My last snack bar review seemed to go down well with y’all (please don’t ask me why I sometimes think I’m from the American South. Sure, I once shot a gun in rural Virginia, but I don’t think that counts), so I thought I’d bring you another installment of My Thoughts On Rectangular Packaged Goods.
I’ve seen Go Natural’s Macadamia Divine bar, comprised of macadamias, honey, and a carob coating, in the supermarket before, but have never thought to buy it. This is because macadamias are not favourite nuts of mine and the carob coating is made with milk solids, which I try to avoid. However, this bar came in my bag of winnings from Vien, so I ate it.
It was surprisingly delicious. The macadamias took up a hefty 40% of the bar, and were supremely buttery and crunchy. The honey and puffed rice combined with the macadamias to create an almost-halva-like taste, and I do love carob. I do.
It’s funny that the Go Natural bar I expected to dislike turned out to be wonderful, and those I thought I’d love made me feel like my mouth was being punished.
I cannot even describe the sour, acrid, dry, and chalky awfulness of these fruitnut bars. I tried the Choc Almond Raspberry and the Choc Macadamia, both of which were made only from nuts, dates, cocoa powder, and berries (in the former). They should have been tasty. They weren’t. They made my soul cry. The end.
I also had high hopes for Santos’ wheat-free Agave Seed Bar, particularly as Santos’ raw bar was moderately tasty. However, the Agave Seed Bar was crumbly and bland. Also, it’s made with condensed milk, so is a no-go for vegans and the dairy-intolerant.
When I eat choose to eat dairy, I want it to be worth the stomach discomfort. And Jer’s Original Incredibar Peanut Butter Bar was not only worth it, but scrumptious enough to make me forget I’d ever eaten the aforementioned fruitnut abominations. Thank you, peanut butter and chocolate, for always being wonderful.
Jer’s Peanut Butter Incredibar had an aroma of freshly-roasted peanuts, and a soft-soft peanut butter filling that tasted fresher and far more natural than, say, the filling of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The little kicks of salt heightened the flavour of both the peanut butter filling and the creamy chocolate coating, whilst also making me think of peanut butter frosting atop a cupcake. Thank you, Carolyn, for saving the day with your sent-from-afar treat!
Question Time: Have you tried any of these bars? What are your thoughts?
Macadamias are the best nut
At least the best nut for eating. I know some pretty awesome nuts that are great for hugging and chatting to.
Nope. Don’t agree. They’re only one step up from the dreaded pine nut.
Teehee, yep eating nuts only being discussed here!
Queensland nuts (Macadamia) are my favourite. I’m not fond of carob, but I’ll give this one a go.
See, this is why I rarely admit I don’t really like macadamias. All the other Aussies pop up to argue against me
lol, everyone should have a favourite nut
I’m happy to have your share of Queensland nuts being one myself
I won’t! I’m not much of a fan of macadamia’s. I like peanuts only in butter form and about the only nut I’ll eat as a nut is a pistachio.
High five, Amy! Pistachios are one of my favourite nuts too
I liked the sound of the go natural bar until I read it had carob – no no no! and the seedy bar looked so good and chewy that I don’t understand how it could be crumbly. Sigh! Well I am sure I would share your appreciation of the peanut butter bar
Believe you me, I was sadly surprised by the Santos texture (and flavour) too!
I never knew it was possible for a snack bar to be bad…and yet you have shown me the error of my ways. Of course, now I can just avoid these dodgy ones and continue to feel like my own snack bar success is constantly winning at life.
Hannah, I honestly believe that everything you do is winning at life. What my recent snack bar adventures have taught me is that a) I should return to making my own, or b) if buying them, go for the ones that are actually candy.
to be honest, I was surprised that when I opened up this post you hadn’t actually been reviewing candy. I sort of took it as a given that you would be
That’s a fair enough assumption to make
One day I think I’ll need to do a post proving how many vegetables I eat in a day…
I ate 2 of those mcadamia/carob bars straight after giving birth to Misty
Anything would have tasted good after that marathon though!
