut butter just don't pop.
As for the Soft-Baked Filled Squares, available in Honey Peanut Butter and Cocoa Peanut Butter, they have more flavor (particularly the chocolate). But unfortunately, they also contain chicory root extract, which is at the root of gastrointestinal effects for some.
That bar ingredient should be barred.
-- Jennifer Christman
Slim Pickings is a weekly review of light foods.
jchristman@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 01/22/2018