Deliciously Dangerous Clif Builder's Bars: Review And Giveaway

One month ago, I walked into a coffee shop next to the Y for a post-workout bagel and some water to rehydrate. While I was there, I looked down to see the usual array of Clif Bars that I had seen every morning. I have been eating Clif Bars for about two years before and during my workouts. I cut them up  into bite size squares and chomp them on my long bikes. If I am at work and I am heading to the gym for an afternoon workout (something I seldom do these days, per the agreement with my wife to get all my Ironman workouts done in the a.m.,) I will scarf one down for some much needed carbohydrates before engaging in any one of the "holy trinity" of triathlon disciplines.

Still, in a pinch at any time for some extra fuel, I tear open a Clif bar (usually chocolate chip, or chocolate chip peanut crunch, but I have been known to down a few Chocolate Brownie Clif's in my day as well.) However, on this particular day, I looked down to see a package that I was unfamiliar with. It read: "Builder's The Entirely Natural Protein Bar" Then I see the red Clif decal on the side of the wrapper and it says it has 20 grams of whole protein. "Hey," I thought " I'll give it a try."  Coincidentally, it was the only Clif Builder Bar left, and it was their chocolate bar (pictured on top.)
The Clif Builder's bar are one in word: dangerous. Why you ask?  I do not think I have ever eaten a recovery bar prior to tasting a Clif Builder's Bar that did not taste like paste, chalk, or tree bark. Granted, tree bark may very well be high in dietary fiber, but definitely not yummy. I gave some to some dancer friends of mine. They loved them.

Exhibit B:

The top, or bottom of each bar has a thin glaze-like layer that tastes like the bar's particular flavor—chocolate, lemon, vanilla almond, chocolate mint, cookies 'n cream, and peanut butter of that particular bar. Then, a crunchy middle section—which in my opinion makes this bar unique—and makes it taste more like a candy bar, than a "good-for-you-taste-like-chalk," bar. What  makes the middle section crunchy and dangerously addictive are different with each bar as far as I can tell. When I look through the ingredient list, I read soy rice crisps, organic oats, dried roasted peanuts, and dried roasted almonds. I was especially humored by my wife, who spent  minutes carefully deconstructing  the Cookies 'N Cream Clif Bar with her mouth to isoloate the crunchy part as if she was trying to figure out a Rubik's Cube. Lastly, there is a gooey second outer layer, again either on the top or bottom depending on the bar.

My wife ate a Chocolate Mint bar on Saturday following her dance rehearsal and said, "Yeah, that should not even be legal. How do people avoid eating these as snacks? They taste too good!" Now, mind you, my wife is a harsh critic. I have bagged whole compositions I have been working on by the furrowed eyebrows and other non-verbal feedback I pick up in her body language while playing a composition for her. I wish I could say I had a favorite, but I don't.  The chocolate is really good, and can satiate my wife's discriminating chocolate fix. I have to admit I was a little leery about trying the lemon bar, until I did. If you like lemon meringue pie, don't eat this bar. Otherwise, you will only eat this bar and none others.  To me it has a refreshing lemon zest flavor.

Of course, the best part about this bar is that they are a great post-workout bar. These bar's are loaded with 20 grams of whole protein, 0 trans fat, and 23 vitamins and minerals, and they taste awesome!

Speaking of awesome, the fine awesome folks at  Clif are allowing me to give away THREE boxes of Clif Builder Bars on my blog. The rules for the Clif Bar Giveaway will be similar to the Timex Ironman Race Trainer Giveaway:

1) Go to the Clif Bar website and come back and leave a post telling me which Clif Builder Bar you would like the most. (1 entry)

2) Be a Follower of my blog. Leave a separate comment letting me know who you are (1 entry)

3) Become a Fan of Clif Bar on Facebook. Leave a separate comment letting me know who you are. (1 entry)

4) Post this contest on your blog, leaving a separate comment letting me know you've done so. (1 entry)

Okay everyone, in my next post I will explain how to make week 10 of Ironman training non-existent.

Train Smart!