candy vs. cereal vs. protein vs. energy bars?



C

C.J.Patten

Guest
Any websites out there with info on this comparison? I bike daily but
nothing extreme yet. (up to 10km... will be back to doing 100+km at a time
by the end of the summer) Wondering what would be a good bar to carry in a
saddle pack as a road snack.

I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water) would
do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.

How do cereal bars and candy bars compare? Snickers and the Kellogg's
Nutri-Grain strawberry bars come to mind.

Opinions welcome!

Chris
 
C.J.Patten wrote:
> Any websites out there with info on this comparison? I bike daily but
> nothing extreme yet. (up to 10km... will be back to doing 100+km at a time
> by the end of the summer) Wondering what would be a good bar to carry in a
> saddle pack as a road snack.
>
> I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water) would
> do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.
>
> How do cereal bars and candy bars compare? Snickers and the Kellogg's
> Nutri-Grain strawberry bars come to mind.
>
> Opinions welcome!
>

Bananas, dried fruit, cereal bars and malt loaf. All much much cheaper
than the sports bars

--
Tony

"Don't argue the matter, the difficulties will argue for themselves"
-W.S. Churchill
 
"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bananas, dried fruit, cereal bars and malt loaf. All much much cheaper
> than the sports bars

And tastier, unless sports bars have improved since last time I chewed a
free sample!

Pete
 
I am a firm believer in just reading the labels - save a lot of money
by just comparing what is in the stuff you are buying

Tom
 
"C.J.Patten" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Any websites out there with info on this comparison? I bike daily but
> nothing extreme yet. (up to 10km... will be back to doing 100+km at a time
> by the end of the summer) Wondering what would be a good bar to carry in a
> saddle pack as a road snack.
>
> I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water)
> would do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.
>
> How do cereal bars and candy bars compare? Snickers and the Kellogg's
> Nutri-Grain strawberry bars come to mind.
>
> Opinions welcome!
>
> Chris
>
>
Well I am not sure about the difference in nutrition, but as far as taste
goes I would vote for the nutri-grain bars. The last sports bar I tasted,
tasted like dirt stuck together with something resembling elmers white glue.

Ken
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"C.J.Patten" <[email protected]> writes:
> Any websites out there with info on this comparison? I bike daily but
> nothing extreme yet. (up to 10km... will be back to doing 100+km at a time
> by the end of the summer) Wondering what would be a good bar to carry in a
> saddle pack as a road snack.
>
> I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water) would
> do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.
>
> How do cereal bars and candy bars compare? Snickers and the Kellogg's
> Nutri-Grain strawberry bars come to mind.
>
> Opinions welcome!

Most candy bars are too melty. For take-with-you snacks
you'll want stuff that both holds together well without
crumbling, and doesn't melt down into a gooey mess.
Some folks like fig newtons. I'm partial to date-nut loaf
squares, myself. But fig newtons are good too. Cereal
bars are IMO overpriced. There's a bunch of recipes for
homemade bars in the FAQ, and many more on the Web.
I find so-called "birdseed bars" quite pleasant, 'cuz I
like the sesame. There's a bunch of recipes for those on
the Web, too.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
 
C.J.Patten wrote:
> Any websites out there with info on this comparison? I bike daily but
> nothing extreme yet. (up to 10km... will be back to doing 100+km at a time
> by the end of the summer) Wondering what would be a good bar to carry in a
> saddle pack as a road snack.
>
> I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water) would
> do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.
>
> How do cereal bars and candy bars compare? Snickers and the Kellogg's
> Nutri-Grain strawberry bars come to mind.
>
> Opinions welcome!
>
> Chris
>
>

Home made flapjack, made with Honey - not Golden Syrup. Low GI
Yumminess, zero Hydrogenated rubbish or preservatives.

--
Chris
 
C.J.Patten wrote in message ...

> Wondering what would be a good bar to carry in a
>saddle pack as a road snack.
>
>I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water)
would
>do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.
>
>How do cereal bars and candy bars compare? Snickers and the Kellogg's
>Nutri-Grain strawberry bars come to mind.

