It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year and basic girls everywhere can rejoice together in the fact that the time for pumpkin spice, gingerbread, and peppermint has returned. Our hectic schedules call for meals on the go, and seasonal nutritional bars have their time to shine.
I am someone who tries to avoid processed, packaged snacks as much as possible. I go for something with as many natural, whole ingredients as possible. Sometimes it's unavoidable, plus I want to partake in the pumpkin spice craze.
There are thankfully some seasonal nutritional bars out there that don't make us sacrifice our healthy eating habits. Power up and still be festive with these seasonal bars.
1. Lärabar
All Lärabars have just a handful of ingredients, and there’s nothing mysterious about them. In the gingerbread Lärabar, there are dates, cashews, almonds, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and vanilla extract. That’s it.
There is no need to feel guilty about indulging in this gingerbread bar since everything in it has the nutrients that our bodies need. But you could even try making your own with this recipe.
2. RX Bar
This is another bar, similar to Lärabar in that it contains just a few ingredients. This RX bar gets its protein form the addition of egg whites. There is no need to feel any guilt when snacking on their Pumpkin Spice bar, all the ingredients come from real, whole foods.
3. KIND Bar
This is a new flavor for KIND Bar this fall. It's caramel almond pumpkin spice. As a loyal KIND Bar patron, I low-key freaked out when I found them at my local grocery store. This one is mostly nuts as cashews, almonds, pecans, and peanuts are at the top of the list. Find your favorite flavor here.
4. Lenny and Larry's: The Complete Cookie
These are a recent discovery of mine, and I must say that I am obsessed. They have tons of protein and fiber, no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, are non-gmo, and vegan. They’re also huge, so they’re sure to fill you up.
I was a bit skeptical of the new pumpkin spice flavor, but it's just as great as the OG flavors. This cookie is almost too good to believe it’s healthy. You can learn more about these healthier cookies here.
5. Clif Bar
I typically try to avoid Clif Bars since they are more processed than the others on this list, but sometimes they are just what I need before a run.
Through the years, Clif has released some pretty bomb seasonal flavors— spiced pumpkin pie, pecan pie, gingerbread, and hot chocolate— that I will be sure to buy this season. Pecan pie is by far my favorite, but nothing will ever beat homemade pecan pie.
6. Quest Bar
Quest Bars are considered a guilt-free dessert to many protein fiends. There are so many other ways to eat them besides straight out of the package. After tasting the Pumpkin Pie Flavor Quest Bar, I can say that it did not really taste like the pumpkin flavor I anticipated.
After heating it in the microwave though it was transformed into something much more reminiscent of pumpkin pie.
Next time you’re looking for something seasonal and festive to snack on without artificial or overly processed ingredients, grab one of these seasonal nutritional bars instead. You can keep up with the pumpkin spice craze without sacrificing your health.