Bobos’ Oat Bars started when mother and daughter duo, Beryl and “Bobo” baked the hearty oat bar on a rainy afternoon in 2003. Beryl was determined to get her bakery catering business started but there was a change of plans when the recipe spread among Bobo’s schoolmates and their parents. Everyone in the neighborhood wanted a taste of Bobo’s so Beryl and her daughter began going coffee shop to coffee shop in their community of Boulder, CO to share the vegan oat bars.
The plant-based products remain wholesome, simple, and hearty today. Bobo’s is dedicated to simple ingredients, simple packaging, and simple cooking methods to create the homemade feel that many families are looking for. The company has expanded beyond Bobo’s Oat Bars into stuffed bars (with peanut or almond butter) and Bobo’s Bites.
Let’s take a closer look at one of the original products, the Bobo’s Oat Bars. The vegan oat bars are available in fifteen flavors! Talk about variety! You can choose from Original, Coconut, Cranberry Orange, Banana Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Raisin, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Peach, Maple Pecan, Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip, Lemon Poppyseed, Apple Pie, PB + J, and Gingerbread. I really like the idea of using Bobo’s as a breakfast on the go that tastes and feels homemade instead of a vegan nutrition bar laced with chemicals additives so I’m choosing to review the Banana Chocolate Chip flavor. Keep reading to see what I (a plant-promoting vegan Dietitian) and my husband (an omnivore eater) think of the vegan Bobo’s Oat Bars. Or, if you want to see what everyone on Amazon has to say, scoot over here and check it out!
Taste Experience – 9 out of 10
All you have to do is open the package up a smidgen to be greeted with the nostalgic smell of warm home baked banana bread. This is SUCH a refreshing smell after many vegan nutrition bars smell like chemicals or artificial sweeteners. Needless to say, I can’t wait to dig in!
With my first bite, I taste bananas baked into hearty oat based bread. The oats add a subtle nutty and earthy quality complemented by the delicate dabble of banana. I do not taste any chocolate until I get a bite of one of the few chocolate chips in the vegan Bobo’s Oat Bar.
The texture is wholesome and slightly crumbly but there is adequate moisture from the bananas and coconut oil. If you’re looking for this to be a super soft, moist and sweet banana bread, keep looking. The texture is hearty but if you’re like me, when I’m looking for a quick breakfast or snack, sometimes I don’t want crazy sweet dessert like foods. This Bobo’s Banana Chocolate Chip vegan nutrition bar is perfect to keep in my car, desk, or workout bag because although it can be crumbly, the loaf itself won’t fall apart, crumble, or melt in the package which is a HUGE bonus when looking for convenient and tasty vegan snacks.
This bar has such a unique wholesome, homemade quality that really keeps me coming back for package after package. Which is why I buy the 12 pack on Amazon with 2-day Prime Shipping. 🙂 It’s a convenient vegan and gluten-free product that I can feel good about buying on Amazon. I would appreciate more chocolate or even some walnuts so sometimes I warm up the oat bar in the microwave and then drizzle chocolate and sprinkle with nuts for a decadent and dreamy dessert that’s still healthy!
Nutrition – 8.5 out of 10
So before I get into all the goodness of Bobo’s Vegan and Gluten-Free Oat Bars, let me tell you about the serving size. It’s a bit misleading as the vegan bar comes in a single unit wrapped package but the nutrition label refers to the serving size being half the bar. The bar is not that large (at all) and much smaller than coffee house breads and pastries so while you can eat half or the whole bar depending on your individual needs.
So in a half a bar you’ll find 180 calories (so 360 calories in the whole oat bar) with only 60 of those calories coming from fat. There are seven total grams of fat with four and a half grams of saturated fat from the coconut oil. Since the gluten-free oat bar is vegan and plant-based, there is no cholesterol and half of the vegan nutrition bar only has 65 milligrams of sodium.
There are 28grams of total carbohydrate in half the bar and 56 grams of carbohydrate in the entire bar. This is important to keep in mind depending on how you are eating the bar. If you’re eating an entire Bobo’s Oat Bar for breakfast, this is an appropriate amount of carbohydrates and calories but if you’re eating the bar as a snack or as a part of a meal, this may be more than you’re anticipating. If you are consuming the vegan bar as a sweet treat, this option has the same or even less carbohydrates than most baked desserts. Also, if you are an active individual, the amount of carbohydrates is also less likely a concern. So there’s no “bottom line” number of too many or not enough carbohydrates because it really depends on your individual situation but know that Bobo’s Oat Bars are on the higher end of total carbohydrates. However, the oats provide a great source of fiber and each half has 3 grams of fiber or a total of 6 grams of whole food fiber in each bar which is hugely impressive for a packaged food not relying on supplemental fiber. This fiber will help stabilize your blood sugars and although the oat bar is higher on the total carbohydrates, you may notice less spikes in your glucose levels.
Each half of Bobo’s Oat Bar has three grams plant-based protein from the oats or six grams of total protein in the entire bar. The ingredients are simple and wholesome and while Bobo’s could have added a plant-based protein, I admire the company for keeping the oat bars simple, straightforward, vegan and delicious!
Oats are a nutrient powerhouse and being the number one ingredient in Bobo’s Vegan Oat Bars, you will find 2% of your calcium needs for the day and 4% of your iron needs for the day. Since the iron is coming from a plant-based source, I suggest consuming the vegan oat bar with a source of vitamin C like strawberries or an orange to help increase iron absorption. If you’re ready to add a wholesome convenient nutrition boost to your routine, check out Bobo’s on Amazon or keep reading to see what my non-vegan husband thinks of the nutrition bars.
The Non-Vegan Review – Awesome! 22 out of 10
Healthy, delicious, oaty, banana bread in a package. That’s what this awesome Bobo’s banana chocolate chip oat bar tastes like. Bobo’s isn’t kidding when they say “No one brings you home like Bobo’s”. I’m not sure how they pull off a bar that tastes home-made on such a large scale. I love the texture on these bars. Nice dense bar with discernible bits of rolled oats and flakes. I didn’t find many chocolate chips, so it hardly has a chocolate flavor, but still super yummy. Add some ice cream to it and you’d have a killer dessert. These are really amazing and speaking of “Amazing”, you can get these hunks of love on Amazon. Non-vegan husband out.
Parting Thoughts
The Banana Chocolate Chip Bobo’s Oat Bar is vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, made with organic oats and 100% delicious. This bar tastes like home baked nostalgic goodness wrapped up in a convenient package ready to take on any adventure. The banana flavor is subtle and delicate and it’s complemented by the chewy nutty texture of the oats. I’m a little bummed the company only provides the nutrition information based on a highly unlikely half a bar serving because I find it to be a bit misleading to anyone not paying attention but the good news is that the ingredients are simple and wholesome so the nutrition is not compromised. Bobo’s Vegan Oat Bar is a great healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert (loaded with more chocolate and walnuts!). Check out this awesome company and their gluten-free vegan oat bars on Amazon. There are a lot of flavors, but this Banana Chocolate Chip one is a favorite for sure (although it should just be called Banana because there is very little chocolate).