I consider food bars one of the greatest edible inventions of all time because they pack a ton of nutrition and taste into one tiny, totally portable package. They are the most delicious and healthiest “fast food” on the planet – well, perhaps alongside the banana, which is perfectly wrapped up and made good to go by Mother Nature herself.

But wait! Hold it right there!

You have to make sure you’re getting the RIGHT food bars – and believe me, with such a popular product, there are so many WRONG choices out there it’s almost laughable. Almost.

So many food bars nowadays are made to look healthy and nutritious but actually contain many of the nasty, icky, and unhealthy ingredients found in most candy bars. And believe me, a food bar is not a candy bar – a food bar is actual food in compact, portable form and a candy bar is a … well, a candy bar is just empty calories and minimal nutrition, if any at all. In fact, most food bars are no better than most candy bars – and simply because something is pumped full of vitamins and minerals does not make it healthy. Sorry, PowerBar. Not really so powerful, are you?

Watch your ingredients when it comes to food bars. After a short while I’m sure you’ll notice how often high fructose corn syrup appears on the labels of the most popular brands. You’ll also see artificial sweeteners and more incredibly refined sugars, both a no-no.

So where’s a health-conscious person supposed to turn?

To my two favorite brands of food bars, Organic Food Bar and Larabar. Both companies take only the simplest, purest, and all-natural ingredients and whip them up into delightful flavor combinations that satisfy not only my taste buds but my strict standards of nutrition excellence. I LOVE these food bars – truly. I eat one nearly every day and I keep a stash of them in my purse for whenever I need a small meal. They are perfect for meal-replacements: I eat one for lunch instead of a regular meal and I feel totally satisfied. Plus, each bar is only 200-300 calories – the ideal amount for a small meal or snack. These bars can’t get any better!

Please note that Larabar’s line of Organic Food Bars is called Jocalat (“Chocolate”) and they are absolutely delicious – they taste like decadent fudge brownies – but they’re actually good for you!

Please check out their websites – www.organicfoodbar.com and www.larabar.com. You can see the myriad of flavors available and get a good sense of the companies themselves. You can even check out all of the ingredients involved. There are flavors like Belgium Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Mint and Active Greens. There are more flavors than you can shake a food bar at.

You can find these wondrous food bars at any local health food store. Please try one as soon as you can – you won’t regret it and I’m sure you’ll feel opened up to a whole new world of edible possibilities.

Remember, you can take a food bar anywhere. They love to travel and they’ll save you time and money when you’re in a hunger pinch. So try one today!

… And then let me know what you think.

Happy Food Bar-ing!