It is two sealed packs inside – one is the hummus, the other is crunch pretzel chips:

The kit weighs 4.56 ounces and the plastic containers are very rugged (recyclable as well – #5). Normally I shy from lumpy containers (since you have to pack it out empty and/or crush it first) but what occurred to me is the pretzel half is a perfect drinking cup! Or rehydration vessel…..the two pieces snap together tightly. I wouldn’t use it for hot drinks but for cold, go for it! As well, if you need a cup for dunking it is small and easy to grab (great for filling hydration bladders). And when you get home? Recycle it! PS: If you have little ones, it would also make a great “leaf-rock-twig” holder!

Now onto the food in said cups – Sabra has long been my favorite hummus to buy. It is creamy and tasty. The red pepper one is my favorite of their varieties (it comes in 3 choices for the To Go Packs). If you are the type who has never cared for hummus – too much garlic, too sour, too whatever, give Sabra a try…it might change your view! I found it was the right amount for a snack.

I found the packs in the ready to grab section of the deli at my local Safeway – I would suggest looking around that area of your grocery store!

~Sarah

Each resealable bag is 1.2 ounces and around $4. A good deal overall for a quality product. They are both a product of the USA and Chile.

~Sarah

Being a Washington State native I grew up on Liberty Orchard’s Aplets and Cotlets – and their extensive candy collection. I love the mix of gummy candy and chopped nuts. Yum!

This week we had samples of a newer line, The Orchard Bar, show up for review. Imagine if I had my favorite fruit and berry candies made over into a tasty energy bar? Well, this is it. The bars come in three flavors:

Orchard Bars Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Bars – sweet and tropical.

Orchard Bars Strwberry, Raspberry & Walnut Bars – summery berries.

Orchard Bars Blueberry, Pomegranate & Almond Bars – fall harvest.

Unlike their candy counterparts, the Orchard Bars are full of nuts, seeds (even my favorite flax seeds!) and soy protein nuggets. The Pineapple bar has 200 calories, 8 grams fat, 100 mg sodium, 5 grams protein and 2 grams fiber – making the bars a great snack when out hiking or well, doing anything that works up hunger! The bars are sweet, unlike so many energy bars that taste more of flours, these you get the thrill of a candy experience with a boost of energy. And as a bonus the bars are also high in Omega 3, giving one a heart healthy choice. The bars are vegan, kosher, non-GMO, Gluten-free, made in the US and all natural.

Keep an eye out for the bars and if you like sweets, give them a try! And PS: Check out their website for 2 new flavors, available through their online store. Yum indeed!

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received product samples for review consideration.

Dried plums tend to be really sticky/messy so I don’t carry them often (especially in summer when they start sweating and get even more sticky) and chopping them up is even more of a mess so I was wondering how these would fare. The plums are diced up (very toddler friendly I might add) and are not sticky, yet are still plenty soft for easy chewing.

They are delicious eaten plain and in trail mix would be even better. Perfect as well for adding to oatmeal and even rice or pasta dishes (plums work well for both sweet and savory dishes!).

Find them with the dried fruit in grocery stores (I found the 9 ounce hard sided container for $2 on sale this week).

PS: The container would also recycle well into a cracker holder for later use!

~Sarah

Yum! A Chocolate Peppermint Stick bar and ooh….a matching all natural lipbalm. Lets just say that the “seasonal flavors” of the bars are some of my favorite and the lipbalm is even better. The bummer is it doesn’t appear teh balm is sold, it is promotional only. HintHint Lunabar – this stuff needs to be sold! It is smooth, tasty and has no petroleum products in it. Now to hide it away for this winter where no else can find it……

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received these products complimentary.

Boxes of 12 sticks, they sell for $3.99 and are reduced sodium (less than 400 mg per stick). Of course, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby that isn’t any help!

There has been an option for the company that makes the sticks, Savory Choice, to get the whole line of flavors (TJ’s flops back and forth on what they carry) but they are not cheap. Packitgourmet also carries the line as well. The line is all equally good in taste and well worth the cost. But the one issue is finding the products. So when I saw these today I was interested:

Swanson Flavor Boost sticks, sold in packs of 8 in three flavors. The upside is it will be easy to find, the downside is it has twice the sodium as the other brands (over 800 mg per stick). Still, it is a great find and will be great in trail meals!

~Sarah

The packaging is considerably friendlier for kneading the butter before you open it (to get the oils to mix back in), more durable and lets face it…a lot neater looking. The company has also brought the packets out in two sizes, 0.6 ounce and 1.06 ounces. The smaller is the “calorie pack” meaning it is for smaller appetites. The 1.06 ounce packet is perfect for hiking, you can slather the almond butter on heavily. The option though is nice, the smaller packet would be well suited to children as well. The company sells direct on their website in various amounts (and has a “Buy $50 get free shipping deal”). Or look for it in Whole Foods in the nut/peanut butter aisle.

As for the almond butter? It is very tasty and smooth. It works as well on bagels as it does in recipes (you can use almond butter in nearly all recipes that call for peanut butter).

It is also sold on Amazon, if you have Prime Shipping you can get a decent deal on the packets:
Barney Butter Almond Butter 0.6-Ounce
Barney Butter Almond Butter 1.06 Ounce

~Sarah

They also included samples of their sugar (which Costco carries I might add!), Stevia (yum), raw cane sugar and their Zero sweetener made of Erythritol.

Now though….finding them are not so easy but I posted a message to Minimus asking if they would consider picking them up. So if you love organic agave consider dropping Minimus a note as well – I know I would like to be able to get them on a regular basis

~Sarah

If you are like us, Nutella is one of those things that makes an awesome snack! The single serving packets one can find at Cost Plus World Market and Minimus are amazing enough but the addition of crunchy savory bread sticks just makes it…..

The downside is the packaging, although a good boot heel to the empty container will flatten it fast enough and toss in one’s garbage bag! Walmart had them for around $1.50 per container (which is plenty big enough for one person or two small children to fight over). Not a cheap snack but worth it as special treat. Nutella doesn’t have it on their website but I would expect these will also show up at convenience stores or can be found on Amazon as well – Nutella and GO! Snack.

~Sarah

Citrus Lemongrass:

Mango Veggie:

Lychee:

The Lemongrass and Lychee flavors contain coconut water which is amazing for an after hike or workout. Consider coconut water to be nature’s electrolyte drink. The Mango Veggie has chickpeas in it along with a ton of veggies/fruits and is not only packed with protein but a lot of fiber.

Taste? Excellent – especially if you already love drinking fresh juice and veggie drinks!Shake up and enjoy!

How to carry? They are excellent for tucking cold into a backpack for first day out (and you get a water bottle out of it). Perfect for drinking at lunch at your turn around spot on dayhikes I might add. Or take a cooler in your car and tuck away cold for when you get back to the car. Better than beer and legal as well

Where to find? Many groceries carry the drinks in their cold coolers or over near the produce department, often near Odwalla drinks.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received product samples for potential review.