Gnu Food fiber bar review + GIVEAWAY!!!

Fiber is my new homie, courtesy of the Gnu Foods fiber bar.
A couple of weeks ago the company contacted me about trying their fiber bar because they thought it would be a product my audience would be interested in.

And after snacking on them for a couple of weeks, I’m hooked.
See, I’ve mentioned before how a lack of fiber diet is sort of a huge issue in my family.
My dad has IBS, and occasionally I’ve been known to have a spastic colon.
I’ve tried upping my fruit and veggie intake, as well as nuts and grains, but it takes a lot to reach my daily fiber content of 25g-30g.
So, while I was in college I tried taking some fiber supplements but I had a hard time jumping on that bandwagon.
I mean, I’m 25 years old, and I’m just now learning to take my vitamins on a regular basis.
After the pill-popping fiasco, I tried some of the crazed fiber bars that started to hit the market: Fiber One, Kashi, Kellogg
They were good, but each bar had about 9g of fiber which was way too much for me to handle at once.
Not to be gross, but they tore my colon up in the sense that it cramped a lot, and I’m so not about eating food that causes me pains.
So... I decided to stay away from tons of dairy, eat smaller meals, and stick with fruits and veggies and the occasional LUNA bar that had a tid bit o’fiber.
But I still knew I wasn’t getting enough.
Because here’s the thing about fiber.
It’s a complex carb that is super great for your health. It’s not digestible and has no calories. It moves through your digestive system without being absorbed, improving digestion and promoting natural regularity and intestinal health. Some of the benefits of fiber include reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, lower cholesterol, and diverticular disease. It’s also a proven tool in preventing weight gain.  (Fiber 101)
AND it helps with IBS symptoms: Many IBS sufferers have reported that eating fiber soothes their symptoms. Dietary fiber helps regulate bowel movements and create softer stools, resulting in less strain and discomfort on the sensitive colons of IBS sufferers. Increasing dietary fiber gradually can help avoid excessive gas or bloating. (Combat Digestive Disorders)
I mean, running does wonders for cleaning out and keeping a healthy digestive system, but despite that, we runners still need fiber. It’s imperative to our health.
Enter the The Gnu Foods Flavor and Fiber bar.

• They were launched in 2004
• Contain 12g of fiber (which is 48% of the daily intake!)
• About 130-140 calories each.
• Made with 6 whole grains and organic whole wheat and kamut flavors
• Loaded with both insoluble and soluble fiber
• Fruit juice sweetened
• Soft, chewy, homemade texture which is HUGE in my book

There are 9 flavors: Banana Walnut, Cinnamon Raisin, Chocolate Brownie, Orange Cranberry, Peanut Butter, Espresso Chip
3 of which are recently launched dessert-inspired flavors: Carrot Cake, Blondie, and Blueberry Cobbler

Can I just tell you how much I enjoyed every. single. flavor. ? Even after my leeriness at eating 12g of fiber in one sitting?
I honestly wasn’t sure how my colon would handle all of the fiber because after the other bars I had tried at 9g each, I’ve honestly not been able to eat a lot of fiber at once.
But for the sake of a review, I gobbled a whole bar down.
And I had no issues.
My colon was happy.
I firmly believe the difference is because the Gnu flavor and fiber bars are entirely natural.
Meaning there is NO high fructose corn syrup, NO refined sugars (except the chips in the brownie, blondie, and espresso bars), NO hydrogenated oils, and NO dairy (except in the blondie) or Whey.
And that has made all the difference.
The company sent me a sample box of 16 bars, and I’ve been snacking on them morning and afternoon, eaten a few for breakfast, tried them for pre-run fuel and post-run recovery, and even crumbled one in some Greek yogurt.
I love them and recommend them all ways!
Flavors (In order of favorite)

