Let's face it: granola bars are boring. Ones that advertise how much fiber content they have are even more boring. Sure, there's always some mention of peanut butter or chocolate or honey or something else to make them sound moderately exciting, but in the end, they're rarely memorable or tasty enough that they can truly compete with a full-fledged candy bar.
That said, Trader Joe's granola bars are rarely awful. We've seen our fair share over the past decade and a half on this blog—in the ballpark of a few dozen different varieties, at a quick glance. Just off the top of my head, one of the few truly notable selections would be the ABC Bars. I'm pretty sure they're still available. We've definitely purchased those more than once. We're on the hunt for another product along those lines: something healthy, hearty, convenient, and tasty enough that it'll keep you from reaching for anything more indulgent or diet-derailing.
Trader Joe's Rolled Oats & Chocolate Chips Fiberful Granola Bars are not only filling, but they taste surprisingly good, too. They're dense, chewy, and rather than tasting like cardboard with a few chocolate pieces tossed in as an afterthought, they're more like chocolate bars with just a faint grittiness to them that attests to their fiber content. Apparently, they were recently reformulated by the supplier and are now smaller than their predecessors and have a slightly different taste. Many say they prefer the old flavor, others say they enjoy the new version more. I couldn't tell you because I never tried the old formula.
There's plenty of oats in the mix. If you're not a fan of oats, you might wanna sit this one out. But really, as far as fiber-rich snacks go, these are quite palatable. Boasting nearly a third of your daily fiber intake in each bar, they're just as filling as you'd expect them to be. These are ideal as a mid-day pick-me-up type snack.
$2.99 for five bars. Kosher. Would buy again. Seven and a half stars a piece from Sonia and me for Trader Joe's Fiberful Granola Bars, Rolled Oats and Chocolate Chip flavor. Let us know if you tried the old formula and how you like this one in comparison. Bottom line: 7.5 out of 10.
Here's yet another non-traditional pesto from Trader Joe's. And it's yet another winner in our book. We've got a red pepper base that provides a nice pasty texture and bell pepper flavor. Then we've got pecorino romano cheese for some rich tang and earthiness. Throw almonds and a winning spice blend into the mix and you're looking at a very unique and tasty spread/sauce.
Sonia made some fettuccine pasta with beef meatballs and cheese—see video below. It was scrump-dilly. Any drawbacks? This product isn't as thin as marinara sauce, so it doesn't always coat as well. It's more of a chunky paste rather than a liquid. I wish it had just a bit of heat or spice.
Also, Sonia and I basically polished off the whole jar in a single sitting. They should sell a larger container, although we must admit this small one (9.8 oz) is a great sample size if you just want to taste and experiment with the product before committing to anything larger.
As well as it worked as a pasta sauce, I think I appreciated it even more as a spread on sourdough toast. I could taste all the ingredients quite well. The onion, garlic, basil, and paprika worked great with any savory, salty food. Any veggie and meat combo would be worth trying this with.
$3.99 for the jar. Product of Italy. Organic. Would buy again. Sonia and I will both go with eight and a half out of ten stars on Trader Joe's Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Pesto Sauce.
