Clif Bars

Today I ran over to Smart & Final at lunch (Smart & Final is a bulk store, sort of like Costco, but you don't need to pay for a membership to go into the store). I wanted to grab some snack bars that I could eat at work. I have been hearing about these sort of 'small meal' diets now, so wanted to try it out. It is not necessarily a diet, more a different way of spreading out your food. The idea behind it is that if you are eating 4-6 small meals throughout the day you are keeping your metabolism up higher and it is burning the food faster. I am not really changing what I eat (because I already eat fairly healthy, or so I tell myself), but just the times at which I eat things. Anywho, I went to the store and bought a bulk pack of these Clif Bars. They are for kids, hehe, but they sounded yummy. They are organic (always a plus) and are smaller portions that the bigger protein bars. I bought a pack and will keep them in a drawer at work for my afternoon small meal. I haven't had them before, so I am not sure it I would recommend them, but I will keep you updated.

Here is a little of the info I found on them:

Q: What makes CLIF ZBaR different than a CLIF BAR?

We thought it was time to give kids their very own energy bar to encourage healthy eating habits and give them energy to fuel an active lifestyle. So we came up with organic CLIF ZBaR flavors kids love and included the vitamins and minerals active kids need, all in a kid-appropriate portion size.

Q: What makes CLIF ZBaR different than other kids snacks?

CLIF ZBaRs are baked whole grain energy bars made with only natural ingredients. 95% of them are organic, including organic oats, peanut butter, apples and chocolate chips. CLIF ZBaR offers lower fat and sugar levels than those in many kids' snacks available today. Also, it was the first product designed specifically to meet California's Senate Bill 19 guidelines to encourage healthy eating and active lifestyles in today's kids.

Q: Why Organic?

Because it's better for you and the planet. At Clif Bar, we've always been about nourishing healthy people with great food-and we're constantly looking for ways to make great food even better. That's one reason we've made the move to certified organic ingredients. Organically-grown ingredients preserve the nutritional value of food, and they're free of the nasty stuff that often finds its way into food these days: residues from toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Furthermore, by keeping toxins out of ecosystems, it protects our air, water, soil and wildlife.

Q: What are whole grains and their benefits?

Whole grain such as oats contain fiber, which when consumed as part of a healthy diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain. The 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend choosing the right carbohydrates, like whole grains. Each CLIF ZBaR contains 7 grams of whole grains and 3 grams of total fiber from oats, which is as many whole grains as found in ¼ cup brown rice or cooked barley and twice the fiber.

Q: What are the vitamins and minerals in CLIF ZBar?

CLIF ZBaR is fortified with specific vitamins and minerals that support the growth and development of children and that have been found to be commonly deficient in kids. The 12 essential nutrients in CLIF ZBaR are: Vitamins A, C, B6 and B12, Calcium, Iron, Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Folate, Phosphorus and Zinc.

Q: What is California's Senate Bill 19 (SB-19)?

The state of California has identified children's nutrition as an important issue in the battle against obesity in America's children. California passed Senate Bill 19 in 2001 restricting the amount of fat and sugar in foods offered in the state's school system with the following nutrition standards: Not more than 35% total calories from fat
* Not more than 10% total calories from saturated fat
* Not more than 35% total weight from sugar

Other states are equally concerned about the obesity epidemic and are taking similar steps to address it. CLIF ZBaR is the first organic kids' snack designed specifically to meet SB-19 guidelines.