• Chocolate Brownie: This one definitely has the chewy brownie down, and the chocolate is rich in flavor without the guilt. And it tastes great crumbled in some Greek yogurt for a nice dessert.
• The Blueberry Cobbler  and Orange Cranberry  are a tie for second. Both have very strong fruit flavors, and the fruit juice really adds to the layers of taste! The blueberry is bursting with berries and tastes almost like a honest cobbler. The orange-cran smelled citrus-heavenly the minute I opened the package and it reminded me of Fall.
• 
  Espresso Chip: I love espresso flavored treats, and this one proved for a delicious breakfast paired with a cup of coffee. As a warning though, if you aren’t a coffee-flavored person, this isn’t the bar for you. It’s very bold in flavor.
• I have yet to find something that out does my family's banana bread recipe, but  the Banana Walnut is close. This was the first one I tried, and I was in heaven. It’s soft, and chewy, and I bet if I warmed it up it would taste exactly like banana bread. It has a nice, non-overpowering banana flavor and the walnuts are generous.
• One of my wedding cake layers was a carrot cake flavor, and my sister-in-law Baker Queen is an amazing baker, but the Carrot Cake bar might just be creepin’ up on her. It’s full of raisins, carrots, walnuts, and spices. I really wanted to spread a little cream cheese icing on top, but I figured that would detract from the health factor. It did, however, make a lovely lunch dessert one day.
• I’ve been known to scoop peanut butter out of the jar every once in awhile, but I often stay away from peanut butter flavored bars. There’s just not enough real flavor in
  
  them for me. But, the Peanut Butter was a success. It has a deep, nutty flavor, and out of all the bars, this one reminded me more of a protein bar than anything. I may or may not have added a little slab of PB for some extra pre-run fuel.
• Like the banana bread, the whole cinnamon raisin flavor is sacred to me. I blame Grandma Goldie’s oatmeal raisin cookies. The Cinnamon Raisin bar was good, and very strong in cinnamon flavor which I like, but just not my favorite of the bunch. I’d eat it in a variety pack, but personally I would order other flavors over this one.
• I am not a huge Blondie fan in real life, so that’s probably why this was my least favorite bar. Gnu definitely has the flavor down pat, with some plums for added flavor, but I just find the blondie flavor to be too bland for my taste buds. It was still good though, and if you’re a fan of the sweet treat, you’ll really like this one!

These are a very strong believe ‘em product and overall they get a 10* These are strongly becoming a staple in my life and my pantry. If you have issues with not getting enough fiber in your diet, or complications where fiber can help, I highly recommend these bars. Not only are they full of fiber, but they are a healthy, low-calorie treat that tastes really good.
Honestly, there was no stick tasting, full of wood flavor that I often associate with fiber. These taste like they just came out of my oven.

Gnu foods offers a store locator to find the closest products near you, but you can also order online.

• Single bars are $1.99
• 5-packs are $7.89
• 16-packs are $23.99
• AND they offer a JOY of Fiber club where can order 30, 45,60,75,90, or 120 variety packs delivered to your door every month with free shipping.

GIVEAWAY TIMEThe fun part is that Gnu has graciously offered to ship one lucky reader a free 16-pack of flavor and fiber bars in YOUR choice of flavor!
All you have to do is
1. Leave me a comment telling me which flavor you’d like to try, AND your favorite way to spend summer!
For extra entries you can
2. Follow @gnufoods and me @RnnrCait on twitter and tweet about the giveway linking to Gnu and me
or
3. Like Gnu Foods on Facebook
Just leave extra comments telling me you tweeted or liked!
The giveaway will run through Tuesday, June 26th, and I’ll pick a winner via random.org. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning via blog post!
A HUGE thank you to Gnu foods for the samples and giveaway sponsor!
Passing the Baton: Have you tried Gnu before? If so, what’s your favorite flavor?
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* Disclaimer. I was not paid to write this review. I received the Gnu bars, fair and square, from the company.  All of the thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone based on personal tasting of the product. 100% honesty. Gnu was not promised a positive review, they just happened to get it.

LUNA review series 3: LUNA bars and the newest flavor

One last post in my LUNA review series, and boy am I excited about this one!

I am back to reviewing some on the LUNA bar flavors because believe it or not—there were still two I hadn’t tried yet!

  

 

Honestly, the LUNA bar is my go-to bar. I usually carry one on my purse for when I feel low on blood sugar, or if I’m traveling, or lately for either a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack while I’m in class.
All the flavors taste pretty great, and they have such a good balance of protein/fiber that I feel good after eating them.
As per the rest of their flavors, these two are high in calcium and folic acid, and rich in antioxidants A, C, and E.