Yeah I wasn’t impressed with those soft-eating bars either… I had high hope for them too, boo – at least both of us are pretty adept at making our own food processor raw vegan treats
I ate mine after, um, a lengthy period of reading. Phew. I sure needed replenishment after that, so we’re two peas in a pod.
Absolutely! But also, that’s why I was so shocked by how revolting they were. Even my dad wouldn’t finish the one I gave him. How can you screw up dates and nuts?!
I haven’t tried any of those bars because I’m not much of a snacker (but oh how I was in my youth!) I love the look of the one that looks like something you’d stick in a bird cage but what a shame it was disappointing because it seemed to be a great healthy option. When the healthy options falter, why not console ourselves with peanut butter and chocolate! xx
Exactly. Good ol’ reliable peanut butter and chocolate, they’ll never let us down. Plus, protein and antioxidants/endorphins. So much healthier anyway.
Speaking of fruit nut bars.. the Boy absolutely loves the Woolies branded ones.. I know.. I thought they would be all yuck, but it’s quite pleasant.. I think he likes it because it’s sweet and we both know what a terrible sweet tooth he is
Ooh, are those the Macro ones? I think I saw them the other day, and was tempted, but then remembered that I a) have a freezerful of a new batch of balls (giggle) and b) the Go Natural travesties of doom. Ugh.
I still need to make you some of my own creations one day, though. Raw food isn’t all kale chips, m’dear.
I haven’t had the privilege to try the good ones of these bars but I think I’m falling fast for the PB chocolate one – I do wonder why
Thanks for a fabulous review!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Yes Yes Yes!!! I do adore the Macadamia Divine bars, but the Macadamia Dream bars are way better to me. They are actually my favourite snack of all time – probably equal to yoghurt coated Sesame Snaps.
But I do adore macadamia nuts, and I love a slightly sour and tangy yoghurt coating. I also love hard and crunchy bars, so the Go Natural Soft Eating bars don’t appeal at all and I haven’t tried them.
I noticed that the Macro brand has released some soft bars like that but I haven’t tried them.
I was actually just thinking how much I missed the Macadamia Dream bars when I noticed your new post!
I haven’t had the Macadamia Dream ones – what are they? Wait, I think I need to rephrase that to make more sense: how do they differ from the Divine ones? I still like the original Sesame Snaps the best, followed by the black sesame ones, but it’s so hard to find the latter these days!
DO NOT TRY THE SOFT EATING GO NATURAL BARS. If you value my opinion at all, trust me on this. Please. Though I think I-Hua (above) just commented that the Macro ones are quite good? I think I’m going to stick with making my own for now though. Fool me once, and all that
Psychic buddies!
The Macadamia Dream ones are coated with “yoghurt compound”. Not a particularly healthy substance: sugar, vegetable oil, milk solids, etc. but to me it just really works.
I love carob, but I prefer the yoghurt coating with the macadamia nuts & honey inside.
I’ll try the Macro soft bars at the Good Food & Wine Show next week.
I do like tangy yoghurt… oh, the milk solidsy dilemmas in my life!
Report back, dear friend!
I’ve not had any of those ‘rectangular packaged goods’, but by golly, I get massive cravings for them when I’m sick. Like I am now… I want that Incredibar! Want!
Aw, don’t be sick! Get better, I demand it!
*hugs* And honey lemon tea! Eish I could fly to the US for an Incredibar for you 
I have been eyeing, and resisting, the Choc Almond Raspberry bar and am now rather thrilled that my resistance may have been for good measure. I may have to look more closely at the Macadamia Divine bar though, as whilst I don’t much like macadamias either, I do love carob and it is firmly in my ‘dairy exception’ category.
Also, I want the peanut butter ones very badly indeed and that last picture is taunting me in its unavailability
You save me from Kraft Whipped, I save you from mouth-punishment Go Natural. Such is the basis of every lasting friendship.
As for the last picture… you just need to plan a visit to the US, is all!
Am not a big fan of health (or whatever they are called) bars but of all these the one that would attract me most is the macadamia nut one. Love them nuts!
