With the FITBar, I Will...

This has a been a crazy year. I don't know about you, but I haven't been as driven to keep up with my personal health goals. Let's face it. I don't have to leave the house often enough. But then... I don't want to just snack on junk food. My health has been declining again. So I need to reapply myself. Get serious. The past couple months, I have been trying to do just that. Which is why I was so excited to try the following product! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent a party pack for the following products in exchange for hosting a party and sharing the samples with my guests as well as submitting reviews. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are mine and my guests.*

Eating Healthy

There are times when I'm snackish, but not really hungry. What to munch down on? Chips aren't usually healthy for you. I avoid anything with artificial colors added. As well as MSG and GMO's.... That narrows down my list pretty tightly as it is. But I also have to have good flavor. Fruits, nuts and vegetables are great - so long as I don't have to put in too much work when I'm busy. Sometimes, however, you just want something a little more. That is where the FITBar comes in! It was created by a chef with a penchant for physical fitness. He wanted to have something that was everything you need in your diet, while tasting good as well. He started quite the product line called FITCrunch. But there were requests coming in that showed other needs. Vegan, dairy free, soy free - dietary restrictions are plentiful these days. I blame a lot of the junk in pre-packaged foods. There are more food allergies now than ever before. Chef Robert Irvine decided it was time to do something about that. To create a culinary masterpiece that was safe for all dietary needs. Okay, maybe I should say 'most' dietary needs. So he came up with the FITBar.

Great beginnings start off small!

There are currently only two flavors available, but hopefully with more to follow! For now, you can choose from Cranberry Vanilla Almond or Peanut Butter Chocolate. They are both made from rolled oats. Plant-based, non GMO, vegan, dairy free, soy free, gluten free, and kosher! He really did his homework on this one. 

Where can I find these products?

So glad you asked! You can find them on Amazon. However, he has other products as well from his previous line. You can get them all HERE on Amazon. His FITCRUNCH protein bars come in flavors I'm dying to try. Like Lemon Pie and Mint Chocolate Chip = MMMMMMM. 

Our opinions

I always face trying protein bars with a sense of trepidation. It can be wonderful! Or it can be terrible. Out of these two flavors, my husband and I (and the toddler) definitely preferred the Peanut Butter Chocolate. We had a taste testing that the toddler wanted to participate in. Her reaction to the Cranberry Vanilla Almond was pretty comical. We both agreed there was a slight aftertaste on that one. Possibly the hemp? I didn't notice it on the Peanut Butter Chocolate ones though. 

At the party I hosted, my guests loved them. The Cranberry Vanilla Almond one was the preferred choice. 

Two of my guests couldn't be at the face-to-face event, so I got their opinions after delivery of the samples.

Matt: I ate two of them in a row. I preferred the cranberry one. Felt they bordered on dry. Could have used some more cranberry in my opinion, and a bit more sweetness, but maybe that's just my sweet tooth talking. Considering the nutritional statistics, the bars were a bit high in fat. I'd like to see less fat than protein for something called a fit bar. This also adds to my perspective of the bars needing to be a bit sweeter - if I'm going to eat something with 12-15 grams of fat, I'd like to thoroughly enjoy it. I agree though, the bars did not taste like a protein supplement - fake sweeteners masking an undesirable protein flavor. For that reason I suppose they gain some favor in my eyes. Good over all. I feel like it really would be a great option for those with restrictions. It makes a lot of sense for that category.

Mel: Luckily I was able to taste the cranberry one before Matt scarfed them down . We liked the ingredients and packaging on both. I really liked the flavor of the Peanut Butter Chocolate one best, even though it had sugar, it wasn't overly sweet. And it didn't have the strange taste that protein bars normally have, that weird sweet flavor. The texture of the cranberry one was better - it was softer where the peanut butter one was a little tough, but overall I liked the PB bar! Also, I REALLY liked that it was a pretty good tasting vegan protein bar that was non GMO. It's normally so difficult to find that combination! I'm on the fence if I would purchase. If I was trying to get fit then this had too much carbs and sugar and I probably would not buy it; if I remember correctly, sugar was the first ingredient. On the other hand, if I wasn't on a fitness plan and was just wanting a convenient snack that I didn't feel too guilty about - I might buy this. It's the same mentality of those "protein cookies" that make you feel ok about eating a cookie because it is filling and has protein. I think ultimately I would buy this. I actually really like Robert Irv and used  to watch his show all the time. I know he has high standards, so his name being on the front kinda sold me as well.

Curious to try your own?

I can offer you a great discount! Get 10% off your first order! Just use the promo code: FITBAR10 at checkout. While writing this, I also noticed on Amazon that they have a $5 off coupon! A case pack of 12 bars is $32.99 with free shipping on there. That is about $2.75 a bar. Not bad if you have ever gone shopping in the grocery store for protein bars. 

Let me know what you think about this in the comments below!