Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Planters Big Nut Bar Triple Nut

Planters Big Nut Bar Triple Nut ($2.50 for 5, Kroger)
1.62 oz / 46g

Ingredients: peanuts, corn syrup, crisped rice, peanut butter, sugar, evaporated cane juice invert syrup, whole grain rolled oats, almonds, cashews, whey, soy lecithin, salt, honey, vegetable oil, resistant corn dextrin, brown sugar, whole grain rolled wheat, coconut, canola oil, wheat bran, xanthan gum, mixed tocopherols.

Calories: 220
Cals from fat: 100
Total Fat: 12g (18%)
Sat Fat: 1.5g (8%)
Sodium: 230mg (10%)
Total Carb: 23g (8%)
Fiber: 3g (12%)
Sugar: 13g
Protein: 7g

This is a nut bar sitting on a little bed of peanut butter. The mixed nuts are an improvement over the all-peanut version I had the other day, though isn't it suspicious that we pay more for mixed nuts than peanuts, but they are the same price here? Something doesn't add up. This really is a good, nutty bar, though. Really delicious. Nice texture. I think I might actually prefer this one to a payday bar all things being equal.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Fiber One Oats & Strawberries with Almonds

Fiber One Oats & Strawberries with Almonds ($3.59 for 5, Kroger)
1.4 oz / 40g


Ingredients: chicory root extract, rolled oats, sugar, cranberries, citric acid, natural flavor, elderberry juice concentrate, sunflower oil, crisp rice, high maltose corn syrup, barley flakes, almond pieces, honey, vegetable oil, sugar, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, glycerin, tricalcium phosphate, soy lecithin, salt, nonfat milk, cocoa processed with alkali, baking soda, caramel color, sunflower meal, wheat flour, mixed tocopherols.

Calories: 140
Cals from fat: 30
Total Fat: 3g (5%)
Sat Fat: 0.5g (4%)
Sodium: 90mg (4%)
Total Carb: 29g (10%)
Fiber: 9g (35%)
Sugar: 9g
Protein: 2g

Two things I notice right away: there is more chicory in this bar than anything else, and no actual strawberries. Still, the old "fiber one" magic is present; this bar tastes great and has a nice granola bar texture, and a whole lotta fiber. The bar is extremely chewy, and I get all the flavors: a little fruit, a little almond, a little chocolate from the drizzle on top. I honestly don't know how they do that. Also note that this bar, despite having some scary ingredients, is a lot better for me than yesterday's peanut bar; fewer calories, less fat, and with lots of fiber which satisfies hunger. I call it win-win, though I still have a couple of boxes of those peanut bars. Oh well.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Planters Big Nut Bar Double Peanut

Planters Big Nut Bar Double Peanut ($2.50 for 5, Kroger)
1.62 oz / 46g

Ingredients: peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, peanut butter, crisped rice, evaporated cane juice invert syrup, whole grain rolled oats, fractionated palm kernel oil, brown sugar, whole grain rolled wheat, coconut, canola oil, wheat bran, partially defatted peanut flour, salt, fructose, sodium caseinate, soy lecithin, resistant corn dextrin, natural flavor, mixed tocopherols.

Calories: 220
Cals from fat: 110
Total Fat: 13g (20%)
Sat Fat: 3g (15%)
Sodium: 160mg (7%)
Total Carb: 22g (7%)
Fiber: 3g (12%)
Sugar: 12g
Protein: 7g (7%)

Well, it seems I'll eat anything. That ingredient list is pretty scary, no? I'm just glad the corn dextrin was the resistant kind, because that non-resistant stuff is just not good enough!

This is sort of a peanut bar sitting on a little bed of peanut butter. It is nice and chewy unlike peanut bars of old, the peanut butter gives it some body and the overall effect is very granola-bar like despite the fact that this is really about 80% peanuts. I am a peanut fan, so I admit I like this bar. Its not really far off from a payday bar, and has about the same nutritional value. Sadly, the ingredients list (note: I got this from the internet, not the package so it may not be totally accurate) on the payday bar is shorter:
Peanuts, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Nonfat Milk, Salt, Mono- and Diglycerides, Egg Whites, TBHQ, Soy Protein, Citric Acid

So there ya go. You can have your old-fashioned partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or your newfangled fractionated palm kernel oil, but it all basically turns out the same.