What’s the Deal with Bars?

It’s rather confusing.   Packaged ‘bars’ can seem like the perfect snack simply because there is zero preparation involved.  One can even avoid a trip to the grocery store simply by ordering their supply online.

Obviously, there are far more bars that are not Paleo than ones that are, but even then, I’d be careful about including them in the diet too often.  Just like all those recipes we see floating around online about “Paleo cake” and “Paleo brownies”, even if something is made from Paleo ingredients, if it’s a treat or a sweet, it’s not meant to be eaten on a regular basis.   Back in your pre Paleo days, you didn’t likely consider cake and cookies a regular feature of your diet (I hope), and these type of ‘special’ foods need to be approached in the same way.

I call the few commercially available bars the ‘in a pinch’ food.  For example, they’re good to have in your desk at work, in your car or in your attache case.  For when you’re in a pinch.  Such as:  

• You’re gone longer than you’d anticipated, you’ve finished the Paleo foods you prepped and brought along with you and you’re starving
• You end up somewhere unexpected and the only other options are fast food or candy

You get the idea!

What bars fit the bill?

Not many.  The only one I’ve seen is the LARABAR brand; but make sure you choose only the peanut-free flavors and stick with their original; only the ones which list dried fruit and nuts, and possibly some spices as the entire ingredient panel. 

Endurance athletes might find they can incorporate them a bit more often that their sedentary counterpart, but still, it’s always better to make your own and keep it real and fresh!

Click HERE for my Bar One/Bar None recipe; the third and final preview recipe from Paleoista!