HEALTH

The reaction? Pretty tasty. It’s important to note that these babies aren’t brownies—Kashi is pretty careful to call them “soft-baked squares”. So if you’re looking for a healthier version of your favorite ooey-gooey treat, you might find these a little lacking. But if you are on the hunt for a yummy afternoon snack, you might just have struck munchy gold.

The squares are the perfect on-the-go size, not too messy or crumbly and packaged to slip into your bag—maybe a little too convenient! They’re not super chocolate-y, but are flavored with real, agave and cocoa, giving the bars a really wholesome, all-natural and not-too-sweet taste. Nothing artificial here!

These babies are packed with good-for-you ingredients, like whole grains, sweet potatoes and beans. One serving (that’d be one square) gives ya 17 percent of your daily fiber plus a smidge of protein and iron, and a hearty helping of Vitamin A. While they do contain 6 g of fat and 8 percent of your daily carbs, we’re certifying them as an A-OK snack.

We have just a few complaints: A little bit more chocolate would have made the bars more satisfying to the sweet tooth. And the ingredients list include peanut and almond flour, which makes these bars a total no-no for one of our staff members who is allergic to nuts. While we’d understand if the bars were also gluten free, maybe, but they aren’t.

by Brittany Taylor | 2/1/2016