I’m starting to think Clif Bar wants to dominate every shelf of the supermarket – they have regular energy bars, energy gels, gummy energy gels, sports drinks, protein bars, granola bars, snack bars, gummy fruit treats for kids, and who knows what else!

Today I’m reviewing what I would call a snack bar – the Clif Mojo Bar and its half-brother, the Clif Mojo Dipped Bar. (“Dipped” basically refers to the bar being dipped in a chocolate coating.)

A departure from the standard Clif Bar, the Mojo bar looks like more of a snack bar than anything. I can’t really categorize it as an energy bar or a protein bar, so if you’re interested in this uncategorized bar, keep reading…

Health and Nutrition

Here are the ingredients:

[Chocolate Peanut] Ingredients: Organic Peanuts, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Coating (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Organic Cocoa, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Soy Rice Crisps (Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Calcium Carbonate), Honey Roasted Peanuts (Peanuts, Dried Cane Syrup, Honey, Salt, Natural Vitamin E), Organic Pretzels (Organic Wheat Flour, Salt, Organic Canola Oil, Organic Malt), Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Peanut Butter, Organic Oat Syrup Solids, Vegetable Glycerin, Peanut Flour, Organic Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt, Organic Gum Arabic, Natural Vitamin E (Antioxidant).

Aside from being chock full of peanuts, all I notice is that there are a lot of ingredients here. While they’re not all bad, it’s too processed for my liking.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 200
Total Fat 11g
Total Carbs 20g
Sugars 11g
Protein 8g

Calorie-wise, it’s a good size. But otherwise, I don’t see a whole lot of use for this bar, other than for a snack. It’s not high in carbs for energy, nor is it high in protein for recovery. It’s pretty high in fat, so it will digest slowly, which can be good in some cases (i.e snacking.)

So if it tastes good, it could work for a snack, but so far, I’m not seeing this bar being even a small part of my diet.

Clif Mojo Taste Test

This is not like a typical Clif bar at all! It is much more like a candy bar texture. Then the flavor is kind of like trail mix shaped into bar form.

Peanut Butter Pretzel: The bar looks like some pretzel chunks, peanuts, and peanut butter or butterscotch chips stuck together, all covered in caramel. So it resembles a PayDay candy bar, or peanut brittle even.

The taste is kind of bland compared to the Chocolate Peanut. The pretzel bits make it dry. It’s not specifically bad tasting, but not appealing to me.

[Dipped] Chocolate Peanut: This bar provides a good texture and flavor. It contains lots of peanuts with some caramel or something, then it’s all dipped in chocolate. So this one is kind of like a PayDay bar, but with some chocolate flavor. It’s sweet and salty.

You could call it a “trail mix bar” I guess. Overall, it’s a tasty snack!

Lastly, I should point out this was not very filling for a 210 calorie bar, despite the relatively high fat and protein content

My final verdict is…

Some flavors are awesome, like Dipped Chocolate Peanut. I could eat some more of those! I love the ‘sweet & salty’ idea, too.

So I know I’ll eat these again in the future, but I can’t see myself using this bar very often. It’s more of a snack rather than during-ride fuel, and for snacking, I’d rather have real food or a homemade energy bar (which would be much less processed.)

Official website: www.ClifBar.com (Mojo) | www.ClifBar.com (Mojo Dipped)

Sick of energy bars and gels? Even gel bites getting old? Well maybe it’s time to try some kids snacks! Like the Clif Kid Organic Twisted Fruit for example.

Twisted Fruit is another part of the “Clif Kid” line from Clif Bar. This thing looks like a licorice rope and appears to be a Fruit Roll-up alternative. I’d compare it to an Archer Farms fruit bar as well.

Health and Nutrition

First, the ingredients:

Ingredients: Organic Apple Puree, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, Organic Flavors, Malic Acid, Pectin.

I think that’s the shortest ingredient list I’ve ever seen for a kids snack! No extra sugars or artificial colors and flavors. That’s pretty cool.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 70
Fat 0g
Sodium 5mg
Potassium 120mg
Carbs 17g
Sugars 15g
Protein 0g

This snack is definitely better quality and contains less junk ingredients compared to a Fruit Roll-up or whatever candy is available in the snack aisle these days. It’s still a sugar rush, though. So while it’s better than other processed foods, you’re not getting the nutrition of a fresh apple.

