Monday, November 5, 2012

Clif Crunch White Chocolate Macadamia Nut


Clif Crunch White Chocolate Macadamia Nut ($2.50 for 5 on sale, Publix) 
1.5 oz / 42g  

Ingredients: organic rolled oats, organic dried cane syrup, organic sunflower oil, soy white chocolate, roasted macadamia nuts, rice crisp, organic cane syrup, organic barley flakes, organic rye flakes, oat bran, oat fiber, sea salt, natural flavors, inulin. 

Calories: 190
Cals from fat: 80
Total Fat: 9g (14%) 
Sat Fat: 1.5g (8%) 
Sodium: 105mg (4%) 
Total Carb: 27g (9%) 
Fiber: 3g (12%) 
Sugar: 12g 
Protein: 3g

Clif has experienced a lot of success over the years, so much so that they helped spawn this blog as I went on a quest to supplant my daily Nature Valley bar with a wider variety of breakfast snack. Well, ladies and gentlemen this appears to have gone straight to their head as they have now released a granola bar that is essentially the organic substitute for the inimitable Nature Valley bar - crunchy bars two to a pack, ready for a showdown. Well, it is a proud effort on the part of Clif but I'm afraid it may be time for them to get their comeuppance. The ingredient list is certainly fancier - organic and with a wider variety of grains. The health facts are really about even, depending on the specific variety. So we're down to texture and taste. The Clif bar is tasty - sweet (maybe a little too sweet) and nutty, totally acceptable. The texture is where you will be forced to pick a side - the Clif texture is too light and crumbly and even feels/tastes a little oily - like it was baked with a fat that made it a little too crunchy. Some people may take to this, but I prefer the old-school Nature Valley bars. Sorry, Clif.