My random thoughts:

Clif Bars are not grody, especially compared to other bars, like Power Bars.
The ingredients list for Clif Bars is pretty wholesome, especially compared
to typical breakfast/granola bars, which often have artificial flavors and
other dodgy ingredients. They hold up in the bike bag, even when it's hot.
As for price, I buy them at Trader Joe's, where they're 99 cents per bar --
that's more than a candy bar, but it's also less than you'd pay for one at a
convenience store.

As for candy bars -- I am not a peanuts fan, so I don't buy Snicker's. My
traditional candy bar for cycling is a Hershey's with Almonds. This is not
something I carry all day in the bike bag, usually, because they melt or
turn grey if not eaten that day. This is something I buy from a convenience
store. Even in the middle of nowhere (why do I have images of the Cathcart
General Store coming to mind?) you can find a Hershey's with Almonds. For
me, a chocolate bar is closer to the effect of sucking down a goo -- it's a
straight shot of sugar as a pick-me-up for tired legs syndrome. A Clif Bar
is more something consumed every 15 or 20 miles as a sustaining snack.

Bananas and gatorade are good to have, too. They meet other needs. So,
here's what you do: carry a couple of clif bars, a banana, *ade along with
water, and a couple of bucks to spend on the road on chocolate bars and
emergencies.


Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referr­al/Cpetersky
 
"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Bananas, dried fruit, cereal bars and malt loaf. All much much cheaper
> than the sports bars


Help me out here... "malt-loaf?" That's gotta be UK specific... ;)
Though, as an alternative to protein bars, "meat loaf" might work.

Thanks Tony. ;)
 
"Ken" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Well I am not sure about the difference in nutrition, but as far as taste
> goes I would vote for the nutri-grain bars. The last sports bar I tasted,
> tasted like dirt stuck together with something resembling elmers white
> glue.

<chuckle>

When I last tried a Powerbar it fit that description.
Mmmmm. Gum and nuts, together at last.
 
"Tom Keats" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...


> Most candy bars are too melty. For take-with-you snacks
> you'll want stuff that both holds together well without
> crumbling, and doesn't melt down into a gooey mess.

<nods> Melted chocolate bar isn't too appealing. :p


> Some folks like fig newtons. I'm partial to date-nut loaf
> squares, myself. But fig newtons are good too. Cereal

They have Apple and Cherry Newtons too which I find kinda cool.


> bars are IMO overpriced. There's a bunch of recipes for
> homemade bars in the FAQ, and many more on the Web.

AWESOME. Exactly what I was thinking of... making huge batches with store
bought oats, nuts, fruit etc and packing my own bars.


> I find so-called "birdseed bars" quite pleasant, 'cuz I
> like the sesame. There's a bunch of recipes for those on
> the Web, too.

Do you mean "Sesame Snaps"?
 
"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Clif Bars are not grody, especially compared to other bars, like Power
> Bars.
> The ingredients list for Clif Bars is pretty wholesome, especially
> compared
> to typical breakfast/granola bars, which often have artificial flavors and
> other dodgy ingredients. They hold up in the bike bag, even when it's
> hot.
> As for price, I buy them at Trader Joe's, where they're 99 cents per
> bar --
> that's more than a candy bar, but it's also less than you'd pay for one at
> a
> convenience store.
>
> As for candy bars -- I am not a peanuts fan, so I don't buy Snicker's. My
> traditional candy bar for cycling is a Hershey's with Almonds. This is not
> something I carry all day in the bike bag, usually, because they melt or
> turn grey if not eaten that day. This is something I buy from a
> convenience
> store. Even in the middle of nowhere (why do I have images of the Cathcart
> General Store coming to mind?) you can find a Hershey's with Almonds. For
> me, a chocolate bar is closer to the effect of sucking down a goo -- it's
> a
> straight shot of sugar as a pick-me-up for tired legs syndrome. A Clif Bar
> is more something consumed every 15 or 20 miles as a sustaining snack.
>
> Bananas and gatorade are good to have, too. They meet other needs. So,
> here's what you do: carry a couple of clif bars, a banana, *ade along with
> water, and a couple of bucks to spend on the road on chocolate bars and
> emergencies.
>


Thanks Claire! I fell out of cycling before "gels" came in to vogue but I
recall Clif Bars were always VERY highly reviewed - "less grody" is a great
description. ;p

I tried PowerBars years ago - I suppose when they were new on the market.