Taste Test

The flavor I tried was sour apple. It was kind of like a cross between apple juice and a sour gummy worm! So it has real apple flavor, but a candy “sour” flavor. A very good combo, and much better than a bland or sour apple would taste!

It was nice and sweet but not disgustingly sugary. As far as taste goes, I really like it!

My main complaint is that the bar is too small (it’s about 1/3 the calories of an energy bar) for my adult appetite!

My final verdict is…

The Twisted Fruit is not something I plan to eat normally as a snack (an apple would be better,) and it wouldn’t qualify as a Clif Shot Blok replacement (too few calories,) but for what it is, I think it’s pretty cool.

Official website: www.ClifBar.com

Apparently I’m not the only one to like when energy bars and gels are made into convenient little bites, because now you can get every type of food in bite-size form – even protein bars!

Enter the Clif Shot Roks, mini protein bar bites that pack all the nutrition of a protein bar into fun and easy to eat pieces.

These bites are really cool and even challenge the Clif Shot Bloks for “most fun to eat” honors! Keep reading for all my thoughts…

Clif Shot Roks Health & Nutrition

Let’s review the ingredients…

INGREDIENTS: Clif Protein Blend TM (Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Crystals, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Chocolate Chips (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors), Glycerine, Inulin Syrup (Chicory Root Extract), Almond Butter, Natural Flavors, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Organic Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Confectioners Glaze, Salt, Organic Corn Starch, Colored with Caramel Color and Beta Carotene, Soy Lecithin, Carnauba Wax.

I figured this would be a Clif Builder’s Bar in different form, but I was wrong. While the Builder’s Bar is based on soy protein and brown rice syrup (like many other Clif products,) these Shot Roks are based on whey protein and cane juice.

Call me a traditionalist, but I just prefer to stick with whey protein and cane sugar, as opposed to soy protein, rice protein, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, etc. So… the Clif Shot Roks would be my personal favorite protein source in the Clif lineup.

Aside from that, the lesser ingredients are basically what you’d expect in a Clif Bar.

And the Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: 1 bag (10 pieces)
Calories 270
Fat 4.5g
Carbs 38g
Sugar 28g
Protein 20g

Looks like the Clif Roks provide a good amount of protein and overall calories. They offer plenty of carbs, too, and a little less fat than the Clif Builder’s Bar. Overall they look great for post-ride recovery, but the formula would also work well during rides.

Clif Shot Roks Taste Test

The Roks are available in Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavors. Here are my thoughts…

Chocolate

These look like malted milk balls, and at first, they taste like malted milk balls thanks to the hard coating (which provides a nice crunch, by the way.) But soon enough I noticed the texture is different. Then the taste and texture combined to remind me of something… a tootsie roll!

It was funny, but it really was kind of like a tootsie roll once you started chewing it. I’m not a huge chocolate fan, but I guess I like tootsie rolls, because I like these.

Clif’s site says they’re like brownie batter balls. I guess it’s kind of like that, too. But I think of it more like a Tootsie Pop with a much thinner crunchy coating.

Clif Shot Roks In Use

What I first noticed is that these don’t melt in your hand! They look like they will, but then you feel the coating and it just doesn’t feel like something that will melt.

But what if it’s 95 degrees and they’re out in the sun in your jersey pocket? I’m not sure. I have only tested these in moderate conditions so far.

But if they can withstand high temperatures, they will be awesome, because they would work for during-ride fueling and post-ride recovery.

For during-ride use, I’d use something like Clif Shot Bloks for my main fuel source, but pop a few of these Shot Roks to get a jump start on my recovery without loading me down or slowing digestion.

My final verdict is…

I think the Clif Shot Roks are great for during-ride and/or post-ride recovery. I really like the texture and flavor, the ingredients are nice, and they’re more fun to eat than a protein bar. Definitely try these if you want a delicious and convenient protein source!

Official website: www.ClifBar.com

Buy online: www.Amazon.com

Clif Bar seems to be on a mission to produce every type of bar possible – my latest test is the Clif Kid Organic Zbar, which appears to be a breakfast bar or snack bar for kids.

