Since the company’s inception in 1992, CLIF has been creating plant-based nutrition bars, protein bars, energy gels and energy chews for endurance sports, recovery drink mixes with electrolytes, fruit and nut bars, and granolas. The CLIF Bar Company is well known in the food and nutrition world but has also made its mark as a brand focused on energy sustainability, community, nutrition, and employee well-being.
As the CLIF Bar Company evolves, they continue to launch new products. One of the latest product lines includes the CLIF Bar Minis available HERE. The CLIF Bar Minis come in flavors such as Crunchy Peanut Butter, Cappuccino, Espresso, Chocolate Chip, and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. All CLIF Bar Minis are non-GMO certified and vegan. Although many flavors do not contain a clear gluten source, they are not gluten free and the oats or other ingredients may have been cross contaminated with gluten. So if you have Celiac Disease and truly need a gluten-free food, this would not be a snack protein bar for you. However, for you others out there, let’s take a closer look at the CLIF Bar Mini in Crunchy Peanut Butter. I’ll be reviewing the taste and nutrition from my perspective as a plant-based registered dietitian. Find CLIF Bar Minis HERE or continue reading for more information.
Taste Experience
Have you had a traditional CLIF Bar before? And my guess is that if you’ve been vegan for any length of time that the answer is yes…. so if indeed yes, and yes you enjoy CLIF Bars, you will also love the Crunchy Peanut Butter CLIF Bar Mini vegan protein nutrition bar.
Each bite gives you that rich peanut butter taste with sticky (but not too sticky) oats, protein crisps, peanut butter, and brown rice syrup. It’s all of your favorite morsels on plant-based vegan goodness in just one bite. It’s fairly sweet and peanut butter tasting and not salty at all (although it does contain sodium).
The texture of a CLIF Bar Mini is chewy and dense and well held together – no messy crumbs here! Which is great because I like to enjoy CLIF Bar Minis in the car on the way to and from various errands or as a quick snack at my desk and I HATE when crumbs get all over everything. If you feel similarly, you won’t have to worry about that with this vegan protein nutrition bar!
The CLIF Bar Mini Crunchy Peanut Butter vegan plant-based nutrition bar smells sweet, like brown rice syrup with subtle hints of warm nut butter and earthy oats. It tastes sweet enough for an afternoon treat but isn’t going to throw any weight loss/management goals out the window and just may satisfy your sweet tooth. However, you don’t have to believe me, check out the other great reviews from verified buyers HERE on Amazon.
Nutrition
The CLIF Bar Minis vegan nutrition bars are obviously smaller than the original CLIF bars by about half its size….but is it about half of the calories and nutrition information?? Let’s check it out…
The Crunchy Peanut Butter CLIF Bar Mini packs in 110 calories with only 3 grams of healthy plant-based fat and no saturated fat. The healthy plant-based fat can not only keep you full longer as a part of your snacks and meals (this CLIF Bar Mini would be appropriate as part of a snack).
CLIF Bar Mini Crunchy Peanut Butter Nutrition Bar has 17 grams of carbohydrate with 2 grams of fiber and 8 grams of sugar. This is an appropriate amount of energy for a snack but you can expect a higher blood glucose response with the limited fiber and sugar content. This may be helpful if you are looking for a quick boost of energy but it may be depleted faster than a vegan plant-based nutrition bar with more fiber. If you wanted this snack to last longer, slab on additional peanut butter for more fat and protein or eat it with a piece of fruit.
Each vegan snack bar has 5 grams of protein to help keep hunger at bay in between meal times. In addition to the fiber and fat, Crunchy Peanut Butter CLIF Bar Minis are a fantastic snack choice for in your purse or backpack, at your desk, or in the car.
The CLIF Bar Mini Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars do have added vitamins and minerals including several B Vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and magnesium. Many of the added vitamins and minerals are key for energy recovery after activity/exercise and I think that’s in part why some non-traditional vitamins and minerals are added, like magnesium for example. If you’re curious about the nutrition specifics, check out the nutrition label and ingredient list below. If you are interested in picking up these small, perfectly sized snacks with adequate fiber, protein, and fat, check them out HERE on Amazon.
Parting Thoughts
CLIF Bars continue to create great tasting, readily available plant-based nutrition bars. The CLIF Bar Minis provide the same great CLIF bar you’re familiar with but in a snack size portion. This maintains calories in check and you don’t have to worry about eating too much for a snack or storing the leftovers for later if you only eat 1/2 a traditional sized bar. The Crunchy Peanut Butter flavor is creamy, sweet, and chewy without any crumbs or added mess – just some plant-based vegan goodness. Personally, I like the CLIF Bar Minis better than the traditional CLIF Bars because I like these bars as snacks but for me, a traditional CLIF Bar was just too big – the minis are a perfect size that I can eat as is or pair with a crisp juicy apple for a truly splendid snack. If you are looking for a vegan, portion controlled snack bar that you can take with you wherever life and adventures take you, CLIF Bar Minis in the Crunchy Peanut Butter flavor is a great choice! Check out the CLIF Bar Minis HERE to elevate your snack bar!