NEW! Banana Brunch Olly Bars (Online)

I recently discovered Olly Bars, a London based producer of handmade, healthy snack bars intended to keep you fuller for longer. Olly started the business with the aim of creating the 'best tasting energy bars' packed with plenty of healthy fruit and nuts. First the 'All Day Breakfast Bar' was created, and now building on its success, the company are releasing their brand new Banana Brunch Bar this week -yes, you heard it here first! 

Olly Bars sent me some samples to review, so I thought I'd give you the low-down on both bars.

All Day Breakfast
Is your breakfast gluten and dairy free? Is it high in fibre, fruit and nuts? Is it high in protein, additive-free and suitable for vegans?

If any of your responses were no, but you'd like to tick all those boxes then the 'All Day Breakfast Bar' might be your answer -but only if it tastes good! The bars are also good sources of protein, each containing 9g.

The Olly bar is sizeable, about the same width and length as a Nak'd bar, but probably 2 1/2 times the height. It's goodness was proudly on display in its naked glory, baring all of the various fruits and nuts meshed together and topped with pretty pink raspberry flecks.

Each All Day Breakfast bar is made simply from:
Oats, raisins, dates, peanuts, apricots, apple, chia seeds, cocoa butter, pumpkin seeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, freeze dried raspberry and sesame seeds.

The bar had a chewy consistency, and I loved the fact that every bite was different. None of the nuts had been chopped to the point where they were barely recognisable, meaning that with some-mouthfuls there were satisfying Brazil nuts, whilst others offered hunks of date. The seeds gave the bar a lovely earthy crunch. It took a surprising amount of time to eat -more so thank my standard bowl of cereal- which meant that my brain had received the 'I've eaten' messages by the time I had finished and my body was satisfied by my breakfast.

I was hoping that the all-day breakfast would keep me full until lunchtime, but unfortunately by 11am I was hungry again. I do have a very healthy appetite though, so not much would stop me reaching my elevenses!

7/10

Banana Brunch

The Banana Brunch bar is in line with Olly's ethos, so ticks all of the same healthy boxes as the All Day Breakfast Bar, but it doesn't look quite as pretty!

This bar consists of: banana chunks, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dates, fruit extract, sour cherries, chia seeds, flax seeds, gluten free oats and cocoa butter.

The Banana Brunch is the same size as the All Day Breakfast bar, and it's equally as chewy. There's a considerable difference in flavours between the two bars though -thanks to the large banana chunks and sour cherries- which resulted in a good balance of sweet and tart. I missed the added crunch from the Brazil nuts and peanuts, but I preferred the taste of the Banana Brunch.

8/10

All in all, these are an excellent source of breakfast energy, particularly if you're gluten sensitive and/or vegan.

Olly bars are available to buy online from Olly's shop: http://ollybars.com/shop/ 

Thanks Olly for the samples!