As hard-charging athletes and hard-working editors, we are always on the quest at STYLE of SPORT for healthy, great-tasting energy snacks to keep us going while satisfying a bit of a sweet tooth too. From the most basic banana to an ice cream bar (yes, you heard right!), here are 9 of the favorite go-to treats that keep us fueled, happy and ready for action around here. Some are more nutritious than others, but if you’re going to indulge a craving here’s how to do it right!
TOP ROW: CLIF BAR NUT BUTTER FILLED. Clif Bars are this editor’s go to fuel before a long race, packed with nutritious whole-grain organic carbohydrates and available in a wide range of great tasting flavors like White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Peanut Toffee Buzz and Oatmeal Raisin Walnut. New from Clif Bar are their Nut Butter Filled bars in delicious flavors like Coconut Almond Butter and Chocolate Hazlenut Butter. With 230 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein (depending on the flavor), and 11 grams of healthy fats (the monounsaturated kind that raise the good cholesterol, HDL, and lower the bad, LDL) these bars are new faves around here!
BANANA. Nature’s original snack bar, pre-packaged in a convenient skin for easy portablity, bananas are kind of the perfect food. Loaded with potassium, an essential mineral for cardiovascular health and endurance athletes in particular, and high in fiber, keeping their sugar content low on the glycemic scale for a steady source of energy, they are great tasting, easily digested, and very inexpensive too!
BROOKSIDE CHOCOLATE COVERED SNACKS. Let’s call these healthy Raisinettes and Goobers. As candy goes Brookside Chocolate Covered Snacks are not too bad for you. Available in a variety of different fruits and nuts, they come in single serve 180-210 calorie bags so you can’t overdo it. They are made with dark chocolate, which contains antioxidants and is lower in sugar than other chocolates, and other natural ingredients that when consumed in moderation are not such a big deal. If you’ve got a craving for chocolate, these are a satisfying way to go!
MIDDLE ROW: BONK BREAKER. Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Espresso Chip are just a few of the delicious Bonk Breaker flavors. They are made with non-GMO, natural ingredients that are gluten free and dairy free. Loaded with electrolytes (330 mg in certain flavors!) and available in high protein flavors, these bars contain on average 260 filling calories, 36 grams of energizing carbohydrates, and just 9-12 ingredients max.
KIND BARS. Kind Bars have become a snack staple for many of us, appealing for their delicious blend of whole grains, fruits and nuts you can see through the clear packaging. There is nothing you can’t pronounce in these bars that depending on the flavor have about 180 calories and just 5 grams of sugar. Kind is constantly adding new scrumptious flavors to the roster, blending savory with sweet, like Caramel Almond and Sea Salt, Black Truffle Almond and Sea Salt, and Dark Chocolate Chili Almond.
MAGNUM CLASSIC ICE CREAM BARS. Sometimes you’ve got to indulge, and when you do Magnum Ice Cream Bars are the way to go! Not all flavors, but 260 calories for the simple chocolate covered ice cream bar, made with natural ingredients for the most part, is a pretty good deal for this scrumptious treat!
BOTTOM ROW: JUSTIN’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS. Justin’s nut butter products like their Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Classic Almond Butter + Pretzels, and Honey Peanut Butter + Banana Chips snack packs are a better for you and far more delicious alternative to popular snack favorites. Made with artisanal and organic ingredients, these tasty treats began for the company’s active Boulder, Colorado based founder Justin as energizing fuel for sport that’s perfect for you endurance athletes out there too!
RX BARS. The packaging says it all. What’s inside these RXBars is displayed prominently on the outside — no B.S. included! Maple Sea Salt, Pumpkin Spice, and Coconut Chocolate, what you see is what you get — a delectable blend of simple and wholesome basics like egg whites, nuts and dates that are rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
NUGO DARK BARS. NuGo bars are one of those healthy snacks you kind of can’t believe are really good for you. Dipped in decadent, antioxidant-rich, real dark chocolate made straight from cocoa beans and cocoa butter, these bars yield an unforgettably luscious taste. All 7 scrumptious flavors like Dark Mint Chocolate Chip, Dark Chocolate Pretzel, and Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip are certified gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO.