Caramel Nut Brownie

I’m a little sad about this one, but it’s not about the flavor.

It’s because I had to share this one.

I received the package of samples the day before my brother’s college graduation.
I had a busy morning the day of, and on the way out the door, I grabbed the Carmel Nut brownie to hold me over during the looong ceremony.
I actually sort of skimped on breakfast that day, and totally skipped lunch since we were cooking out afterwards.
But once we got into the arena, my growling stomach kicked in, and so did Wonder Woman’s.

Despite the tempting smell, I was a nice daughter and shared my LUNA bar with her (she’s a fan too!) so we would at least both have a bit of sustenance and not pass out and miss our little boy graduating.

So, LUNA describes this bar as  rich chocolate brownie goodness drizzled with creamy caramel.
I have to admit. I was skeptical about this flavor mainly because caramel is my homie.
I mean, we tight people.
I ADORE caramel anything, and I feel most sweet things can only be improved with caramel.

But, once again, I agree with LUNA.
This bar has 180 calories, 6g fat, 26g carbs, 3g fiber, and 8g protein.
So if you halve that, you’d think it wouldn’t be too much to hold one over for a couple of hours, but it did.
And both Wonder Woman and I were impressed with the flavor.
There is definitely a thick, brownie feel to this bar even though it still has the signature LUNA crunch. And the caramel drizzle on top passes my test.
It’s not a sticky, gummy, or make-my-teeth-hurt kind of caramel either.
It’s simple.

I feel like this bar would definitely be better in the afternoon, though, or even as a dessert because it is definitely sweet.
But it’s still a believe ‘em in my book, and I’m going with a 10*

 

Peanut Honey Pretzel

Oh. My. Goodness.

I was definitely excited to be trying  this bar because it’s the newest flavor of LUNA, and I have not found it anywhere around my area.
Plus, I am a huge peanut butter/honey kind of person, so this combination + a pretzel intrigued me.

LUNA describes it as an indulgent blend of of the smooth sweetness of honey and the salty crunch of peanuts and pretzels.
I mean, how does that not sound delicious? The best of both worlds!
And look at it.

LUNA was seriously  legit about the pretzels.

But my favorite part was what I’m calling the honey-goo

This bar has 190 calories, 8g fat, 22g carbs, 3g fiber, and 9g protein.
And it is a filler-upper.
I snacked on this one while I was at the train station, and it held me for about three hours.
The bad thing about researching in public is that I know people gave me weird looks.
But I was ridiculously happy about this bar.

I tend to be a fan of the SALTYSWEET combo in anything. But I often eat a bunch of sweet stuff then have to turn around and eat something salty.
As always with LUNA, I found this flavor to not only be the best of both SaltySweet, but it is a much better and healthier alternative than a chocolate bar and potato chips.
Not that I munch on those or anything.
And even though I have an aversion to pretzels sometimes, I feel like the PB + honey really added to this bar and made me forget about the pretzels.
It’s definitely a sweet flavor, no doubt about that with the honey-goo, but surprisingly, the honey flavor was a subtly sweet.

Ultimately, this bar is just a really good flavor combination, and if you’re a SaltySweet kind of person, you’ll love this one.

Which is why this happened when I got to the last bite.

I am a HUGE believe ‘em on this flavor and it gets a 10plus*

That wraps it up for my LUNA review series!

I just want to send a BIG THANKS to LUNA bar for the sample products. They were great, and I appreciate the opportunity to try them!

Tune in next week for some more Tell it to You Tuesday stuff!

Passing the Baton: Have you had either or these flavors? If so, what’s you verdict? Have I been convincing enough to make you run out and try LUNA? If so, tell me your stories!

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* Disclaimer. I was not paid to write this review. I received the LUNA bars, fair and square, from the company.  All of the thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone based on personal tasting of the product. 100% honesty. As part of this series, LUNA was not promised a positive review, they just happened to get it.

Tune in Tomorrow….

….afternoon for the last post in my LUNA review series.

Be excited.
It’s going to include this.

