I ate a Lara bar

[rawpriestess]

Okay, so we were out and about today, and my beloved Dragggon bought me some fresh fruit for lunch, and he found a Lara Bar, knowing that I had never had one, and that they are raw, he bought me one.

So, it was a chocolate coconut chew, sounds delicious, but it was simply OKAY, no big wow from me, I don't like things particularily sweet, but this wasn't even a little bit sweet, it was okay.

I can see how you could easily have them in your pocket or purse and grab one, and have a hearty raw snack, I can see how easy they are to carry around with no peel to dispose of although they do have a wrapper, and I can also see that you can take one bite, put it away, take another bite a couple hours later, put it away, so it could be considered convenient, but it just didn't taste that great to me.

I am used to fresh ripe raw organic produce, and although I dehydrate alot of my food and freeze it, this just didn't taste fresh to me.

so, I can now say I've tried a famous (or should I say infamous) Lara bar, and I may have another one in the future if they are available and I am hungry, but I think I'd just rather eat an apple or banana.

So, that is my take on the $1.69 Lara Bar, which I also think is way too expensive for what you get.

And I think I can make a much better one.

[Rawkinlocs]

LOL! That's so funny you posted this. There was a time when I would see LaraBars in the store and say "WOW! They have Larabars!" and I'd buy one or two (or three) and I'd eat them later...kinda like you said, never one bar all at once, but a bite here and there.

Today, I was at the co-op doing my weekly shopping and I saw that they now carry ALL flavors of Larabars. I looked at them, picked one up (pecan pie I think) and I read the ingredients: pecans, almonds and dates and I said to myself, "Shoot, I can make this at home" and put it back. I just don't get as excited about them like I used to. Yep, great when you're out and ready to grab something bad...convenient and quick. But they just don't thrill me anymore.

[rawpriestess]

Rawkinlocs, there is NO WAY a Lara Bar could EVER compair with your cinnamon rolls, now THAT is a fantastic thrill to the taste buds, now THOSE, I can't just eat a bite here and there, I gotta' have one then another, and they were big too. YUMMY!!!

[Elouet]

Haha, your review is hysterical RawPriestess! I have tried Lara Bars and enjoy them, becasue they are convenient, but it's true that the more fresh-made raw food I make the better I like it. I'm sure I can figure an easy energy bar recipe, but do you have on in particular you make for yourself? And how are Lara Bars "preserved"? Are they just wrapped and expected to stay good for say a week? I'd live to make some snack bars for myself during the week, thanks.

[karenisraw]

I really like them. I bought 10 of them on sale for $1.19 each.

k
:)

[rawpriestess]

I think everyone is different, and it could have just been the one that I tried, it was chocolate coconut chew, so you would think it would be chewy and sweet and yummy, but it was kind of like thick cardboard in my opinion.

But, it was an experiment, and I'm sure they must sell, because they are on many shelves.

Maybe the ones you bought karenisraw are fresher than the one I had or a different kind too, that might be better.

they had casew cookie, apple pie, cherry pie and the chocolate thingy.

which are your favorites?

[karenisraw]

I had bought the chocolate coconut and the ginger snap. I much preferred the ginger snap.

k
:)

[rawpriestess]

thanks Karenisraw,

maybe I should try that one, they didn't have it at the store I was at today, so I will look for it.

[veganman]

Rawkinlocs, there is NO WAY a Lara Bar could EVER compair with your cinnamon rolls, now THAT is a fantastic thrill to the taste buds, now THOSE, I can't just eat a bite here and there, I gotta' have one then another, and they were big too. YUMMY!!!

These cinnamon rolls you speak of......is there a recipe somewhere in here for them? I would love to try them!

[Zena]

ThinkOrganic chocolate coconut bars are a looot better! And out of the Larabars i've tried(all but apple), I think the ginger snap and pecan pie are best. Really yummy.

[monkeyboy]

Yo,

Lara bars suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Peace,

M.B.

[Secret Heart]

Yes, the Think Organic bars are delicious and cheaper. I had a chocolate coconut one today...yum!!!

Heather

[spuhdawg]

oooh i loooooove lara bars, but i really dislike the chocolate coconut chew as well! you have to try the cherry pie and apple pie! they are so delicious! the cherry one is a little tart, but i love tart! and the apple one is just perfect.. not too sweet! :) and thinkorganic has an awesome cherry nut bar!! :D i just bought a box of 15 at The Vitamin Shoppe for $15!!! They were 50% off. Deeeelishh!!

[rawandama]

I love the pecan pie, but I just wish they had a bar that wasn't so super sweet. They're like a dessert.
Rawkinlocs- are those cinnamon rolls a secret recipe?? :p

[Rawkinlocs]

I love the pecan pie, but I just wish they had a bar that wasn't so super sweet. They're like a dessert.
Rawkinlocs- are those cinnamon rolls a secret recipe?? :p
Nahhh...check the recipe forum, they're there now ;)

[Rmiller]

I've got to agree - Lara Bars aren't that great. I've never bought them but I got a bunch of free samples. They are only about a 1/4 of the regular size Lara Bars so that size is just enough - I couldn't eat anymore of it at once.

I personally prefer this simple recipe to munch on. It is quick and convenient.

- grind up 1/8 to 1/4 cup nuts or seeds

Put this in a small sandwich baggie

Later when you are out and need a pick-me-up, pull out the small baggie with the ground up nuts, add a ripe banana to it, close up the bag and use your hands to mash up the banana with the ground up nuts.

Open up the bag, grap a spoon and dig in. It is so tasty and fresh and raw. I use this all the time if I'm going to be out for a few hours and will need a snack.

