~ Leesa
I’ve tried quite a few snack and energy bars lately, even making some of my own. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be writing up what I found with each type. My main interests are taste, how filling they are, how long they help keep the ‘hungries’ away, and how well they travel.
The PROBAR Fruition series is a new addition to the existing PROBARS – including Art’s Original Collection and the Sweet and Savory line. 
The name says a lot about the Fruition line. The fruit taste is unmistakable. Bars are available in Strawberry, Blueberry, Peach and Cran-Raspberry. Each one has its own unique and fruity flavor. Each bar has enough texture that it requires a bit of chewing, and holds together while eating and in my pack. It is not so ‘chunky’ that I feel I am expending more energy to eat it, than I am gaining by eating it. All bars are certified organic, vegan and no GMO. This review is of my personal experiences, and tastes.
Cran-Raspberry Nutrition Information
Strawberry
The strawberry fruition bars have a distinct fresh strawberry flavor. I raise strawberries, and am spoiled by having them fresh, or freshly frozen and dried. I definitely thought ‘wow’ when I tasted them. They are a bit sweet, which I believe comes from the dates. Sweet to my taste and enough to satisfy a slight sweet tooth. I tend to like ‘tart’ over sweet, so others may not notice at all. The bars also contain chia seeds and oats. Both add to the nutritional value and texture, without impacting the taste much. One 48g bar contains 160 calories, 34 g Carbohydrates and 2 grams of fat.
Blueberry
I was a bit apprehensive about trying the blueberry Fruition bar. I do not like blueberry flavoring. Give me fresh blueberries and I can eat them by the quart. I live in Maine – blueberries are our state berry, they grow wild behind my house. I just don’t like them if they are processed in any way. (I’m not even crazy about blueberry pie) I grabbed on though before heading out snowshoeing one morning and eventually got hungry enough to give it a try. Wow, what a nice surprise! It tastes like…blueberries and cashews. The bar was easy to eat, not too sweet, although sweeter than the strawberry. The cashews gave it more texture and required a bit more chewing. I like it overall – easy to carry, easy to eat, easy to digest. The flavor is good, although not my favorite, I would not hesitate to eat it again.
Peach
I love fresh peaches! During the summer, I could eat them every day when they are fresh. Peaches are known for their juicy, sweet taste. The PROBARS carry the peach flavoring, without the juiciness. They taste like a dessert bar to me, sweet and satisfying. The contain 160 calories, 2g of fat and 34g of carbohydrates. I didn’t enjoy eating them on an empty stomach as much as the ending to a light lunch. The texture is fairly smooth with all the ingredients well blended.
Cran-Raspberry
I’ll be upfront here – I could eat the Cran-Raspberry bars every day very easily. I’ve taken them with my hiking and snowshoeing, and eaten them for breakfast and/or as a snack. Sometimes in the same day. They satisfy my hunger and give me with energy to keep going. I look forward to eating them… I love the sweet/tart combination. I’ve now started carrying them to eat as breakfast on the way to work, when I don’t have time for my usual granola and yogurt. Yes, they are my favorite. What isn’t to love? Healthy, low calorie and energizing along with great taste. (they aren’t considered an ‘energy bar’, although they provide needed nutrients to boost energy). A 48g bar provides 160 calories, 2g of fat, and 34 g of carbohydrates. The Chia seeds are considered a ‘Superfood’ and are nutrient dense.
I found the bars to be filling enough for either breakfast on the trail, or a snack after a long, strenuous snowshoe trek. They are easy to eat, digest easily, and the resulting energy seems to last until my next stop. One thing that has bothered me in the past with other bars, is how the pieces get stuck between my teeth. Stopping to floss while outdoors isn’t usually easy, or fun. PROBARS never get stuck, which is a real plus.
None of the bars showed any sign of crumbling or squishing while in any of my packs or pockets. During sub-zero temperatures, I did learn to keep one or two in inner jacket pockets, so they were soft enough to eat when I wanted them. They don’t freeze rock solid, but enough that eating them took more effort. I am thinking that freezing them in the summer might make for a really good snack in hot weather.
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