Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars was first introduced in April 2011 as a limited edition item, and is now back by popular demand. They are back again on shelves and this time permanently. Nature Valley Chewy is made from all-natural ingredients (such as real fruits, nuts and whole- grain oats) and contains no trans fat, providing a tastier and healthier snack alternative. Confession: I have always associated granola bars with health nuts (heh), especially those hipster tree-hugging Californians or National Geographic Channel-watching folks so I never as much as threw a disdainful glance at them whenever I spotted them at the supermarkets. Like, no friggin’ way I’m gonna eat this squirrel food. I never got the appeal of this on-the-go snack. I’ve never even been big on snacking to begin with. But…
As age is catching up lifestyle changes are taking place these days, one afternoon in between blogging and slogging online, I was feeling peckish yet not quite full-blown hungry enough for a proper meal. So I spied the Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars that I was recently gifted with… I thought what the heck, let’s try one bar. Just a few days prior to this, I had posted a quick snapshot of the gift basket on my Instagram and many friends had responded positively, giving these Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars the thumbs up (to which, I again rolled my eyes disdainfully at my hipster friends, at the time, kekeke). I was surprised though, that after I tried it myself, it was actually decent. Very decent, in fact.
A convenient snack for busy people on the go, Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars are available in two flavours – Mixed Berry (with cranberries and blueberries) and Fruit & Nut (with raisins, almonds, peanuts and cranberries). A quick research online revealed that these chewy snack bars are made with whole grain oats and contain no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives.
The bars contain many wholesome good-for-you stuff.
- Oats: Source of fiber, good for fighting high cholestrol and heart diseases. Whole grain oats are also encased in cancer-fighting phytochemicals, which may be helpful in preventing colon and stomach cancers.
- Honey: A natural sweetener that’s known to effectively enhance one’s performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue.
- Raisins: Necessary for healthy bone formation and absorption of calcium, helps prevent osteoroposis and protects eyes from age-related deterioration in vision.
- Blueberries: Zero fat, packed with antioxidants, Vitamin C and dietary fiber.
- Cranberries: Nature’s well-known remedy for fighting infections.
- Almonds: Essential for stronger bones as they contain calcium and magnesium. Also provides Vitamin E and phytochemicals to help protect us from cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
With so many wonderful ingredients, I think I can safely snack on these and also enjoy doing so because the Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars are actually delicious!!! Now I understand why those hippy-dippy friends of mine go nuts (heh) for these. But no, sorry, I am not gonna start watching National Geographic Channel and there’s no way in hell you’ll ever get me to join you on some hiking trip to a mountain somewhere.
I always had this misconception that granola bars are jaw-breakers, that they would be dry and tough like a brick, that they would get stuck all over your teeth and taste like styrofoam (as far as what I can imagine styrofoam would taste like). Surprisingly, these Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars are easy to eat, tasty and don’t stick to my teeth. As you can see in the picture above, the one I was about to eat was literally flopping over about to snap itself into two because it was so soft. All I did was open the wrapper and held it close to me, I didn’t even manhandle it or anything. :x That’s how soft it was.
I could actually see the individual oats and they weren’t so tightly packed that the bar became solid and brick-like. It’s soft and puffy, with a really yummy taste. I like the texture and combination of flavors. I could definitely get used to this.
I think I will keep a couple close-by next to my computer for my mid-day snacks. I may even throw in a couple slices of Comté cheese and goat cheese to complement the Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars, but eh, that’d be my version of fancy-schmancy snacking (calcium, people, calcium!!!). Honestly, these bars are good. Please forgive me, the aforementioned hipster Californians and the rest of you granola bar-munching squirrels. Yes, I am a convert now. :P (Still no on the hiking/camping trip invitation though, thankyouverymuch.)
The Nature Valley Facebook page has really fun twists on these granola bars (smores-granola-wich!), so do head on over and be similarly inspired as I have.
For those who live in Singapore, between July 16-29, Nature Valley will be introducing a Nature Van to Singapore’s concrete jungle and cosmopolitan lifestyle – reminding us to take a break and enjoy nature, amidst our busy and hectic schedules. The Nature Van will go around distributing little treats of nature that will help with relaxation, and of course the new Nature Valley Chewy Granola Bars that are a healthier snack alternative during. Look out for the Nature Van around the Central Business Districts or high traffic areas.
Cheers!
♥ℳ
