Finding time to sit down for a meal in college is pretty tough between classes, projects, club meetings, and practices. Needless to say, college students are busy. But, that does not mean we don’t want to eat as nutritiously and healthily as possible. The easiest snack on the go has always been bars. The options for the different types of bars can be overwhelming, and all too often they are loaded with hidden sugars and preservatives. Instead of  your usual crumbly, chewy granola bars, try Fresh Bar for a new go-to snack. 

Sara Wetzler

The Backstory

These five guys, Will, Ross, Tom, Mike, and Austin, have been best friends for their whole lives and were even called the “nerd herd.” While going off to their separate colleges, they realized how poor the selection for good, healthy bars. So, Ross, who was a personal trainer, decided to make his own homemade bars with real ingredients that tasted better. The five friends then started their own brand called GüdBar with their one flavor being Apple Banana Almond Raisin. Delicious! The only problem was the name, which they quickly changed to the iconic Fresh Bar because the taste and concept was… fresh. 

The Bars:

The bars are made from real, simple ingredients and are gently baked so that they have that out-of-the oven taste and texture.

Each bar contains about 20g of whole grains, 4g of fiber, 8g of protein with sugars from natural sources like fruit and honey. There are no artificial flavors or preservatives in these bars, only a short list of ingredients whose names you are familiar with and are able to pronounce. Fresh Bar bars are gluten-free, so our gluten-free friends can enjoy them too. However, they do contain small amounts of dairy in the form of dry milk and whey protein concentrate, so watch out those of you who are allergic to dairy or are lactose-intolerant. 

The Flavors:

Starting from just one flavor, Fresh Bars now combine different fruits, super foods, and other deliciousness. They have Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana, Cherry Pear Walnut, Apple Almond Cinnamon, Strawberry Chocolate, Blueberry Chia, and Pumpkin Carrot Pecan. The names speak for themselves since you can taste each ingredient in all of the bars, and the combinations of flavors blend so well in each bite.  

Available in most health food stores or online, they are a mandatory addition to any dorm room. Just make sure to either refrigerate or freeze them because they are made out of real, perishable ingredients. So, enjoy some Fresh Bars as you stay fresh in college.