Sometimes, it seems like you have to choose between delicious and healthy when it comes to snacks. I try to choose wisely and have had to give up some old favorites due to issues with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), but I still crave small bites now and then and don't want to have to give that up.
My personal snacking inclination leans toward crunchy and crisp and I prefer savory or lightly sweetened over intensely sweet things (desserts are for sweet things - and only as a special occasion for me).
Frontier Bites are the brainchild of a pair of brothers, Nate and Matt, who set up a competitive challenge for themselves to come up with a recipe that could be an alternative to the highly processed energy bars available at the time. The rules were that the result could only include 10 or fewer ingredients one could find in their pantry, include no refined sugar, and be gluten, soy and dairy free.
Nate won the competition with his Almond Blueberry Lemon Bites, and after tweaking, they proved to be good enough to set them on the path toward starting their own business.
Tragically, in 2011, before they were able to bring those plans to fruition, Nate was killed in a river rafting accident, leaving Matt to carry on for both of them.
Until recently, Frontier Bites came in three varieties: the original Almond Blueberry Lemon Bites, Macadamia Pineapple Coconut, and Pecan Cherry Cinnamon.
Now, they have two new flavors, and these are the ones I was sent for review: Cashew Cranberry Orange, and Pumpkin Seed Apple Vanilla Bean.
I immediately tore into the Cashew Cranberry Orange - this is already one of my favorite flavor blends and I was excited to see what they'd do with them. I was not even slightly disappointed - the puffed millet and brown rice make for a snappy bite complimented by the crunchy almonds, and burst of flavor from the dried cranberries and bright orange oil, which tasted as fresh as if I'd bitten into a newly peeled orange slice.
I was and am smitten - everything about these granola nuggets is exactly what I've been looking for. After my first taste, I was almost reluctant to share with my husband (but I did, because I'm nice like that. He loves them, too!)
The Pumpkin Seed Apple Vanilla Bean Bites were also very good, and shared the same perfect crunch and flavors that play well together. The apple tasted like apple, the vanilla was discernible, and the hulled pumpkin seeds were nutty and delicious.
Frontier Bites are also perfect for taking along as a portable snack - the nuggets are lightweight carrying and hold up well to jostling without turning to crumbs.
In fact, my husband and I took these along with us to the Woman's March last month, and it was very easy to pull one or two out of a baggie even while standing in a dense crowd. They provided a welcome bit of sustaining energy, and we plan to be sure to bring these along for future outings and road trips.
The 3.53oz resealable bag contains about five servings, and is available for purchase on their website for $4.99 each. They also carry packs of 8 single serve pouches for $15.00.
You can also find Frontier Bites on Amazon, or you can check their store locator to see if they are available for purchase in your area.
Frontier Bites is letting us host a Giveaway - one of our US readers will receive a 'mixed case' of Frontier Bites, containing one resealable pouch of each of their five flavor blends, valued at $25. Keep reading to see how you can enter to win!
http://frontierbites.com/
https://www.facebook.com/frontiersnacks
https://twitter.com/frontierbites
https://www.instagram.com/frontierbites/
This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 3/2.
The winners will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.
Good luck!
