So, it might sound a bit melodramatic to say that Clif Bars saved my life, and they probably didn't exactly, but that's also not as far-off of a statement as it might sound.
I said as part of my "Just Keep Eating" blog I'd post suggestions and reviews of high energy and low-appetite friendly foods, so I naturally I had to start with my absolute favorite, the good ol' Clif Bar.
My initial love for Clif Bars happened sort of by chance. Growing up with parents who produce endurance events, I never gave much thought to energy and protein bars, because we seemed to always have stockpiles of this or that brand that had donated product to one of the events. Sometimes I'd taste a piece of a bar that my mom was eating or take one for breakfast while I was working a race, but for the most part I stuck with the kid alternatives - soft baked bars in glow-in-the-dark Halloween packages or granola bars topped with sprinkles were much more exciting (side bar: unless I made it up, somebody used to make granola bars with sprinkles but they no longer seem to exist. They should make a comeback because how fun does that sound?!)
When I was in the hospital, I got Clif Bars as snacks a few times, and realized I actually really liked them. On the snack list I could chose from, one small bar felt much less overwhelming to finish than two bags of pretzels with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt and a serving of trail mix. So, when I was finally getting to go home, I requested to have a couple on hand. Luckily, my mom and dad happened to have a few boxes full of recently-expired Clif Bars at their warehouse that were left over from a previous event. Of course they couldn't serve or donate expired food, but a recently past expiration date doesn't scare a college student who is used to eating whatever she can scrounge up (this only goes for packaged foods. I don't eat expired milk or yogurt or anything like that!) These pretty much immediately became my go-to snack when meals got late or I was trying to make up extra calories.
And then, a couple weeks after I got out of the hospital, I got hit with the worst nausea I'd ever experienced in my life. Everything felt horrible to eat. I had absolutely zero appetite, the only things that even remotely sounded good to me were vanilla ice cream, crackers, and yes, Clif Bars. This is where I say they basically saved my life, because they were one of the only things I could eat when eating was literally the most important thing I had to do. I ate them often multiple times a day, tried all different flavors, and became totally hooked.
I promise Clif isn't paying me to write this, I just really love their products. They also make Luna Bars and Clif Kid Z Bars (which are my second favorite food in the entire world), so I will most likely write reviews of those at some point, but today I'm going to be focusing on the classic Clif Bar.
Why I Love Them
For starters, Clif Bars have the perfect balance of flavor. They taste like a cookie, but they aren't so sweet that you feel sick after eating one. This makes them a great choice for me when I am not feeling well or don't have an appetite, because overwhelmingly strong flavors make me feel worse, but I want something that tastes good to make eating feel a little more bearable.
Clif also hits the nail on the head with its texture. I tend to be pretty picky about granola bar texture: I don't like when they are so soft that they crumble when you take a bite, but I don't like when they are crunchy. I've tried other brands with similar lines of energy bars and they weren't quite soft enough. But Clif isn't crumbly or hard, it has a chewy texture but with pieces of brown rice crisps that add some crunch. I also have to mention that the varieties with chocolate chips are slow to melt, which I much appreciate since I tend to be a pretty slow eater.
Go-To Flavors
My absolute favorite flavor is the Oatmeal Raisin Walnut. I'm a huge fan of all things cinnamon and spice, so these are right up my alley. I think they taste just like an oatmeal raisin cookie (which happen to be my favorite kind), and I like the texture even better than most cookies. I was hesitant to try this flavor because until recently I wasn't big on eating nuts, and I still would never eat a cookie that had whole chunks of nuts in it, but the walnuts don't bother me at all. There's enough in there that if you're a fan of walnuts you won't be disappointed, but if you're not they don't take over the bar by any means. This flavor was out of production for a long time last year due to supply chain shortages, and as soon as I found out they were back in stock I honest to goodness sent my entire family an email with the link and subject line "Merry Christmas to Me" (since it was almost December, these naturally went to the top of my wish list). And that's how I ended up with a stocking full of 16 Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Clif Bars for Christmas :)
A close second is the classic Chocolate Chip flavor. In my opinion, these have the easiest texture to chew and mildest flavor when you're not feeling up to eating. That doesn't mean they're bland, they're still plenty tasty, so I promise they won't disappoint. They don't skimp out on chocolate chips, but there aren't too many, and the chocolate isn't as sweet as the chips you would buy from the store, so it balances out nicely with the sweeter taste of the bar.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the Spiced Pumpkin Pie flavor. This came out as a limited holiday edition flavor a couple of years ago. There's nothing I love more than the winter holidays, and the taste and smell of pumpkin, gingerbread, and any other holiday spice always brings a wave of nostalgia. These days, everyone seems to make holiday edition flavors of their products, and some brands would certainly be better off without. Clif is not one of them. It was sort of a lie that the Oatmeal Raisin Walnut is my favorite; if I could still find the Spiced Pumpkin Pie they would definitely be at the top of the list. Unfortunately, as I said they were limited edition, and as much as I was hoping the flavor would come back this fall, it did not return. But I'm still holding out hope that Spiced Pumpkin Pie will make a comeback in the future, and if it does you have to try it (but only after I've stocked up on enough boxes to last me the season)!
Other flavors I really enjoy are the Blueberry Almond Crisp and Cool Mint Chocolate. Do note that the Cool Mint Chocolate flavor has caffeine in it, so it may not be the best option for kids. I also often like to snack on Clif Bars at night when my stomach has had enough and can't handle much else, and I've gone for the mint flavor too many times without thinking and then regretted it when I couldn't fall asleep. But for an energy boost in the morning or a mid day pick-me-up, it's a great option!
The only flavors I don't eat are the Crunchy Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. I've only tasted the Crunchy Peanut Butter once, so it may have just been a bad bar and they are generally much better, but I found it to be a bit too dry for my liking. I wouldn't be opposed to tasting it again, it's just I like the other flavors so much that I've never felt the need to. I have not tasted the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, but I'm sure if you're a fan of those flavors it would probably be really good. Personally, I don't like white chocolate or macadamia nut and have memories of forcing myself to eat this flavor of cookie every time I went to my grandma's house as a child one summer because I thought it would hurt her feelings if I told her I didn't like it, so I have no inclination of tasting these :)
The Bottom Line
If you are looking for an easy to eat, energy-dense snack, Clif Bars should go to the top of your grocery list. They are soft and chewy, perfectly sweet, and have a great variety of flavors to satisfy any appetite. For college students on a budget, they are a bit of a splurge item (but luckily I have the greatest parents who always make sure my snack drawers are stocked when I move in each semester and always know when to send a new box in a care package or Amazon delivery), but the price is comparable to other energy and protein bars. I definitely recommend buying them in multipacks rather than the single bars, as you can find them for closer to $1-$1.25/bar instead of $2 or more if purchasing individually. But even if you find yourself paying a higher price, I am confident that it will be worth it, and you won't be disappointed!