One Way to Master Your Sugar Cravings
Hello, my name is Allie and I am a sucker for a good old fashioned candy bar. From a checkout line. From a vending machine. Whenever I crave chocolate. During the day. During my overnight job. When I am wanting dessert for after dinner because I hardly got dessert as a kid. So you have no idea what being an adult living on my own making my own choices has done for me. I try to incorporate balanced eating when I can. However, we all know what candy bars can do to our bodies. You always want more. It took me eating a Kit Kat at 5 am in the morning to realize, I am a chocolate addict.
Luckily, Black Friday rolled around and I finally got a big enough discount to try this protein bar company for the first time. I have seen this company be promoted on Instagram by fitness influencers but never felt inclined to buy any until this breaking point. The company I am about to share has changed my outlook on protein bars as a whole.
The company is known as BUILT BAR. Yes, if you are on the up and up, you know this company. They are one of the smaller businesses I have come to support. I honestly prefer these protein bars whenever I can have one along with other select companies. No more quest bars for me, I got sick of those really quick.
In shortest terms, this is a Built Bar Review of The Mixed Box Flavors. If I wanted to try protein bars, why not try them all? Let me just say I am glad I went with the Mixed Box. I will say that there are flavors that I did not like, that other influencers have proclaimed to be the best. But the amount I loved definitely outweighed the ones I did not like.
So let us begin.
Candy Cane Brownie: This was an exclusive bar when I ordered my Mixed Box. Holy hell, I am so glad, this was my first Built Bar ever! They need to make this bar a regular flavor. If you get your hands on it, consider yourself blessed. Chocolatey goodness with Candy Cane bits. It definitely made me feel like I was eating peppermint bark because of the blend of flavors. Made feel all the Christmas vibes which honestly is needed, but yet not screwing up my progress. Rating 10/10.
Cherry Barcia: This was a flavor I was skeptical on because I do not like cherry anything except Cherry Starbursts. Glad to say I was wrong. This bar tastes exactly like chocolate covered cherries. The perfect balance between sweet and tangy. The little pieces of cherry on top of the bar were literally cherries on top to finish off this bar. Rating 10/10.
Banana Nut Bread: Again another flavor I was skeptical on because I had hit or miss experiences with banana flavored food. *cough cough banana flavored laffy taffy* though I have so glad I got over my skepticism and just took a bite. I channeled my inner Julie when she ate eggs for the first time. This is one of my favorite flavors to date. You get the feel of chocolate covered bananas because of the coating. It is just the right amount of sweetness and not that chemical taste you typically get when having banana flavored food. Rating 10/10.
Mint Brownie: This protein bar tasted more like a York Peppermint Patty or an Andes Mint; where there was a sense of crispness. Not too much chocolate and the balance once again was perfect. Definitely perfect for that time of month and you’re craving chocolate but not anything super sweet. Rating: 10/10
Carrot Cake with Walnuts: Yet again another flavor of skepticism. You would think by bar #2 I would learn not to be. I mean carrots and chocolate. I mean it is not even white chocolate, it was the regular coating. Never heard of this combo but again dove right in and took the plunge. Yup, definitely on that carrot cake and chocolate train. I loved the pureed walnuts inside and the spiced filling. This bar tasted like decadent carrot cake, like not gonna lie. I had not eaten decadent carrot cake in a hot minute. This definitely helped me through the cravings.
Coconut Almond and Coconut: Honestly, either bar tastes like an Almond Joy candy bar. Exactly like that. Coconut is not perfect for everyone, given allergies, taste, texture, and all of that. I hated coconut when I was a kid, but began to love it as I grew up. So happiness for me that coconut came out in an actual protein bar. Honestly had my husband bring this bar to me during an overnight shift because I was super hungry. Rating 10/10
Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Brownie: Another perfect score between the two. This unlike the Coconut does not taste like Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. You actually taste real peanut butter flavor compared to Reese’s Peanut Butter cups where it is straight sugar. The bar is so chocolatey, it covers your mouth. The bar’s taste is so decadent and thick. You get the hint of peanut butter then you get all the whipped chocolate taste and peanuts inside. It definitely is a bar that will fill you up. 10/10 for sure.
Cookies and Cream: The bar was very creamy, the only faux pas is the bar was somewhat melted in my batch. A thing to look out for with these bars. However the filling was a light, whipped texture. The inside seemed to be like cookies and cream mousse. Honestly. The melted chocolate was the only faux pas. For the lack of quality, I give it a 9 out of 10. Flavor was 10 out of 10.
Lemon Almond Cheesecake: I was expecting a white chocolate coating because of the lemon flavor but nope, it was the regular chocolate. The texture was great and the lemon was not that artificial lemon flavoring. You could tell it was more natural and not as potent in smell or taste. The almond taste reminded me of marzipan. Not the everyday go-to for me but good enough to have when presented. 9/10
Apple Almond Crisp: The bar tasted like almonds and chocolate but not enough apple taste. It was still a sweet bar but was not a favorite of mine. I was very excited when I saw Apple and Crisp in the flavor because I thought the taste would be of a green apple with some wafer chunks. Overall, just a soft chocolate almond bar. 9/10.
Toffee Almond: the first bite was great but then after each bite, the bar began to lose flavor. There were actual nut chunks in the bar so it messed with the texture for me. I was expecting a smoother, toffee filling. Compared to just toffee flavoring and chunks of almond. 8/10.
Raspberry: The bar itself was fragrant like raspberries. That enticed me right away. The texture inside was mousse. Light. Whipped. The taste could’ve been more impactful being raspberry and all. Though, my husband caught a whiff and he took a bite as well. He enjoyed the bite that he got, because he knows I don’t like sharing. 8/10
Salted Caramel: This combination of flavor is just a no-go for me in most cases. Mainly because I am not a huge salted-caramel fan. It was a nice blend of caramel and chocolate. Not too sweet, not too plain. Similar to just chocolate truffles with caramel. 7/10 as of December 2020. Update: this bar hits differently after I got pregnant and had my child. Craved salty-sweet types of dessert so this bar SMACKS now. I would rate it 9/10, as of June 2023.
Orange: Let me just be frank. The ratings are now going to be abysmal for this flavor and the last one. The orange chocolate bar to me was absolutely disgusting. It tastes like sour oranges and chocolate. When in real form, I love chocolate covered oranges and fondue with fruit. The flavor either needs to be sweeter or it needs to be made into a creamsicicle flavor. It was the same consistency of the filling of the raspberry. I did not care for this flavor, and gave the rest to my husband to finish. 1/10 just for trying.
Double Chocolate: EVEN WORSE. When I think double chocolate, I am thinking either super sweet fudge or I am thinking of a three musketeers bar. This bar ain’t either one of my ideas. Just fudge on top of fudge. Super thick and chewy. Again gave the rest to my husband. I even give a 0/10 because one bite was it for me. Orange at least I had a couple bites.
This is my BUILT BAR MIXED BOX Review. As you can see all but two flavors, I would eat again. There are my favorites and my not so favorites. However, I would recommend that because candy can be your weakness that you give these protein bars a try ☺