I can’t believe my kids start back at school tomorrow. Wasn’t it just June yesterday? It seems like my kids were just finishing up final exams and anxious about having the summer off. Now their backpacks are stuffed and ready to go first thing tomorrow morning.
One thing I am not looking forward to is making school lunches. My kids are so picky about the sandwiches they eat. It’s also a challenge to give them other healthy treats that they won’t quickly get bored of.
Every lunch contains protein, a veggie, a fruit, carbs for energy and some kind of a “junk” food, because after all, they are kids. Plus a container of water. If they want milk they can certainly purchase it from the school’s cafeteria.
When I look for “junk” foods for my kid’s lunch I look for things that are as healthy as possible, but sweet, salty, ooey and gooey, just like kids like. To the kids it might appear as “junk” food, but for me I know it’s healthy for them.
My kids love granola bars, especially chocolate chip and peanut butter varieties. Sadly, many granola bars available on the market are not really healthy. You would THINK they were since they were made from granola, but if you look at the nutritional content you’ll see that they are often high in sugar, fat and calories. Not to mention they contain ingredients that are not often easy to pronounce. How can that be healthy?
One of the reasons why granola bars are my “go-to-treat” is because they don’t need to be kept refrigerated, they are “hearty” and don’t get smashed easily in the lunch bag, and my kids can eat them on the go. Often my daughter is hungry during the day. She will gobble up a granola bar in between classes just to hold her over until lunch or until she gets home.
If your kids enjoy granola bars as much as mine do then you might want to consider CLIF Kid Zbars. Their bars are made with no hydrogenated oils, no high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, no trans fats and no artificial flavors. They are available in regular granola bars and the new crispy rice bars.
CLIF Kid Zbars (regular and crispy) are around 110 – 120 calories, contain 2.5 grams of fat, no cholesterol, are low in sodium, have 1-3 grams of fiber and 2-3 grams of protein. Compared to other granola type bars on the market the CLIF Kid Zbars are certainly a healthier option.
Did I mention they are certified organic and contain 8-9 grams of whole grains in each bar?
If you are wondering how they taste and what my kids think about them, one word comes to mind – YUMMY! The new CLIF Kids Crispy Zbar is available in Chocolate, Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter – my kid’s favorite flavors. My kids LOVED them. I tried a bite of each one too. Mmm… forget the kids. I want the CLIF Kids Zbar Crispy for me! They have just enough sweetness to satisfy my cravings (especially chocolate cravings) and they are good to hold you over for a couple of hours until your next meal. My daughter said they taste like candy bars because they are so good. As I mentioned earlier my kids see them as “junk” food, meaning food that is too good to be good for you. Little do they know… 
The regular CLIF Kid Zbar is available in Blueberry, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Chip, Full Moon Brownie, Honey Graham, S’mores and Peanut Butter. I’ve personally tried all of the flavors except Blueberry and Full Moon Brownie. They are all very tasty.
CLIF also makes CLIF Kid Zfruit which are fruit snack “sticks” for lack of a better description. Each one contains a serving of fruit and Vitamin C. They are also Gluten free and made with no preservatives or artificial flavors. My kids love these. I find them too sweet and even a bit sour for my tastes. Since I’m not the one who would eat them, as long as my kids like them that is good enough for me. They are around 70 calories each and are made with organic fruits and puree.
To learn more about the new CLIF Kid Zbar Crispy, Zbars or Zfruits please visit http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_clif_kid_zbar.
CLIF products are available at many retail locations across the country, as well as online.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
