LARABAR Renola

LARABAR Renlola

We all know what LARABARs are; they were one of the first "Paleo-friendly" bars in the market.  A few months ago, they launched RENOLA, a new type of "granola" made of nuts, fruits, seeds, and spices, and sent me some samples to try out. 

Product Information:
LARABAR RENOLA is a new type of "granola" made of nuts, fruits, seeds, and spices.  It is flavorful, has a blend of non-GMO ingredients and is grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and kosher.  RENOLA is a great alternative to classic granola.  

With the combination of wholesome ingredients, and the crunch and flavor of traditional granola, RENOLA is a great solution for people looking for a nutritious, energizing snack.  Portable packaging makes it easy for eating on-the-go, busy mornings, or to fuel up before or after a workout.  RENOLA is great on its own, and can also be used as a topping for yogurt, ice cream, salads and more.  

Flavors: Each packet is 200 calories, and contains just a handful of ingredients

• Cinnamon Nut - 6g of Protein, 13g of Carbs
• Cocoa Coconut - 5g of Protein and 10g of Carbs, and my favorite flavor of the three
• Berry - 6g of Protein and 14g of Carbs

When I tried LARABAR's Renola, I opened the Berry one first, thinking hands down it will be my favorite flavor because of the dried blueberries.  I love dried blueberries.  My first thought was it tasted like a really good nuts and seeds mix, but not so much like granola.  Next, I opened the Cocoa Coconut, and in my opinion, this is the best flavor of the three.  I like the refreshing taste of dried coconut and hints of cocoa nibs here and there.  As for Cinnamon Nut, it tasted similar to the Cocoa Coconut except without the cocoa nibs and coconut, and more cinnamon.  I didn't like this one so much.  I'm really picky with my cinnamon to begin with.  Overall, the LARABAR Renola is a great nuts and seeds mix while not being over-powering-ly sweet.  However, when it comes to being a granola replacement, it may work for some things like a topping for yogurt or ice cream, but if you're looking for that cluster crunch texture like the real-deal, it doesn't quite have that.  The single-serving size is great as a lot of nut mixes come in giant bags.  

Awesome:

• Paleo/Primal, gluten-free, clean, non-GMO, and minimal ingredients.
• Tasty nuts and seeds mix without being too sweet.  It has a good blend of nuts as the basis for the flavors: almonds, pecans, and cashews.  My favorite flavor is the Cocoa Coconut Renola.
• Multi-use snack: eat it raw before/after a workout, have it for breakfast with some fruit or yogurt, or as part of a cheat meal mixed in with dessert
• Decent substitute for granola in certain cases, like as a topping or a snack.  But if you're a hard core granola lover, it probably won't replace the real deal.
• Convenient packaging and perfect size for snacking.  Each packet is 1.25oz and low maintenance.  It doesn't need to be refrigerated and tastes great in most temperatures.  
• Availability: most Targets and a variety of grocery stores: Kroger, Safeway, Ahold, etc.  It's nice that they're available more than just online or in very specific stores like many Paleo snacks.
• Price: ~$1.79

Some things that could use improvement:

• More protein.

LARABAR RENOLA:

2. The three flavors: Cinnamon Nut, Berry and Cocoa Coconut

3. My favorite flavor: Cocoa Coconut

4. Inside Cocoa Coconut Renola pack

5. Inside Berry Renola

Overall a great product with a great first set of flavors.  I personally like the Renola a lot better than the original LARABARs.  The original LARABARs are a bit too sweet for me from all the dates.  The LARABAR Renola is another Paleo friendly snack I can add to to my pack.  At a reasonable price point and available at most grocery stores, I wouldn't be surprised if these started showing up around the house more!