I've tried military field rations that had a package labelled "dessert -
cherry cake" which we nicknamed "dried lung" for the colour and texture. It
actually tasted great if you could get by the feel.

Power Bars (c.1994) reminded me of the "dried lung" - with added rubber. And
dirt. Maybe they've improved...? Obviously we have a lot of alternatives
these days.

Thanks also to the other replies I got, I was reminded of Fig-Newtons -
which now come in a "bar" sized package for on the road.

I think I'll give home-brew bars a shot too... I love cookin'!

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Chris
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"C.J.Patten" <[email protected]> writes:

>> I find so-called "birdseed bars" quite pleasant, 'cuz I
>> like the sesame. There's a bunch of recipes for those on
>> the Web, too.
>
> Do you mean "Sesame Snaps"?

No, but those are good too, in their own right.

Here's a birdseed bar basic recipe:
http://health.rmad.org/rotw/2005-01-09.htm
(hmmm ... barley malt + almond butter for a binder,
instead of honey or molasses ... interesting.)

Best thing is to look at a number of recipes,
take ideas that sound the most appealing,
mix 'n match them, substitute stuff if you
want to, and concoct whatever is to your liking.

If you Google search on key phrases like
"power bar recipe", "energy bar recipe", etc
you'll find tons o' stuff.


cheers,
Tom
--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
 
"Tom Keats" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> No, but those are good too, in their own right.
>
> Here's a birdseed bar basic recipe:
> http://health.rmad.org/rotw/2005-01-09.htm
> (hmmm ... barley malt + almond butter for a binder,
> instead of honey or molasses ... interesting.)
>
> Best thing is to look at a number of recipes,
> take ideas that sound the most appealing,
> mix 'n match them, substitute stuff if you
> want to, and concoct whatever is to your liking.
>
> If you Google search on key phrases like
> "power bar recipe", "energy bar recipe", etc
> you'll find tons o' stuff.


Right on! Heading there now!

Thanks!
 
"Claire Petersky" wrote
> My random thoughts:
>
> Clif Bars are not grody, especially compared to other bars, like Power
Bars.
> The ingredients list for Clif Bars is pretty wholesome, especially
compared
> to typical breakfast/granola bars, which often have artificial flavors and
> other dodgy ingredients. They hold up in the bike bag, even when it's
hot.
> As for price, I buy them at Trader Joe's, where they're 99 cents per
bar --
> that's more than a candy bar, but it's also less than you'd pay for one at
a
> convenience store.
>
> As for candy bars -- I am not a peanuts fan, so I don't buy Snicker's. My
> traditional candy bar for cycling is a Hershey's with Almonds. This is not
> something I carry all day in the bike bag, usually, because they melt or
> turn grey if not eaten that day. This is something I buy from a
convenience
> store. Even in the middle of nowhere (why do I have images of the Cathcart
> General Store coming to mind?) you can find a Hershey's with Almonds. For
> me, a chocolate bar is closer to the effect of sucking down a goo -- it's
a
> straight shot of sugar as a pick-me-up for tired legs syndrome. A Clif Bar
> is more something consumed every 15 or 20 miles as a sustaining snack.
>
> Bananas and gatorade are good to have, too. They meet other needs. So,
> here's what you do: carry a couple of clif bars, a banana, *ade along with
> water, and a couple of bucks to spend on the road on chocolate bars and
> emergencies.
>
>
> Warm Regards,
>
> Claire Petersky

I agree with Claire about Clif bars, the worst of them are still pretty
palatable, and the best of them could almost be called appetizing. A lot of
them are made with organic ingredients, which is an improvement over Power
Bars. They come in a wide range of flavors (I'm partial to apricot) so you
can sample the full range and pick your favorite. At their cheapest they
cost more than Snickers, etc., but they seem to keep me going longer.