LUNA Review Series 2: Protein Bars

This week’s LUNA review is about their sweet, candy-bar like (my term) protein bars.  Or, the powerhouse team as I like to call them.

These bars come in five different flavors: Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie Dough (my fav), Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Cherry, and good ‘ole Chocolate.
But I’ll be reviewing these two beauties today, the newest flavors and two that hadn’t crossed my palate yet:


                                             

Here’s what LUNA has to say about these bars:

LUNA Protein is a gluten free high protein bar for women that provide satiation. In under 200 calories, LUNA Protein offers 12 grams of soy and whey protein and 3 grams of fiber to satisfy hunger. It is free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup; artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives; and ingredients sourced from GMOs.

As always, Luna Protein bars include the Core 4 of calcium, folic acid, vitamin D, and iron.
These little sweets also include fiber and antioxidants (vitamins A, C, and E)
They range from 6-9g of fat and 13-15g sugar depending on the flavor
Mint Chocolate Chip
Mint chocolate is pretty high on my list of flavor pairings. So when LUNA came out with this bar I was super stoked to try it.
However, it took me a bit because this flavor isn’t a popular one in my area.
Never fear.
There is such a thing as internet shopping.
I apologize for my crazy bad picture, but I consumed this between a good tempo treadmill workout and an 8am class.
Needless to say, all I had was my phone camera, and about a bite left because the Mint Chocolate was just too good.
LUNA describes this bar as chocolate chips suspended in chocolate-y nougat with a hint of refreshing peppermint.
Boy do they have that down!
I really liked this flavor because it was a great mix of chocolate and mint. The mint was very light and not overly powerful as it can sometimes be.
This isn’t a peppermint patty people.
It’s just enough mint to make your tongue happy and leave a good aftertaste.
Plus who doesn’t love mini chocolate chips!

It has 170 calories, 5g fat, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, and 12 g protein.
What’s really great about these protein bars is they aren’t too big or too small.
Which means they aren’t really a meal replacement bar or even a diet bar but instead a great after workout snack.
Like I said, I ate this one after a quick workout for the protein content because protein makes for a great after workout recovery.
(If I paired one of these with a big glass of chocolate milk, I’d be set!)
Protein is actually really vital for muscle tissue repair and recovery, so the fact that this little bar has 12 grams and is portable…well, that just makes me like it more.
And since these pretty much taste like a candy bar, but are good for you, I don’t feel one bit of guilt eating them as they help my muscles heal.
If you’re a mint-chocolate kind of fan then this is the bar for you.
It’s a believe ‘em  kind of product (and flavor) and it gets a 10*

Chocolate
I mean, need I say more?
I know I had you at Chocolate.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this flavor.
If it was like the other LUNA proteins I had tried, I knew it would be nougat-y filled.
But would it be solid chocolate nougat? Or a hint of nougat? Light and fluffy?
Wouldn’t you know that I got a little surprised when I bit into to it and found chocolate chips!
LUNA describes it as rich chocolate-y nougat with chocolate chips and crisps to add a sweet crunch!
Doesn’t it just look like a candy bar you want to gobble up?

This one also has 170 calories, 5g fat, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, and 12 g protein.
If I’m remembering correctly, I ate this one in the afternoon after some weight training. I was a little hungry, mostly just needed a small snack to tide me over until dinner, and the Chocolate did the trick!
One other great fact about the Luna Protein bars is that they are a low G. I. food so if you happen to be watching your carb count (which I do... I mean, I watch those carbs get devoured  seeing as how I’m a carboholic and al...) these would be a good choice for you as perhaps an afternoon snack.
It’s a  believe ‘em  product, but I’m only giving the Chocolate a 7* Even with the chocolate chips, I felt like it was missing something.
I can’t help it. I’m a flavor mixer kind of gal.
That’s is for round 2 of my Luna reviews.
Up next week is a few more LUNA bar flavors to round out the series.

