Krave Natural Protein Bar Review - Birthday Cake

As a lover of protein bars, I have tried many different kinds of bars throughout my life and have quickly learned which bars I like, which bars I don’t like, and which bars I LOVE. My two “go-to” protein bars that I always have on hand are Quest bars and ThinkThin bars. These have become my go-to protein bars, and although I love these bars, I do like to switch it up from time to time.  I’m ALWAYS on the lookout for new protein bar brands and flavors, and as I was surfing the web one day, I noticed an ad for Krave bars, more specifically their Birthday Cake flavored protein bar. As a lover of anything cake flavored, I knew that I HAD to try this bar.

I was ecstatic when my two Krave bars, Birthday Cake and Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch, arrived in the mail! It was a hot day here in Boulder, so my bars were a little squishy, but a little time in the fridge firmed them up again. The first bar I tried was the Birthday Cake flavor. For the remainder of the review, I’m going to provide you with a more detailed account of my first Krave Bar experience.

MACROS

Serving Size 1 Bar (70g/2.46 oz)

Calories 240

Calories from fat 80

Total Fat 9g

Saturated Fat 0g

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 240mg

Total Carbohydrates 25g

Dietary Fiber 17g

Sugar 3g

Erythritol 2g

Protein 20g

PROS

All natural ingredients

No saturated fat

Gluten free, no added sugar, high fiber, low carb

Made fresh each week

Yummy taste

Good texture, dense but soft

(Ingredients)

The Birthday Cake Krave bar not only exceeded my expectations with its natural ingredients and gluten free friendliness, but I was also very happy to see that, unlike Quest and ThinkThin bars, there were no saturated fats in this bar!

(Taste)

The taste of the Birthday Cake Krave bar threw me off a bit. I was expecting more of a cake batter flavor, but it actually has a peanut buttery taste to it. After a quick look at the ingredients list, I found that the third ingredient is in fact peanut butter. The sprinkles add a burst of sweetness to each bite, which helps provide a majority of the birthday cake flavor experience. I may have wacky taste buds, but I almost detected a bit of a fruity sweetness to the sprinkles. I wouldn’t say that this protein bar tastes exactly like Birthday Cake, but it does have its own natural, unique, and deliciously sweet flavor.

(Texture)

You can tell by the texture of this bar that it was made recently, and is indeed fresh as the package indicates. The texture is dense, soft, and slightly chewy. For those of you who have tried both Quest bars and Gourmet Cheesecake Protein Bars, the texture is like a combination of these two bars. Not as chewy as Quest bars, but not as light and fluffy as the Cheesecake bars. The Birthday Cake Krave bar is an excellent balance of dense and soft.

One other thing I want to mention is that this bar seems to have an oily coating which will leave an oily residue on your fingers. I can only assume that this oily coating results from the peanut butter and cocoa butter found in the ingredients.

 

CONS

Can only order online

Expensive

Slightly higher in calories (some people may not care about this)

The calorie content of the Birthday Cake Krave bar is similar to ThinkThin bars, which is a little high for my liking, but definitely not a deal breaker by any means. The only other downsides to this protein bar are that they are quite expensive and only available to purchase online. They clock in at $3.99 for one bar or $29.99 for twelve bars, plus shipping and handling.

BROILED

Broiling the Birthday Cake Krave bar helped bring out the cake flavor a little more, while also creating a warm, gooey, and chewy texture! The sweetness of the sprinkles was also more prominent which added to the deliciousness. Both plain and broiled, this bar tasted great, but I would have to say that I prefer the broiled version a bit more.   

OVERALL

The Birthday Cake Krave bar satisfied my sweet tooth and kept me full for a good 2.5-3 hours. Despite the fact that it didn’t quite meet my birthday cake flavored expectations, it was still “Naturaly Delicious” as the package states. I am greatly impressed by the natural ingredients and satisfying flavor. If you’re looking for a delicious, natural, protein packed snack, then I’d say these are definitely worth the splurge!

Jane's Rating: 8/10

You can see all the delicious Krave Bar flavors and order your own at their website listed below!

http://www.purefitnessnutrition.com/Products/protein-bar-types/protein-bar-supplements.html

Stay tuned for my review of the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Krave Bar…coming soon!!

Happy Snacking!

Jane