Lots of places in the US offer Clif Bars in the $.99 to $1.25 range, enough
that I can keep a few boxes around and never have to pay full price. REI,
Colorado Cyclist, Bike Nashbar and other mail order places sell them.
Supermarkets around here will offer odd flavors at a discount from time to
time, so I'll stock up if a flavor I like is being offered for around $1 per
bar.

Nutri-Grain bars come in some tasty flavors, but they really don't seem to
sustain me at all.

If I put a sports drink in my water bottle it's usually pretty heavily
diluted.

HTH,
--
mark
 
Sat, 11 Jun 2005 21:23:02 -0400, <[email protected]>,
"C.J.Patten" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Thanks Claire! I fell out of cycling before "gels" came in to vogue but I
>recall Clif Bars were always VERY highly reviewed - "less grody" is a great
>description. ;p

It's Claire's review of Cliff Bars that persuaded me to try them. She
was right. I've not tried all the flavours but found I prefer the
peanut butter ones.

We've always had gels. Though it was and still is called honey. It
performs as well as gels and you can pronounce all the ingredients.
It's available in different flavours and still less expensive too.

I like using honey instead of jam with peanut butter for sandwiches.
--
zk
 
C.J.Patten wrote:
> Help me out here... "malt-loaf?" That's gotta be UK specific... ;)
> Though, as an alternative to protein bars, "meat loaf" might work.

Although this will probably provide more questions than answers:

http://www.slackjaw.co.uk/maltloaf.html

And if you fancy making some (I haven't tried this):

http://countrylife.net/pages/recipes/648.html

Soreen Malt Loaf has an energy density about equal to an energy bar, but
has two distinct advantages. It's cheaper; It tastes nice.

While the latter may be a matter of personal taste, it does seem to suit
the taste buds of a larger proportion of people than energy bars.

Jon
 
Tony Raven wrote:

> Bananas, dried fruit, cereal bars and malt loaf. All much much cheaper
> than the sports bars
>
I'll stick with a beautiful sweet, juicy apple. If you haven't tried
them for sustenance on a long ride, they're a world away from the less-
than-exciting fruit you're accustomed to. And much safer to carry than
a gooey mess (aka travelled banana).

You really can't beat Granny Smith:)

--
Nick Kew
 
C.J.Patten wrote:
>
>
> Help me out here... "malt-loaf?" That's gotta be UK specific... ;)
> Though, as an alternative to protein bars, "meat loaf" might work.
>

http://www.soreen.com/index.asp - well you did post to UK.rec.cycling
so expect some foods which are as unique to the UK as Hershey bars are
to the US! Its a dense sticky fruit bread with malt sugars (which have
the same maltodextrin glucose polymers as used in expensive energy
bars), fruit and carbohydrate. These make it the perfect energy food
that tastes good, survives the rigours of cycling without falling apart
in your pack and is cheap. A whole loaf costs only 65p ($1) and can be
bought at any convenience store in the UK (It also keeps well if you put
it in an airtight container so it doesn't dry out. I am sure you can
find recipes for it on the web

--
Tony

"Don't argue the matter, the difficulties will argue for themselves"
-W.S. Churchill
 
On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 19:28:30 +0100, C.J.Patten
<[email protected]> wrote:


> I figure a banana and diluted energy drink (half Gatorade, half water)
> would
> do the same thing as a lot of the pricey energy bars.

Diluting "sports" drinks is fairly pointless. They are formulated
in a specific way, and if you disagree with the isotonic balance
or some other factor in their composition then you might as well
not buy them.

Just use diluted fruit juice, or water with sugar and a bit of
salt added.


--
jc
 
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