My friends at Pamela’s Gluten-Free recently sent me the brand spanking new Whenever Bars to sample. Now, those of you that follow me regularly now I am all about great tasting portable snacks that I can quite literally toss and go with. Well my gluten-free friends, you are going to absolutely love these new bars. I have been eating at least one bar a day since they arrived – for breakfast or even a mid-day snack that tastes great and is so much better than a candy bar.
First off, these bars contain gluten-free oats. I know that there is an ongoing discussion in the Celiac community as to whether Celiacs can eat oats and know some Celiacs prefer not to eat them – and that is totally their call. I, on the other hand, have no problems with gluten-free oats so these bars were a fabulous and most welcome surprise.
So on to the bars…
Whenever Bars come in four great varieties: Oat Raisin Walnut Spice; Oat Blueberry Lemon; Oat Cranberry Almond; and Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut. All of the bars are high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Whole Grains, and all are free from Trans-Fats. They are all also wheat- and gluten-free and non-dairy (though the chocolate chip variety does state that the chocolate chunks may contain traces of milk proteins due to manufacturing equipment).
The Oat Raisin Walnut Spice variety is like a giant oatmeal cookie. Perfectly soft, moist, and chock-full of sweet raisins. They also have walnuts and chia seeds that add a wonderfully nutty dimension to these bars rounded off by a perfect mix of spices make these the perfect snack for autumn and winter.
Next up are the Oat Blueberry Lemon bars. These are a real standout. Their subtle sweetness is perfectly balanced by the tartness of the blueberries and kick of lemon oil. Add a slight hint of nutmeg and these bars pack a powerful flavor combination.
Onto the Oat Cranberry Almond bars which, like their previous counterparts, are soft and moist. They are filled with tart cranberries that provide the perfect kick to the sweet oat base. The final dimension of flavor in this variety is the almonds which add great flavor and texture to these bars.
Last, but certainly not least are the Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut variety. These are sweet without being overly sweet and the chocolate chunks make these a real treat. The meaty coconut adds a not only great texture but unique flavor to these bars.
So overall these bars are a homerun. They are completely portable (you’ll now find them in my briefacase), delicious, and unlike any other gluten-free bar out there. Not to mention with four unique flavor varieties, there is truly something for everyone.
Pamela’s has a great portfolio of gluten-free products so be sure to head on over to their Web site and check out their complete line of offerings.
