Snack Review: Gnu Bars

I agreed to review these because I am a sucker for anything with an animal in its name. I have no idea what prompted them to name these bars after large hoofstock - perhaps their herbivorous nature, and, um, very fibrous output was the inspiration? Because the big selling point of the Gnu Bar is, in large type on each wrapper: “Flavor and fiber together at last.”

Now, I was a little concerned about this, actually, when when I also read: “One bar deliciously provides almost 50% of the daily value of fiber.” I mean, these are pretty small. What if I forget and eat three? (And if you think my worries are silly, you might want to read Diana’s review of Fiber One Bars.)

And then I turned the bar over and read the following:

“Visit www.GnuFoods.com - Join the Movement!”

Oh dear. Is that a joke, or is it just me?

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Snack Review: Medora Snacks

With the harried and hectic lifestyle demanded by the modern world, just finding time to eat feed yourself can be a luxury. Sitting down to eat with the family? That’s a pipe dream for most of us. Still, those of us blessed-slashed-cursed with others who depend upon us for sustenance (kids, husbands, Manorexic boyfriends, etc.) like to know that everyone is properly fed. All too often, that means frequent trips to the drive-through, Chinese takeout, or - when all else fails - bags of chips or cookies.

With all of the recent media attention paid to childhood obesity, it’s only natural for a parent to feel guilty about feeding greasy, preservative-packed snacks to his or her family, and to wish for a healthier alternative that’s just as easy. Enter Rockville, NY-based Medora Snacks. Medora (literal translation = a Mother’s Gift) has a noble mission:

“To bring to the world wholesome, great tasting snacks made from the very best, all-natural ingredients. To be true to our brand values of delivering better-for-you snacks that mothers can feel good about eating and sharing with their family and friends.”

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Snack Review: Bumble Bar

Confession: I’m a die-hard Burt’s Bees fan. I know this probably makes me a yuppie-in-training, but I just can’t resist their folksy packaging and quality balm product.

So when I saw Bumble Bars in the organic aisle of my grocery store, I knew I had to try them. It’s genius, really. Imitate the look of a product that your target demographic already loves, and watch your latest vegan creation fly off the health food shelves. I swear, even the words “Gluten Free” could not dissuade me from buying this snack.

But, as the sages have taught us, thou shalt not judge a snack by its wrapper. Just because something LOOKS like it will be folksy and traditional, does not necessarily mean it will be. Had I remembered this credo, I probably wouldn’t have gasped (literally, gasped) upon freeing my Bumble Bar from its sleeve.

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Snack Review: Breyer’s Overload Fried Ice Cream

Okay, snackers: what’s your favorite carnival food? Are you drawn to the fleeting, airy sweetness of cotton candy? Does the gums-binding goodness of saltwater taffy call your name? Maybe you flip over funnel cakes.

I’m personally quite a fan of churros. Eggy and rich at their centers, with a perfectly warm, crisp shell rolled in sugar, cinnamon and honey, the long Mexican pastries manage to satisfy several of my cravings at once. They’re probably laden with about 700 calories apiece, but somehow I manage to forgive myself for occasional consumption. After all, they’re doused in cinnamon, and everyone knows that counteracts the negative effects of the sugar, or… something like that.

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Snack Review: Jody’s Popcorn

No matter how much the stuff gets stuck between my teeth and sends me to the bathroom to brush or searching for a toothpick, I love popcorn. I’m especially a fan of flavored popcorn like cheese and caramel. Don’t misunderstand though, I still have a soft spot for the smothered-in-butter theater kind as well. However, a girl needs a little flavor in her life, ya know?

I’ve had all kinds of caramel and cheese popcorn and checking out Jody’s Popcorn seemed like the right kind of thing to do. After all, they offer more flavors of popcorn than I ever thought humanely possible.

I was more than pleased to hear that the folks at Jody’s wanted to send me some Popcorn for the tasting. Bring. It. On. I thought.

I received two of my favorites, Double Cheddar and Caramel (under Jody’s classification it was called Recipe 53 Carmel Corn), and Cinnamon Toast.

I will admit that I’m not a popcorn expert by any sense of the word but even so there is proof that when you market a product as such it should taste as such.

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