Enjoy :)

[Apples'nAvos]

Yeah, I need to agree with RP and MonkeyBoy on this. I tried Lara bars for the first time a few months ago, and I was surprisingly disappointed. They just didn't do anything for me? I tried to apple kind, and the banana kind.
I thought it was kind of funny though because I had read many rave reviews of them, but at the end of the day, I prefer a good ol' banana or apple :P

[JenniferSeed]

Most Laura bars are just ok. But I am in love with the coco mole. A little sweet, a little spicy, yum! And I have bought some that seemed fresher than others.

[PATH301]

I bought a larabar - a lemon one at a raw resturant in Santa Monica, C.A. for 2.50, It was my first it tasted pretty good. Misslinda talks about them all the time. So of course I had to try one. I have'nt found any here in the midwest. :D

[Eastersky]

My favorite is the Banana Cookie and the Cashew Cookie. I have never really liked the chocolate coconut chew. The Chocolate Mole is pretty good if you are looking for chocolate.

[JennaBoBenna]

i like cashew cookie and pecan pie mmmmmmm

[onesmartcookie]

banana cookie, pecan pie, ginger snap and cocoa mole are my favs =) I wasn't a fan of cashew cookie, apple pie or cherry. On the fence with the coconut one. I think they have a cinnamon roll flavor too, which I would like to try (though I'm soooo going to make rawkinlocs' raw cinnamon rolls...they sound *so* amazing)

[misslinda]

KOi! I do Path ? I had a short bout of Lara craziness :p last month but I don'T even eat them anymore. LIke RP said nothing beats a fresh banana or apple. Larabars seems too dry and nutty. Are we sure the brand THinkOrganic is truly RAW? If any of them I like the pecan pie that Cherie mentioned.


I hope there is raw bar coming out soon that uses more vegetables instead.


:)

[Dimond]

For those that aren't super picky with raw, Organic Food bars said the ingredients in their green bars are cooked/dehydrated under 100 degrees. The only thing that isn't raw is the brown rice protein cooked at 130. I like having them on hand for something more substantial than a Lara Bar. Think Organic is definitely tastier than Lara, but way too addictive. Garden Of Life is suppose to be coming out with a raw bar any day. Hopefully it's 100% raw.

[PATH301]

Hey there's another one out there called " smart monkey food". RawTruth knows more about it. She showed it to me, when I was in Long Beach area with her :D It's organic RAw organic as well.

[misslinda]

Yep, I love the trail mix and the pecan one!!!!!! I dig SmartMonkey but they are way too overpriced for those tiny things. At least here is is $ 2.79 for one. It's about a 2x2 sqaure.

[RawTruth]

The new bars put out by SmartMonkeyFood are not dehydrated. And they are organic -- and all raw. That was cool good news, huh!?? Uh oh, now the bad news: LaraBars aren't organic and the ones with chocolate are not raw -- and they've been warehoused for months and months and months; that's why they low price.

I'm with RP and MonkeyBoy; I've tried most all flavors and I have used them in a pinch (especially when I was first raw and out of Alissa's Fudge Balls), but, the longer I'm raw, the more cardboard like they seem.

I say -- do whatever it takes to stay raw. If they help, great! If you can make do with fresh food, great!

It's all good. :)

Oh yeah - SmartMonkeyFoods is my friend Ani's company. She is a woman of integrity, clarity, and a uniquely talented chef who has been devoted to living foods for years. If you are concerned about the intention of the people behind the foods we eat, you can know that Ani is not a huge corporation existing solely for profit, but if a beautiful human being who spent six months creating this latest bar because she wants to have a living food bar out there for us -- not just another one that's raw but not living.

You can check it out: http://www.smartmonkeyfoods.com/

[juliebove]

I've never tried one. I did buy the chocolate coconut one to try but then discovered after I got home that it had almonds in it and I am allergic to almonds. I put it in my daughter's snack basket along with some others I bought on sale. They are one of the few pre-made snacks she can eat with all of her food allergies. She had one before. Can't remember the flavor but it had cashews in it. She had gone in early to dance class and had said she didn't want a snack. But as soon as we got there she did want a snack and that meant something from the health food store next door since there was no other option. And even then the options are limited. They don't stock fresh produce on a regular basis. I do get my organic produce boxes from them once a week but on most other days they have none.

She ate the whole bar and said she liked it. But then after I bouught more of them she said she didn't really like them. She is one of those people who seems to think various foods are more appealing when she is really hungry. Salad for instance. Normally she whines about it and won't touch it. But if dinner isn't ready right away and she is hungry she will wolf it down and say that she liked it.

For me I would look at these like more of an emergency food. Something to tuck away for those times when there is a power outage like we had when I lived in NY. We had no power for about a week and all of the stores were closed because they couldn't operate the cash registers. It was during the hot summer and all the fresh food spoiled. It was then close to another week before they got new fresh food in! Now of course in that situation you'd be all set if you had a garden, but I did not. I had tried to grow tomatoes in a pot but had no luck there.

They would also be good for us to take with us during cross country moves. Good fresh food is hard to come by then, although it is getting better than it was 10 years ago. And then there's the issue of taking fresh produce across state lines. You can't do that in some states. So a few of those would be handy to have for a meal in a pinch. But they are not something I'd want on a regular basis.

[Secret Heart]

I agree with you Juliebove,

I prefer the Think Organic bars to the Lara ones...and I do tend to keep them for "emergencies" out on the road or wherever. Personally I find grawnola is just, if not more satisfying as I make it myself with buckwheat, sunflower seeds, almonds dates, pears, gojis, apricots and raisins and it's quite filling...

I know if I make my own Lara Bars at home I'll eat them all...I have no self control!!!

Heather