The Zbar is much smaller than a typical Clif Bar, which makes it suitable for children who aren’t yet running marathons or riding the Tour de France. It is basically a direct alternative to the snack bars you find in the grocery store – you know, the ones that are usually less expensive and taste better than full-fledged energy bars.

Health and Nutrition

Ingredients for chocolate chip flavor:

Ingredients: Organic Chocolate Chips (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors), Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Oat Flour, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Fig Paste, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice Syrup, Organic Maple Syrup, Organic Soy Butter, Organic Chocolate (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors), Natural Flavors, Organic Milled Flaxseed, Organic Oat Fiber, Baking Soda, Salt.

Although the ingredient list is pretty long, it’s not a whole lot different than what you might use to make homemade bars. It’s not full of artificial ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, which is found in just about every snack bar aimed at kids.

It’s still a processed food and not nutrient dense (and low calorie) like an apple, but if you need snack bars like this, the Zbar looks like a better choice than most of its competitors.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 130
Total Fat 4g
Sodium 100mg
Potassium 140mg
Total Carbs 24g
Sugars 11g
Fiber 3g
Protein 3g

The nutrition facts are pretty similar to other bars, but I’m pretty sure this has less fat and more protein than the lesser-quality snack bars. More fiber as well. I’m used to other bars containing something like 8g fat and 1g protein from low quality ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils. (Granted I don’t shop for this stuff on a regular basis so my thinking may be outdated.)

Taste Test

I tried the Chocolate Chip, S’mores, and Blueberry flavors. (Other flavors include Honey Graham, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Brownie.) Here are my thoughts…

Chocolate Chip – Smells delicious!! I was perplexed at first, because it smelled like a chocolate covered Fig Newton! Then I realized fig paste was one of the ingredients!

It looks great, too – more like a natural homemade snack than junk food.

It has a wholesome rolled oats taste with plenty of chocolate flavor. Somewhat similar to an oatmeal raisin cookie, but replace the raisins with chocolate chips. I’d say this bar is as close to a chocolate chip cookie (flavor and texture) as you will get with an energy bar.

The texture is moist and chewy, but wholesome. I guess it’s more like a Nutri Grain bar (or whatever is on the shelves these days) than a regular Clif Bar. As good as the real Clif Bars taste, I think this would definitely be better for the kids than chewing on a real Clif Bar.

S’mores – I was disappointed with this bar. It didn’t have the same smell or even really the same texture as the chocolate chip bar. It was still soft and chewy, but a bit “rubbery” by comparison.

Taste-wise, it was odd. Though it didn’t have that fig smell, it had a fig taste. I could kind of taste the chocolate and marshmallows, too, but the blend just didn’t sit well with my taste buds.

I’m not sure if the fig was overpowering, or the bar was just missing that scrumptious chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker of fresh s’mores!

Blueberry – Smells and tastes pretty good.

The taste is similar to mainstream breakfast bars (Nutri Grain perhaps) in blueberry flavor. A pleasant taste I could eat each day. You taste the grains and blueberries. (Yes it does contain real dried blueberries!)

I preferred the Chocolate Chip to the others I tried, but Blueberry was also good, and I could probably eat it more often without the flavor getting old.

I should also note this Zbar was more satisfying than the Clif Crunch granola bar.

My final verdict is…

This is a good tasting bar that is probably healthier than 95% of the other snack bar options. While it’s not the healthiest food choice, it’s good for what it is.

Official website: www.ClifBar.com

If you haven’t yet considered switching from energy gels to energy chews, you are missing out on some cool products! I finally got a chance to try the Clif Shot Bloks earlier this year, and now I wish I had bought them years ago!

Not even sure what energy chews are? Imagine taking an energy gel and turning it into a gummy bear. They fall somewhere in between energy gels and bars. Less messy than a gel, quicker to eat than a bar. (Other options include GU Chomps and Powerbar Gel Blasts.)

Think that’s something you want to fuel your workouts and races? Then check out my review…

Health and Nutrition

Let’s start with the ingredients…

Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Brown Rice Syrup Solids, Pectin, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Colored With Black Carrot Juice Concentrate, Organic Sunflower Oil, Carnauba Wax.

