As seen above (At the Walker Art Center Sculpture Garden’s “Open Field.”), today was an incredibly beautiful day. I guess maybe my rant yesterday got noticed by Mother Nature, and we were given perhaps the most beautiful day this summer, thus far.
After an afternoon filled with lazing, reading (Eve Ensler’s ‘The Good Body’ cover to cover), berry-picking planning and idle conversation, I was ready for a summertime snack.
Enter my latest addiction; The Clif Bar. You may remember last year when I tried one for the first time. I was not a fan. I was putting it in the same category as, say, a TLC crunch or fiber one bar. I wasn’t ready to appreciate these protein packed candy bars yet.
Then a few weeks ago I hit a hangry hour at work and my obsession was born. I impulsively bought a peanut butter crunch Clif at the gas station on a break from work, and wow did it ever hit the spot. Though I chose it for its 10 grams of protein, I returned for its chewy denseness, sure to kick hunger to the curb the way only, say, a Snickers can.
But Snickers don’t have soy protein pumped into them, do they? hehe.
So I’ve long been a fan of Clif Kids Z-bars. The Blueberry ranks my favorite, seconded by the s’more, chocolate chip, honey graham, and brownie. The peanut butter Z-bar? Ick. But the Z-bars are a quick snack when dinner isn’t quite ready yet, something to throw in your purse for the mall.
Clif regular? I might actually take these on a hike with me. In fact, come next vacation? I’ll have a stash in my carryon. For now, I’m trying to stay on a habit of only one a day. For sheer sugar overload’s sake…
The final countdown: Reasons I love these things:
1. They are perhaps the least obscure energy bar, and you can find them almost anywhere
2. Wide variety of flavors. Some great, some NOT. Don’t try the carrot cake. Don’t try the chocolate chip PB, the chocolate chip, or the brownie. They are lame.
3. They actually fill you up beyond a normal energy or protein bar, are the SAME PRICE OR LESS, and when heated they taste even more desserty.
One last thing before I go worship at the altar of my bar stash… Cassie from Candidly Cassie passed on the Amazing Blogger award to me. This is a new one for me and I’m psyched about it! So here is the questionnaire, for some more gratuitous information about me…
1. Favorite cartoon character: The animaniacs
2. Favorite thing to photograph: Light and shadows
3.Favorite thing to cook: Risotto ( I love the stirring)
4. Favorite way to exercise: Kickboxing
5. Favorite movie: Sabrina
6. Favorite clothes: Shift dresses, with or without tights depending on season.
7. Favorite flowers: blue hydrangea
8. Favorite breakfast: fruit and tortillas, but not together
9. Favorite book: The Sun Also Rises- Papa Hemingway
10. Least favorite food: Iceberg lettuce. Blech.
Thanks very much Cassie! Now everyone go check out Cassie’s blog! And if you read this on the holiday weekend- consider yourself tagged and fill out this fun little questionnaire yourself!
What kinds of snack bars or energy bars do you like these days? What do you think of Clif bars?
I’ll be gone for a few days and guessing others will be too- but I’ll be back with some fresh rants and raves in a day or two!
Meri
I’ve never tried a Clif Bar but I might just have to now! I’m all about curbing the hunger thing! I personally like what Special K puts out…their breakfast and meal bars for sure.
As far as the questionnaire:
1. Favorite cartoon character: Daffy Duck (my dad can talk like him)
2. Favorite thing to photograph: nature/landscapes
3.Favorite thing to cook: Lasagna (Yum!)
4. Favorite way to exercise: Aerobic kickboxing or the Eliptical
5. Favorite movie: Fried Green Tomatoes/Some Like it Hot/Arsenic and Old Lace
6. Favorite clothes: yoga pants and a comfy t-shirt
7. Favorite flowers: Lilies
8. Favorite breakfast: Oatmeal with a small bit of brown sugar, cup of fruit, dry wheat toast (with grape jelly)
9. Favorite book: The Painted House by John Grisham and Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
10. Least favorite food: Broccoli
yea another kickboxing fan! It sure gets all of my stress out 🙂
My choice of snack bar is very limited. Most gluten free bars have cranberries in them and I’m allergic to cranberries 🙁 Instead I eat sultanas and almonds for a snack.
x Jasmine
In the end, I would do the same if not for the protein put into a lot of energy bars 🙂 They should make more without cranberries- what about people like you who are allergic or people who just don’t like them?
not sure if i ever tried a cliff bar. i think i may have had a bite, at least. but i love all of those “bars” and am not too picky…powerbars were my faves at one time. i tried soyjoy once and really wanted to love them, but they had so much fat & cholesterol & sugar! my mom actually makes these energy bars which we all love around here…
rockoomph.blogspot.com
I’d probably make my own except i hate to bake hahaha
I haven’t had a Clif bar in years, but always found them kind of “dense.” As in, eating this whole thing for breakfast is way too filling (and I mean, I like my chow.) I do like Luna bars, but mostly just grab a Nature’s Valley granola bar if I need to pack an easy snack.