Tangent: if you wanted to purchase some of them nuts, I could whip you up a roasted sweet/spice/salty mix? xo
Why do all the best bars come from other countries?!?! Argh!
I haven’t actually tried any of these. I’m currently addicted to oaty slices…….but only the choc chip one’s. The rest not so much (although the plain are kind of nice crumbled up with yoghurt).
Now to wait patiently for a delicious peanut butter and chocolate bar to make it to the shore’s of Australia…..
For shame, Australia. For shame.
I don’t think I know these oaty slices you speak of. But, as you say, I’d rather wait for peanut butter chocolatey goodness to arrive.
Wuuu wahhh… I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a snack bar! Used to eat a lot of them cause I never had lunch breaks on Mondays. Forgot how diverse they can be. Was quite hopeful of the agave seeds one too. I wouldn’t mind the condensed milk but if it tastes bland……… Pass! Haha. Hope you’re doing well and enjoying your long weekend, woo hoo! Backtostudies,bye.
My Fancypants Magic Bars are a much better way to get some condensed milk into you in the form of a square slice
Aw, thanks for taking the time to stop by in the midst of your studies! Keep your head high, Winston, and you’ll soar through your exams, I’m sure.
Sad that there are so many misses when they all look like hits from the surface! I guess a lot of “healthy snacks” can be like that… They look/sound good, but really taste like grass clippings. It’s the lucky good finds that really make you appreciate that fact! Love hearing about more of the selection in your neck of the woods- I hadn’t heard of those brands over here.
Sour grass clippings, you mean
It seems that whenever I buy snacks like these, it simply reinforces that I never should. Homemade is so much better! Except for the Jer’s candy, which in fact is from your country 
That macadamia bar sounds so so good, but I love macadamias. Mmm, and that peanut butter one looks scrumptious as well.
When you come visit me, we’ll eat all the macadamias! All of them! Aussie nuts FTW!
I’m with you on the grass cuttings. Seedy bars are just…seedy bars (haha unintended and on Monday morning!)
I wish I had either of the other three sitting next to my cuppa right now
The peanut butter one. You should have the peanut butter one with coffee (or tea? Either way works).
Mmm I’m visualising…
LOL well I do have my Southern moments but I don’t tend to use y’all, more suga’!
I’ve never once said suga’. Time to start, methinks.
This reminds me that I still need to eat my Spam-flavored macadamia nuts from Hawaii. Mmmmmmm, I’ve chickened out a few times.
I bet the reason I was skeptical of your raw treats is that energy bars have long freaked me out. I haven’t tried many in the past 10 years or so, but the ones from my youth were so gross to me. I guess PowerBars were the only thing around back then? So phony fake tasting, I thought, which always struck me as weird.
Oh heavens, this is where my insanity comes to the fore. Offer me macadamias? Nah. Offer me spam? Heck no! Offer me spam-flavoured macadamias? I’M SO IN.
Lady, don’t you even with the comparing my raw vegan treats to Power Bars and their forty-seven-syllables-each ingredients! Don’t you even.
Ooo i love these reviews of yours
I love snack bars but hehe it’s a bit silly because sometimes these snack bars are actually full of sugar too 
I love the look of the first one ~ where did you get these? I wanna get some and try soon
The best ones are full of sugar
The Macadamia Divine can be found in any Coles or Woolworths, I think!
Snack bars are a bit hit and miss at times, aren’t they! The peanut butter and chocolate one sounds delicious!
That’s mostly because it’s candy
hahaha “my mouth was being punished” you’re amazing. I love saying y’all & I feel like a completely doosh when I do it. I have no right to say it. it makes no sense coming form my mouth. but i do it anyway. I’ve wanted to try those go natural bars soft fruit & nut. boo they taste bad!
Heidi xo
Me too, me too! Bahahaha! I even sometimes say it out loud to people in the real world, and then always inwardly feel stupid so overcompensate by sashaying out of the room in an attempt to own my fake Southern persona. OWN IT.
I’m a huge ‘y’all’ speaker. And then I say “Wassup homies” and my humiliation is complete.
PB and chocolate – you can never go wrong.