Product: Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Bars – $2.50+
I love a good gluten-free deal. Seriously. Sales. Manager’s Specials. It’s one of the only ways I can afford to test out some of the products that I do. But even more difficult at times is finding healthy gluten-free snacks that aren’t straight out of the produce aisle.
Don’t get me wrong…fresh produce is my favorite thing in this world. I load up on fruits and vegetables religiously and snack often on apples, berries, and certainly bananas. But sometimes the diet needs a bit of a shake-up and finding a gluten-free alternative often leads to cookies or high-calorie snack bars.
Then, on the Manager’s Special table at my local grocery store, I found a pack of Nature’s Path’s gluten-free line of products that are marketed to kids. Envirokidz Organic Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Bars…sounded intriguing enough. I like peanut butter. And when I didn’t have my gluten-intolerance, Rice Krispie treats were one of my favorite things in the world. So…this sounded like a good way to change up the afternoon snack. Not to mention, these are relatively healthy, low in calories and fat, and gives this vegetarian a bit of a protein boost from its use of organic peanut butter in the ingredients.
Here’s the good thing about buying products that are marketed towards children. They often taste amazing. Why? Because kids are finicky eaters. They are the biggest food critics out there and will not eat something that doesn’t taste good to them.
I ripped into one of these at work one afternoon when the 3:00 munchies hit hard. And I became hooked immediately. They are soft, chewy, and packed with peanut butter flavor. They have the right amount of sweetness in each bite to counter any cravings for something sweet (and less healthy). Not to mention, they are the perfect amount to act as a snack without ruining my appetite for dinner. Let’s face it…I live to eat and cook, so this was my perfect go-to snack. Who would have thought?
These bars are the perfect size (think granola bar size) to be filling, and easy to transport. They have the crispiness in the initial bite, and the soft, melt-in-your-mouth affect that crispy rice bars should have. And…they are flavored with peanut butter. Salty meets sweet. The best combination ever.
Nature’s Path knew what they were doing when they set out to market and make these delightful treats. Kids will love the animals on the boxes. But they will also love the product that is wrapped up inside. Even better…adults will too. And you don’t need to feel guilty about this little indulgence.
The Celiathlete 