The first time I tried them, I disliked the denseness. Lately, I’ve been really hungry a lot so the denseness is nice because it is more filling than most other bars. It really is on a flavor by flavor basis though too…
I’m really loving the Simply Bar. It’s made with soy crisps and agave nectar…the texture reminds me a bit of rice crispie squares minus the marshmallows. It has 16 grams of protein and only about 150 calories. I loooooove peanut butter chocolate and lemon coconut flavours.
That sounds good I’ll have to try them! I love krispies 🙂
Congrats on the award!
Thanks! I’d love to hear your answers to the questionnaire!
i’ve never tried the cliff bars actually though i’ve seen them everywhere!!! 🙂 my favorite are larabars because they are simple – dates and nuts! 😀
I’ve made my own laras before and it was sticky, date-y fun! I rolled them in sesame seeds for crunch 🙂
I tend to put bars into two different categories…”granola bars” are your Kashi bars, Chewy Bars, etc. and “protein bars” are those single serving bars that are meant to act as a major meal. Those are Clif Bars, Larabars, Luna Bars, etc. I think people (not you, just people in general!) see to confuse the purpose of those bars. For that purpose, I think Clif bars work great – the sugar, fat, and calories really aren’t any more than you’d eat in a meal of that size and they work for when you can’t eat but know you should. Clif bars also have pretty good ingredients compared to other bars, though Larabars are the best, ingredient-wise.
As for flavors, I like Chocolate Chip and the PB one. I was surprised that I liked Cool Mint also, and they have a new Coconut flavor that I like too!
I like the ones you call “granola bars,” but I don’t tend to buy them unless they have a substantial amount of protein, just because of the cost! I tend to see it as a write off if a bar has more than 8 grams of protein, then its not just a sugary snack, it has… sort of some nutritional value 🙂
I started eating Clif bars by accident. I bought them to send to my friend when she was studying abroad in Spain, but I bought the wrong ones. I keep them on hand for days when I wont be able to sit down and eat, and they sure do the trick.
They are oddly addicting 🙂
Also, have a fabulous weekend!!
Looks like a beautiful day!! And I’ve never tried Clif bars. I just may have too! Also – I love risotto! Okay, maybe NOT the cooking part, but I love the eating part. I lack patience.
well I like cooking it more than eating it- so maybe we’d make a good team haha!
I have never had a Clif bar, but now I really want to try one.
BTW, that picture of your feet is totally adorable. <333
http://www.glamkittenslitterbox.com/
Twitter: @GlamKitten88
Thanks! my feet are now covered in bug bites so I’m glad they had their glory 🙂
We don’t get clif bars here in the UK but we get these blue energy bars called ‘Boost’ which turn your mouth and teeth (and who knows what else) bright blue! We call them Smurf bars! It’s great to see someone else hates iceberg lettuce (my bf thinks it’s completely irrational!)
haha- I like that. Kind of like drinking red wine- people know what you’ve been up to 🙂
I really kind of hate Clif bars – I think they have an already chewed texture – sorry if that’s TMI 🙂
I like prana bars, luna bars (which are really just glorified candy) and zing bars. I do like the clif z bars & mojo bars.
I’ve never tried a zing bar- cute name!
I used to eat a cliff bar before going to the gym so I won’t be hungry working out! they’re great!
They’d be great for that- lots of protein!
I’ve never tried clif bars before, but my favorite bars are definitely Kashi or Nature Valley! Clif have too many calories for me. For 190 calories, I’d rather make a mini meal haha!
You’re right- I just looked, and the ones I have have 240 calories in a bar, which is a bit much for a snack but when you want a bigger snack they hit the spot!
looks like a great day to be outside!
I love the Clif chocolate chip bars…and I have to limit myself on them, or I could easily eat one everyday and I just don’t feel like I need it!
I’m interested to see how long this current addiction will last before i move onto something else!
CONGRATS on the reward!
I love Sabrina too and hate iceburg lettuce!
we’re like TWINS..
HAHAHA
jk.
I’m very happy to be similar to you 🙂
I’ve heard about the cliff bars, but haven’t tried them. I will be adding them to my list! 🙂
I would say try the coconut chocolate chip first- probably my favorite!
I don’t do the whole energy bar thing. I’ve had a few before and the ones I’ve tried weren’t very tasty and I feel like I have sticker shock when I see the calorie count on those things sometimes! I’m not much of a snacker type person, but do find myself snacking on occasion simply because I’m bored or something sounds good. Need to work on that!
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