A New Bite-sized Way to Eat Your Energy (With Giveaway!)

Ever get sick of gnawing on protein bars as a snack? Yeah, us, too. Sometimes you just need to mix things up, especially when you’re on the go. So when we first were offered the opportunity to try SmartyBars—a snack that actually isn’t a bar at all—our interest was piqued and we, well, bit at the chance. And kept biting…and biting…

SmartyBars are a fruit-based, whole-food snack that comes in a cup. With no added sweeteners, added flavors or chemical concoctions, it has an ingredient list that is refreshingly simple: fruit, quinoa, gluten-free oats and walnuts.

With 100 calories a serving (there are four snack-sized servings in a cup), 2.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein, they’re a vegan and gluten-free snack that has some good nutrition to it. Each serving does have 10 grams of sugar, but at least you know it’s not added sugars or unnatural ones. You can buy a six-pack of SmartyBars online for $24, which isn’t cheap. But, hey, you have to pay to get quality ingredients sometimes.

While I do wish these had more protein, for a snack I really enjoyed them. Each bite-sized square is slightly chewy and dense, so it doesn’t take many to tame a hungry belly not does it weigh you down during a workout. I tried the Apricot SmartyBars and the Banana SmartyBars, and slightly preferred the flavor of the Banana, although to be honest they tasted pretty similar. Both have a pretty healthy, whole-grain taste and they’re not overly sweet, which I prefer. They do have a bit of an aftertaste though—not a bad one by any means, but one that will make you want to take a sip or two of water. (Which, again, isn’t a bad thing since most of us could all drink more water.)

Curious about SmartyBars? Want to try some bite-sized energy for yourself? Leave a comment below with what ingredient you like most in SmartyBars and two random U.S. commenters will win a six-pack, which includes three of each flavor. Yum, yum! —Jenn