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Lärabar is a brand of energy bar produced by General Mills. The bars consist of fruits and nuts and are made without genetically modified ingredients.
Contents
History
Lärabar was created by Denver native Lara Merriken, who was looking to make a "very healthy product that tasted delicious". According to the General Mills website, Merriken's inspiration for the snack occurred during a hiking trip in 2000 through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. As she was running down the mountain, she was inspired to create a delicious food bar that was made out of only fruits, nuts and spices.
The bars were first introduced for public sale in the United States on April 14, 2003. The original Lärabar flavors were Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Banana Cookie, and Chocolate Coconut Chew.
International sales commenced in the summer of 2004.
In 2008, General Mills acquired the original producer of Lärabars, Humm Foods.
Products
The twenty-one Lärabar flavors offered are:
Seasonal Flavors
The five Jǒcalat flavors offered were (this bar was discontinued in 2016):
The six Über flavors offered are:
The four ALT flavors offered are:
Retired flavors:
Summer 2012 Limited Edition flavors:
Summer 2016 Limited Edition Flavors:
Fall 2016 Limited Edition Flavor:
Ingredients
Lärabar uses only unsweetened fruits, nuts, spices, and dairy and soy free chocolate in the Jǒcolat line. Each bar contains no more than nine ingredients such as dates, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, unsweetened fruit (apples, bananas, blueberries, cherries, raisins etc.), cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, coconut, sea salt, etc. Larabar ingredients are gluten-free, dairy free, kosher, and soy free. The Jǒcolat and Lärabar line of bars containing chocolate or chocolate chips cannot be guaranteed to be dairy or soy free due to possibility of cross-contact with equipment that processes chocolate with dairy and soy. That being said, the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip boxes are labelled dairy and soy free. The Lärabars without chocolate can be classified kosher, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian. Shelf life for the bars is 12 months.
Reviews
A review in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette praises Lärabar, writing "The bar is moist and chewy, tart and tasty. None of the medicinal tastes of other protein bars." The bar's "authentic" taste and use as a breakfast meal have also been complimented.
Recalls
In January 2009, General Mills voluntarily recalled Peanut Butter Cookie flavor Lärabars for fear of salmonella contamination. No illnesses were reported.