If you missed last week’s Tell it to Me (or you!)  Tuesday, go check out my review of what I’ve dubbed the Luna Cookie bars! 
And don’t forget  you can find my review of Luna’s new product, the fiber bar. I still have to get my hands on the Peanut Butter Strawberry and Chocolate Raspberry.  (Have any of you tried those flavors yet? What are your thoughts?)
Passing the Baton: What do you think of the LUNA protein bars in general? Have you tried any of them? If so, how do you feel about/rate them? What’s your favorite flavor overall?  Do you think they are a healthy alternative to a candy bar?
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* Disclaimer I was not paid to write this review. I received the LUNA  protein bars, fair and square, from the company. All of the thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone based on personal tasting of the product. 100% honesty. As part of this series, LUNA was not promised a positive review, they just happened to get it.

Luna Review Series 1: Luna Bars

Today starts the Tell it to Me Tuesday, and I’m starting it right: with a three week review series of Luna Bars.
A couple of weeks ago, I contacted the public relations coordinator at Cliff bar and just asked if they ever worked with bloggers for reviews. Wouldn’t you know that they do?
Now you all know my love obsession with Luna, but surprisingly, there were several flavors that I hadn’t tried yet, mainly because for some reason our local stores don’t carry all the flavors.
So, I got a box in the mail of the flavors I hadn’t tried yet, mostly some of the newer ones.

Todays’ review is on the Luna Bar, and the flavors I have dubbed cookie bars.






Before I hit the review, here’s what LUNA has to say about the bars:
Created by and for women, LUNA bars were the first bar just for us, with the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to stay healthy. Wholesome nourishment and delicious indulgence, they are made with 70% organic ingredients and just plain yummy!
They are also

• High in calcium, folic acid, vitamin D, and iron (the Core 4)
• Rich in antioxidants A, C, E
• Contain 9g protein, 3g fiber

I received the Chocolate Chunk, but just happened to have the Peanut Butter Cookie, and Chocolate Dipped Coconut around.

Peanut Butter Cookie
I haven’t actually had the chance to try this one before last weekend. The PBC is not one of the first flavors, but it’s not the newest flavor either. I stumbled across it at my local Kroger’s and thought to myself perfect timing.

Luna describes it as peanut buttery delight with hints of creaminess and a light peanut crunch. I describe it as delicious.
I was super busy writing and researching on Saturday morning, so by the time I tore myself away from the computer, I hadn’t had breakfast yet. Enter, the Peanut Butter Cookie.
It has 180 calories, 6g fat, 26g carbs, 3g fiber, and 9g protein. I think I ate it around 10, and then didn’t eat lunch until late afternoon. It held me over until then.
Usually, I’m more of a sweet breakfast person than savory, and on the weekends, I don’t always get up at the crack of dawn so my breakfast pattern is off. Luna fits in perfectly.
This bar reminded me of a fancied up version of a rice crispy treat. When your mom made them for you as kids, did she ever throw peanut butter in there? Mine did occasionally as a treat, and I’m thinking the Luna PBC bar is like the grown-up healthy version of that snack.
It’s more crispy than other Luna bars, which I really liked. And the bottom is covered in that peanut buttery delight.
Um delicious.

I most definitely recommended this bar for either a quick breakfast or even mid-morning snack. You won’t be disappointed in the flavor, especially if you’re a PB lover like myself.
This is definitely a believe ‘em, and  it gets a 9.5*

Next up is the Chocolate Dipped Coconut
The PR coordinator offered to send me this flavor, but luckily, my local grocery store carries this flavor.
The CDC is a fairly newer flavor, as in, two bars ago (I think) and since chocolate and coconut is one of my favorite flavor combinations, I pretty much have been snacking on this flavor since it came out.
Luna describes it as a deliciously decadent combination of toasted coconut and chocolate.
I call it the healthy version of that one girl scout cookie that’s oh-so-delicious-yet-so-not-healthy because it tastes just like a Samoa cookie to me.
Which pretty much means I’m in love.

