Who is king of the miniature energy bar variation? Is it the Simbree Energy Bites or Dancing Star’s Chunks of Energy?
Since there are only two products out there like this (that I have had,) I figured a head-to-head death match would be a good idea! (But since that didn’t work out, I settled for a taste test!) 😉
Table of Contents
The Test: Simbree Bites vs Chunks of Energy
Round 1: Flavors
Chunks really came out swinging in this round, landing well over 10 hits thanks to a plethora of flavors containing fruits, nuts, and even seaweed! Chunks has flavors for every palette, while the Bites are limited to three flavors, which are all quite similar. (They’re all oat bites, just with different additions.)
Winner: Chunks
Round 2: Price
This one took some calculations, because the two products are sold in different ways. [Chunks come in 5 or 10 lb bags, while Bites come in bags, containers, and tins!) So this is a rough estimate, but here we go…
By serving size, Chunks come out around 50 cents, while Bites are around $1. Chunks cost about $35 for the 5 lb bag, and $55 for a 10 lb bag. When I calculated the cost of 5 lb (80 oz) of Bites, it was more than the $55 for 10 pounds of Chunks!
Winner: Chunks
Round 3: Packaging and Purchasing
As mentioned previously, Bites are available in bulk and conventional packaging – big bags, small bags, containers, and tins. Chunks, however, are sold only in bulk. That doesn’t make a lot of difference if you live near Whole Foods (or a similar store) where you can dish them out yourself, but if you have to order online, you have to go with a minimum of 5 pounds of each flavor!
However, there is a benefit to the bulk sales – less waste! With bulk purchases, there are no individual foil wrappers to litter the trails!
Winner: Bites
Round 4: Honey
While I love that Chunks have honey, the Bites contain wild blackberry honey! You don’t see that everyday!
Winner: Bites
Final Score
I can’t really choose between these – both are good, just slightly different…
Want a taste of New England, or something exotic like spirulina? Get Chunks of Energy. Yearning for the Pacific Northwest and that sweet wild blackberry honey? Go with Simbree.
(Us cyclists are the real winners, as we have these two tasty, healthy energy foods to choose from!)
My final verdict is…
OK, if I really had to choose one, I’d go with the Chunks of Energy, because of the flavor variety. I could eat them for years without getting bored!
But for now, since I don’t have to choose, I’ll go with both!
Levi Bloom is an experienced endurance athlete who has been training and competing for over 17 years. A former Cat 1 road and mountain bike racer (professional class on the regional circuit), he is now a cycling coach (USA Cycling Level 3 Certified) and sports nutrition coach (Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified).
Simbree has been avaialable in 5# and 10# bags for about three years now. It is the ultimate level of addiction! You can purchase a 5# bag and a 1# Tin for $45.00. Check out the website for more options.
Awesome, bulk bites!
I mentioned the tins in the review, but “round 3” here was just to show that Simbree Bites come in all varieties of packaging and are more widely available.
To clarify, both Chunks and Bites are available in bulk packaging, but the Bites offer a wider range of other purchasing options (while still being certified safe by Co-op America).