Nutrilov Granola Bars

Hello and welcome to some very loyal old readers and hopefully some new ones! The Beauty Finds is back after the hiatus. Enjoyed Eid holidays, had my parents return safely from Hajj-e-Mubarak, Alhamdulilah! Had an important family function - Sister-in-Law's Nikah <3 Congrats, Em! :-* Partially celebrated "Meet-aversary" with my dearly beloved! And the latest, had my foot ligaments ruptured :-\ Yeah, that's the odd one out. So, roamed around for a week, unaware of the severity DESPITE a visit to the GP. Ended up in a plaster for few weeks. All in all, been busy! I missed blogging, but I have dabbled in other things creative and will share them all here. 

As the comeback post, let me share my thoughts on something sweet and healthy. Granola bars have become the pinnacle for health and fitness enthusiasts. What do I think about that? Find out ahead:

A little background on my food preferences since reviewing food items is tricky - everyone has their own palate. I am a big foodie, for starters. Like, literally, focus on the BIG part. Yet, I am almost resistant to trying new things. Weird, right? When we go in a restaurant, I will order the SAME thing from the menu. It comforts me a little better. You may ask Kay, Eff, and Emm to order for me - they will be VERY VERY specific, haha!

I don't have a sweet tooth. However, I have a whole set of teeth and then some for Chocolates :P Lately, I have been on and off "diets". Whether or not I am succeeding, that topic shall be discussed in a different post. Still, my biggest struggle with dieting is always about controlling the hunger pangs. I either eat too much or too less. Striking a balance for my tastebuds is difficult. I would want to indulge in a chocolate or two - followed by those hours of guilt and calories that girlfriend isn't burning :-/ Plus, with my life on-the-go, I satisfy my sugar cravings with stuff I can carry in the handbag without any fuss. That would leave me with limited options other than fruit or corn. Granola bars caught my attention, but they too would contain processed ingredients which will eventually be unhelpful in keeping a healthier lifestyle.

One fine day, I had a chance to try Nutrilov Granola Bars.

Nutrilov is operated from home in Karachi, Pakistan. It was a friend's creation - so that puts me in closed quarters with creator of the brand. In all honesty, this is NOT a sponsored post and my foremost priority is to convey the real deal to all my audience members. This post will be what I genuinely feel! The brains (and beauty) behind the brand is Madiha and her family. She claims that her passion for the fitness lifestyle made her experiment in kitchen to create healthy snacks. She felt that there existed a need in the market to cater for youngsters (like herself) who found it hard to avoid the processed snacks - especially when they're the only ones readily available. The kitchxperiments were then taken to a new level as she pursued to launch her products formally.

Nutrilov launched in 2015 with two variants of granola bars:

- Peanut Butter & Raisin
- Chocolate Chip & Coconut

Priced at PKR 100 each, Nutrilov products are ordered online through their Facebook page. The availability of products is currently limited to the residents of Karachi only. 

The granola bars from Nurtilov are marketed as a 'healthy snack' that does not contain artificial additives. The sweetners added to the bars are either honey or brown sugar. As the brand claims, there is no wrong way of consuming the granola bars - you can enjoy it as a breakfast topping or tea-time snack, pack it up for your kids' lunch, consume as a pre-and-post workout snack or use it as an energizer for the expecting & feeding mothers. 

So, how have the brand claims worked out for me? Let's find out:

Nutrilov Granola Bars comes in a printed cardboard packaging that holds the granola bar just right. The size of it - for reference - is a little over the palm of your hand. The cardboard packaging is not oversized and fits the actual bar just fine. The design on the packaging is not overly done and the quality of the cardboard is decent enough. I have been carrying the granola bars around in the bottomless abyss that is my office handbag and have not faced any issue with the product damage. Although, it is recommended that the bars are to be refrigerated for longer shelf-life and to preserve the natural ingredients. That does not mean your bars will get spoiled if you carry one in your purse for a few hours. It is the extended period of time in summers that you need to be careful of. 

In temperature drop that we are experiencing now, they have been just fine as I carry one or two around without the refrigeration as well.

I am in the habit of turning the food packagings and reading the nutrition information. They might be disregarded as I read the calories off of all the junk food that I love, but I read nonetheless :) Many home-based brands of foods that I have tried skip nutrition information, so I'd like to appreciate Nutrilov's effort into disclosure of pertinent information on their packaging. This helps especially when I'm on my calorie counting days to keep the daily total 1200.

Coming onto the granola bar itself, it is neatly packed in a cling-film. It is not only hygienic, but keeps the granola bars travel friendly. 

Now, I find the description of the 'taste' to be trickier. Please bear with me as I attempt to give you a fair idea! The Peanut Butter and Raisin flavor had the delectable peanut butter saltiness complemented well by the sweetness of the raisin bits. It was more condense (if that's the right word) than the granola bars you find in the market. The amount of peanut butter is well-balanced because there was no tackiness that usually is present due to the combo of peanut butter and raisins. Now, there is a matter of personal preference, but I like the granola bars to have major 'crunch' factor with crispier oats and cereal ingredients. Although this particular flavor is not soggy, but I felt that it could do with a crunchier crust. On the brighter side, these can be chewed easily by adults and children with sensitive teeth. Even I appreciated that when my mouth was sore with wisdom teeth popping up on both sides - rendering all the "crunch" painful -_- A single serving of bar is fulfilling enough to keep you going for a few hours without the hunger pangs. 

The Chocolate Chip and Coconut Granola Bar had evenly proportioned chocolate chips and the coconut flavor. I was expecting to taste the oats more significantly with a little chip of chocolate here and there. Interestingly enough, the chocolate chips are not overdone, yet they make every bite flavorful with the not-too-sweet richness. It was a love at first taste. I could not help but compare it with one of my favorite chocolates - Bounty. While they are not too similar, but I would always strike that analogy as I could curb my chocolate cravings the healthier way and in a GOOD portion size. Otherwise, I would find it TOO HARD to limit the chocolate serving to an inch-square -_- This granola bar is somewhat crunchier than the other and you can replace your kids' candy intake with a healthier option. I would use this to top off my yogurt & fruits in breakfast or lunch. 

If I were to compare the two, the Chocolate Chip and Coconut is my absolute favorite. However, my husband and few friends are more inclined towards the Peanut Butter and Raisin. Like I said, it boils down to your personal preference. A big thumbs up is for the affordable price of each bar with PKR 100. There definitely is room for more flavors and variants to be introduced for customers of different preferences. Moreover, I am hoping that the availability of Nutrilove extends beyond Karachi to Lahore & Islamabad. 

All you folks in Karachi, you MUST give Nutrilov a shot! Strongly recommending it. Even if you're on diet, don't starve yourself and get the "good" calories from Nutrilov Granola Bar. I wish I had a stamp of approval to go with the Chocolate flavored one :-D Will most definitely be stocking up on that goodness since forever. I am currently in Lahore and seeing these pictures have made me miss it. 

Nutrilov Granola Bars can be ordered via the brand's page on Facebook. Stay tuned to regular updates and offers from the brand by following them on Instagram @nutrilovbars.

Let us hear your feedback in the comments below <3

Cheers,

Bia