This formula is similar to the original Clif Shot formula. It’s based on brown rice syrup, but contains a few other things to get that “blok” shape, rather than a liquid gel. If the ingredients give you energy and agree with your stomach, you’re fine using these.

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size 3 pieces
Calories 100
Fat 0g
Sodium 70mg
Potassium 20mg
Total Carbs 24g
Sugars 12g
Protein 0g

As with most gels, this product is pure sugar, designed for a quick energy boost. And that’s what I want in a gel – a quick-digesting, fast energy source. (A few electrolytes are thrown in for good measure.)

Taste Test

While these bloks look cool, they still have to taste good!

I’ll give you my thoughts on the texture first. These are like little blocks of jello. Pretty neat! They’re obviously not as soft as jello (or they wouldn’t hold their shape,) but they are very light and soft.

My thoughts on the flavors…

Strawberry
The strawberry flavor is similar to a strawberry energy gel. It’s very sweet and has a fairly natural strawberry taste. I like it a lot!

Black Cherry
This has a subtle black cherry flavor. It’s less sweet than strawberry. Kind of like a black cherry cough drop, actually.

Unfortunately, there’s a hint of bitter flavor. I’m betting that’s from the caffeine. If you chew the blok real fast, you get a stronger dose of black cherry flavor to hide the bitterness, but that still doesn’t mask it completely.

*Black cherry has 50mg caffeine per serving.

Cran-Razz

I’m not a huge fan of cranberry juice or anything, but this flavor was surprisingly good! At first it tastes kind of like a “mixed berry” or “wild berry” flavor, but then you also taste a fairly dominant cranberry flavor sometimes. Kind of like cranberry juice with a splash of raspberry (I bet Ocean Spray or someone makes a juice like that.)

Basically, try this flavor if you like berry flavors at all!

Other Flavors
Other flavors I have yet to review include Lemon Lime, Margarita, Mountain Berry, Orange, and Tropical Punch.

Clif Shot Bloks In Use

Starting at the beginning, we’ll look at the packaging.

The Bloks come in a long tube, unlike other brands, which mostly come in a pouch. I think this makes it much easier to squeeze out one at a time and pop it into your mouth. This way you’re not reaching a dirty hand into a small pouch or dumping a bunch of pieces into your hand at once.

The “tear here” tab works, although it’s not as easy to open as Powerbar Gel Blasts. Good news is, you can pull the tab back a ways without tearing it off completely, yet still being able to easily push a blok through it and into your mouth. It’s kind of like a litter leash.

What I wouldn’t do is dump them in jersey pocket. They aren’t dry on the outside like Powerbar Gel Blasts. They’re a bit sticky, like GU Chomps. And they might rip apart. So just leave them in the easy-to-use tube.

During a bike ride, these are very easy to eat. Since they’re nice and soft (the consistency is thin, more like jello, rather than a gummy bear or swedish fish,) you can chew them up really fast.

They work well for XC skiing and ice skating too. The bloks do get “thicker” as they get cold, but they’re still easy to eat.

One nice thing, these are great if you want to suck on them for a while. You can keep them in your mouth like hard candy. With the Powerbar Gel Blasts, they have different textures and the gel center, making me want to bite and chew them up quickly. Clif Shot Bloks are less interesting, but more satisfying since they’ll last longer.

For casual exercise, I just let them melt in my mouth. During intense exercise though, you’d still chew them up quickly, since your mouth is probably wide open!

Did the Bloks give me energy? I think so. I got a nice sugar rush, so the Bloks seem to have more of an effect than Clif Shot gels ever did for me.

I can even ration the energy as I see fit. Each tube has two 100-calorie servings (3 bloks each,) which means 6 total bloks and 200 calories per package. So instead of taking a full 100 calorie gel, I can have a 33.3 calorie blok as necessary.

My final verdict is…

I really like these! They have a good flavor (try the strawberry,) nice energy boost, and convenient packaging. I still like the Powerbar Gel Blasts, but the Clif Shot Bloks will probably be my “go to” energy bites from now on.

Official website: www.ClifBar.com