Larabar Cashew Cookie

A straightforward, no-nonsense trail snack that has become a personal favorite.

Taste: 
With only two ingredients (cashews and dates), the taste is as one might expect (surprise, it tastes like cashews and dates!). I’ve never been a huge fan of raw dates, but these are much more enjoyable than raw dates, even though there is a distinct date flavor. As for cashews, I could eat them all day, everyday, so this bar was particularly intriguing for me.

From what I’ve seen, most other trail bars/snacks that include cashews also include chocolate (let’s be honest, the two flavors go great together). Don’t get me wrong, I love the combo of cashews and chocolate, but there are too many hot and sunny summer days where I do not want chocolate melting away in my pack. While I never thought I’d say it, not having chocolate is a great advantage of the Larabar Cashew Cookie. 

Size and Satiety:
The one drawback I have with this (and other Larabars I've tried) is the small size of them. Weighing in at 1.7oz (48g), they leave me wanting a little bit more, even if it was only one or two more bites. As a comparison, many standard Clif Bars weigh in around 2.4oz. (68g). That’s a 42% difference in size. Maybe Larabar’s knows this and banks on me eating two instead of one, thus doubling their sales...hint, it's working! ;-)

As for nutritional facts, with 220 calories per bar, along with 15g of sugar (from the dates) and 12g of fat (from the cashews), one bar provides plenty of pick-me-up and keep-me-going until the next meal. I’ve found these are a great mid-morning snack that allows me to extend the morning (i.e. the cooler part of the day) while hiking and wait to have lunch until a little later.

Is It Really a Cookie Though?
I’ve been asking myself this question for some time, often staying up into the wee hours of the morning debating both sides of the argument. Okay, not really. I just wonder why the Larabar company decided to call this a cookie when it neither resembles a traditional cookie (i.e. it’s a rectangular bar, not round) nor tastes like a cookie (I think of cookies as sweet, and this is more balanced). Regardless, it’s a somewhat confusing name for the product.

Recommendation:
The Larabar Cashew Cookie is ideal for those who like a simple trail snack with straightforward ingredients (i.e. dates and cashews) and a pleasant taste. It doesn’t melt in the hot weather, so it’s particularly great in the summer.

I’m trying to find delicious treats for my daughter that has recently been diagnosed with an over abundance of allergies including gluten, dairy, various nuts, oats , coconut etc. I tried this and did not like the texture or taste. This is not crunchy or delicious in my opinion .

Background

First and last time trying