A month or so ago we stumbled across a company called Bear, manufacturers of healthy, low calorie nibbles. Needless to say, we thought it our duty to order a batch to test.
Everyone can fall foul of hunger at work, and we’re no different, but there’s healthier options than reaching for the biscuit tin. Bear’s snacks, ideal for your desk drawer to see you through to lunch or 5pm, fall into three categories: Fruit Nibbles, Granola Nibbles and Yo Yos.
First up, the Fruit Nibbles (£8.28 for 12 bags) promise to pack in less than 100 calories – and just 85 for our Mango Pineapple bag. Handpicked and softly baked, the 50/50 mango and pineapple mix retains a suprising amount of its tangy flavour, and the soft texture works well. There’s also a Cherry Berry variation available (30 per cent cherry, 30 per cent strawberry, 40 per cent flame grapes and a splash of apple juice).
While the Fruit Nibbles (£8.28 for 12 bags) provide one of your five day, the Granola Nibbles tick the box for one of the lesser known three a day, ensuring you’re picking up enough fibre, too. There are three crunchy flavours available: Tropical Crunch, Apple Crumble and Cocoa Cherry Pie.
Finally, the 100 per cent fruit Yo Yos (£8.82 for 18 bags) – peach, strawberry, raspberry or blueberry – definitely hit the spot. Each flavour takes a blend of fruit and bakes them together, before rolling it up into a yo yo shape. Very tasty – and undoubtedly a more interesting way to up your fruit intake. Each yo yo is one of your five a day, we’re told, with two yo yos per pack. They’re not huge but it’s enough to see you through until lunch o’clock.
None of Bear’s products have added sugar or preseratives, although all three are relatively high in sugar naturally found in fruit, as is often the case in many of the smoothies which line the supermarket shelves.
Of course, critics will say it’s cheaper just to head out and buy a bunch of bananas. True – and you know exactly what you’re getting. But for a tasty, healthy, alternative snack, Bear hits the spot.
