Season 2, Episode 26: Unisex Pumpkin Spice

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Season 2, Episodes 25-27: A Whole LOTTA Pumpkin

So at this time last year, I was struggling to make it through the end of the challenge because I was so burnt out from all of the pumpkin spice I had been sampling. 28 days in, my taste buds were shot and I just wanted to quit.
And this year is no different - my taste buds are GONE and I just want to eat some non-pumpkin spiced snack foods!


But then something happened that reminded me WHY I do what I do.
A friend of mine, Michael (Hi Mike!) told me that he was at a store and was trying to decide whether or not to buy a specific pumpkin spice product. Naturally, he checked my blog for reference, but could not find a review for that specific item.


So he bought it uninformed...and it was terrible.


NEVER. AGAIN.
So I am going to channel this guilt I feel in to today’s 3 part review.
So the past 3 days have been really rough with studying, but I decided to take a break, watch some Sunday Night Football and catch up. Since a 3-part review would take forever and a day, I’m going to do these reviews a little shorter (but just as fun).


Here. We. Go.

Season 2, Episode 26: Unisex Pumpkin Spice


Item: Larabar Pumpkin Pie
Purchase location: Target
Cost: $4.99

Larabars are famous for their ingredient simplicity, similar to the RX bars that I reviewed earlier this month. I personally like them because one of their key base ingredients is dates, a fruit that I am especially fond of.


However, once I shared my affinity for Larabars with a certain friend of mine, they began to chide me that they were energy/nutrition bars for women only. I was indignant and undeterred, and decided to fact check this claim. I am happy to report that I did not find A SINGLE SHRED OF EVIDENCE that they were women-only.
However, I had a slight scare because I mixed up Larabars and Lunabars, and the latter ARE made for women with a special balance of nutrients.
So the ingredients in this bar are true to form, and are NINE in total. Not nine + preservatives or anything. Nine. Flat.
They are: dates, cashews, apples, almonds, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.
That’s a pretty basic list! And it’s nice that they haven’t added anything else in, so the nutrition is pretty clean as well. I am only a little worried because I have had issues with bars that use apple pulp before, but I’m hoping the flavor isn’t too strong.
Opening the package, there is a slight orange tinge, and evenly distributed chunks of the cashew and almond spread throughout. There is a gentle aroma of the pumpkin spice, and I am actually pretty excited!
Biting in, the flavor just works! You hardly taste the apple, but the pumpkin and the date really compliment each other well. They form a nice base, and the real spices add a pop to the bar.


I was wondering how the chopped nuts would fit in, and they are low key. You don’t really taste them, but they provide an excellent texture contrast to the rest of the bar. If it were just the fruit, pumpkin, and spices alone, I think it might be too smooth/sticky of a bar.


Overall, these bars are a solid pumpkin spice product, and NOT just for women.
Final rating 5/5 pumpkins.



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