Product: Glutino Strawberry Breakfast Bars – $5.99+
Ah…the days of breakfast bars. I thought I had left those behind when I went gluten-free a year ago. And, for the most part, I had. With the exception of a Larabar or Think Thin bar every now and again after a long run or so, I pretty much nixed everything else. Not just because such things are nigh on impossible to find (albeit that is part of it), but also because the products that are out there are so pricey.
But such is the life of a gluten-free girl, yes? My food budget is soaring and there isn’t a thing I can do about it. Frankly, I have to eat, and that sometimes is a challenge when dietary needs core into the picture.
Breakfast bars then? Frivolous. Costly. And not necessary.
And then, I went to a gluten-free tasting fair at a local natural foods store one afternoon. Different products were set out for people to taste, try, sample, and fall in love with. Some were winners right off the back. Some fell flat. And then there were some that I filed away for days when my roommate wanted to treat me to something gluten-free, or if the budget allowed for a gluten-free goodie.
One such product was the Glutino Breakfast Bars. The tasting fair had out samples of the blueberry bars, and they were fantastic. But, when push comes to shove, I am a strawberry girl all the way. So, one day while out grocery shopping, a box of the Glutino Strawberry Breakfast Bars found their way into my cart and then into my pantry.
Today…I busted out one of them for my afternoon snack. Now, back when I was growing up, one of the fresh, hot, “nutritious” products on the market was Nutri-Grain bars. Remember those? That’s what these remind me of. A layer of gluten-free pastry stuffed with a fruity filling. A little savory and sweet all rolled into one.
Now, one thing I did notice was how deceiving the packaging is on these. The bar is about the length of a point-and-shoot digital camera, yet it’s packed in a full-size bar wrapper. Size deception aside, however, these actually do taste fantastic. The fruit is sweet and quite tasty. It doesn’t have a ‘fake’ flavor to it and no sugar-shock value. The pastry-like outside is a bit on the heavier side, but not too dense. It rounds out the sweet berry flavor and gives the bar a healthy dose of fiber. I liked it. I actually think I preferred the blueberry that I sampled, but the strawberry was quite good.
Would I buy this again? If the budget allowed, you bet. It’s a quick, on-the-go snack or breakfast that is filling and, honestly, delicious.
If the pocketbook allows, and you’re looking for something handy to keep around to grab while on the go, these are a great go-to option. But, then again, they are from Glutino, who has yet to serve me up a product I dislike.
The Celiathlete 