Let’s just continue our Elevation kick with an impulse buy, shall we? I was in the checkout line at Aldi, when all of a sudden the first growls of a hungry stomach rang out. As tempted as I was to run back into the store, I also didn’t want to leave my spot in line; just because no one was behind me right then didn’t mean even a quick run to grab something else wouldn’t lead to me ending up in the back of a three- or four-person line. And I had a family to get home to.
So I frantically looked around the checkout area for something within my reach that would function as a snack—and that’s when I saw Elevation’s Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan Nut & Spice Bar, an old friend, peering back at me. I’d tried this once before a while back, when Aldi first started carrying them, but never reviewed it, and had completely forgotten what it tasted like; why not give it another shot?
Man, this is a weird combination of flavors here, but “weird” is definitely a welcome change over, say, the disgusting wretchedness of their Apple Pie Bars, which just might be one of the worst things I’ve ever eaten. I do not like dark chocolate much, something I’ve said in a million posts before, but it’s a good choice to lead with here: the “bitter” of the dark chocolate combines well with the semi-sweetness of the cinnamon to create a rather interesting combination of tastes that isn’t mind-blowingly good, but is different enough to keep the tastebuds interested, if not outright excited. This is rounded out by a good helping of pecans, which just add the typical nutty taste and texture.
Where this bar really shines—especially as far as checkout counter impulse buys are concerned—is on the nutrition label: this is an innocuously healthy little bar with a lot to offer. For starters, there’s just 25mg of sodium per bar, good for a meager 1% of the recommended daily sodium content, which is incredibly low. There’s also 7g of fiber (25%), 5g of protein, 6% iron, and 4% potassium; perhaps not incredible numbers, but great for those looking for a fairly healthy snack on the go.
But how’s the value? I mean, usually these kinds of bars often go for about a dollar a bar (or more) when in multi-packs, which means single bars could be as much as double that cost. I was actually a little nervous about this myself, since the price sign underneath was for an incorrect product. Sure, it’s Aldi, but they still upcharge for “impulse” items like every other retailer…it just might not be to the same degree (I still do remember when they were briefly selling individual bottles of water for $.99, if I’m not mistaken…the same kind you could get a 24-pack of for about a dollar more).
As it turns out, these are $1.19 each, which isn’t bad for a “convenience purchase” in the checkout counter of a supermarket. I’d definitely get these again, or maybe even try some of their other varieties, of which none really sound all that appealing, but who knows? Maybe I’ll find another diamond in the rough.
Overall: 7/10. I’m sure people often wonder: “Why does this guy even get things that he doesn’t like?” Well, products like these are the reason why: it’s not something I would have normally gotten, but it’s way more interesting than I thought it would be, delivers up a decent amount of vitamins—along with a mere 25mg of sodium—and does it all for $1.19, which is a pretty decent price for a single health bar at the checkout counter of a chain supermarket. The combination of cinnamon and dark chocolate – not one I really would have thought would work all that well, especially considering my aversion to dark chocolate – is somewhat hard to explain: it’s not sweet at all, yet also isn’t really bitter, hitting up a taste that hits squarely in the middle of “bitter” and “sweet” flavor profiles. It’s that interesting blend of tastes that elevate this above the average “health” bar.