The CDC has 190 calories, 7g fat, 25g carbs, 3g fiber, and 9g protein. So, a little bit higher on the calorie count that the PBC, but it’s worth it if you like coconut (you’re missing out Wonder Woman!)
This bar for me is more of an afternoon snack-pick-me-up kind of treat. It’s got the nice, oatsy crisp bite to it, (but definitely not too protein-y or fiber-y tasting) with a solid layer of chocolate on the bottom AND swirls on top. Not to mention the caramel like glaze and toasted coconut so kindly covering the top surface. I mean, just look at it. Doesn’t just looking make you feel guilty?
But that’s the best part.
NO GUILT.
This one definitely tends to be a little bit more sweet than the other bars I have tried, but, again, my sweet tooth it happy. I’d recommend a good glass of water instead of a Frappe with this one though. Don’t want to overload yourself.
This is definitely a believe ‘em, and  it gets a 10* (10.5 if I could…it might just be in the running for my favorite flavor right now)

Last up is the Chocolate Chunk
This is one of Luna’s newest bar flavors and they describe it as their nutritious take on the classic chocolate chip cookie with big, mouth watering chunks of dark chocolate.
It carries 180 calories, 5g fat, 26g carbs, 3g fiber, and 9g protein.
So a little healthier than your typical bakery cookie.
I really was not sure what to expect with this bar because I’m currently trying to perfect my own chocolate chip cookie. But I was pleasantly surprised.
When I opened the wrapped, it smelled like a cookie. And let me tell you, I was commuting on a smelly public bus. But I still got that whiff of chocolate chip cookie.
I could immediately tell that it met the promise of being full of chocolate chunks, and unlike other Luna bars, there was no icing/glaze layer.

After a few bites, I realized it wasn’t entirely like a homemade cookie, but it was in the running. I mean, it had a really good aftertaste, which for me was important. There wasn’t any lingering protein/fiber/fake flavor.
I didn’t want to vomit the flavor back out. I actually tasted like I had eaten a cookie (I know… weird explanation, but if I just said it was good, would that make you want to try it?)
Unlike some of the other Luna bars, I found this one to be a tab bit dry. it could be because there isn’t any chocolate glaze on the bottom of the bar, but the chocolate chunks really helped with the dryness. They were everywhere!

I mean, here’s the thing. The other side of me is a baker. I love my sweets. But, too much isn’t a good thing especially when I’m training. Yet, my sweet tooth needs fed practically every day. And since I’m in school again, what’s better than an after school snack of milk and cookies?
Oh, you know… my health.
So, this bar is definitely my new go-too
I get that chocolate chip cookie aftertaste my sweet tooth needs. I mean, I feel like I ate a cookie (by my taste buds) but my mind/stomach knows it was so much better for me.
it’s filling enough for an afternoon pick-me-up, and I can hold on until dinner without the guilt.
This is definitely a believe ‘em, and  it gets a 9*

That’s is for round 1 of my Luna reviews.
Up next week is the Protein bar.
Passing the Baton: What do you think of the LUNA bars in general? Have you tried any of these newer flavors? If so, how do you feel about/rate them? What’s your favorite flavor overall? 
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* Disclaimer. I was not paid to write this review. I received some of the LUNA bars, fair and square, from the company. The others I purchased myself. All of the thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone based on personal tasting of the product. 100% honesty. As part of this series, LUNA was not promised a positive review, they just happened to get it.

Sneak peak…

I got this in the mail Saturday… reviews coming soon!

LUNA Fiber review

Last week, LUNA Bar reveled their newest product, the LUNA Fiber bar. Not only did they reveal this new bar, but they also offered a sneak peak giveaway on Twitter, and I was one of 10 lucky people chosen.
I only felt it right to offer my review.
Honest thoughts: Believe ‘em

I have been a Luna Bar lover for a while now. I’m not often one to supplement my diet with protein bars or packaged goods, but I deal with low blood sugar and have gotten into the habit of carrying food in my purse should the need arise.
For fear of smooshing bananas all over my bag, or hurting my shoulder  from carrying  a jar of peanut butter around, the easiest choice has been some sort of bar.
But when it comes to something of the bar sort, the choices are numerous: granola, protein, weight loss, etc.
I’ve pretty much tried everything, and LUNA fit the the bill for me.
Most importantly, they taste good. And by taste good I mean, they lack the chalky, protein flavor. If I didn’t need to eat them for snacks sometimes, I would choose to eat them.
They affordable for my budget, and they are organic. Which to me means they seem more homemade in my book than processed.
And Luna isn’t  your typical nutrition bar.
They are geared specifically for women, including the Core 4: Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, Folic Acid.