Dadi’s desserts weren’t just deliciously addictive, they were healthy too. Made with nature’s candy- dates, and some nuts and seeds, this art is long lost.
Now shaped as bars’, we found six brands that are made with clean, nutritionally-dense ingredients. Why do dates and nuts make a good pair, our parameters, how we picked the brands, our review process, and our winners, are all discussed in our review of the best date and nuts bars in India.
After a taste test that spanned over 2 days, we chose the bar by The Whole Truth as our Top Pick for its taste, texture and nutrition quotient. Afters by Happy Jars and Monkey Bar are the other two brands we recommend in this category. Details down below.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison of Date and Nuts Bars Brands
All you need to know has been explained here.
| Date and Nuts Bar brands | Mishry Rating | Buy Now |
| The Whole Truth – Mishry Top Pick | 4.5 | On Amazon |
| Afters (Happy Jars) – Also Recommended | 4.3 | On Amazon |
| Monkey Bar – Also Recommended | 4 | On Amazon |
| Gladful | 3.1 | On Amazon |
| Nourish Organics | 3 | On Amazon |
| Happilo | 2.6 | On Amazon |
Our Review Factors
How did we find the best healthy snack bars? What were our review parameters?
Taste and texture being the key parameters, we also compared these date and nut bars on their ingredients and nutritional values. Which brand excelled across these parameters?
1. Taste
Freshness: When fresh, dates and nuts have a desirable taste. But when gone bad, dates develop an off-putting sweetness whereas nuts taste bitter and rancid. This is to say, stale ingredients ruin the overall taste.
Sweetness: Considering these do not have any refined sugar, how balanced are the sweetness levels?
Flavor: In addition to these, we gauged the cocoa and whole grain/millet (oats, ragi) presence. Did they enhance the flavors or bring them down?
2. Texture
Dates are fibrous which lend a chewy texture to the bars. Nuts, on the other hand, can add a crunch and body to the bar. Depending on the ingredients used, the texture can alter massively. A bar with primarily dates and a single nut will have a different texture from a date-nut-grain bar.
Too dry, too oily, too chewy, or just right- which brand landed the ideal texture?
Note – Nut bars tend to release some oil, but that does not mean it’s gone bad. This is a natural procedure and the bar is still safe for consumption.
3. Nutritional Quotient
Quality and quantity of ingredients, the caloric values per bar, macronutrient distribution were recorded and compared under this parameter.
4. Other Parameters
Factors like packaging, price, shelf life, and the economic value were discussed here.
The Qualifier
How did we select the contenders for our date and nut bars review?
We looked for bar-shaped snacks (not energy balls or ladoos).
Made using dates and nuts. Could be any nuts like cashews, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts.
The date and nut bars must NOT contain any added refined sugar or other refined ingredients.
These should not have any form of added protein.
As for flavor, we selected the ones with cocoa only (if at all), and nothing else.
If they have a few grains (oats) or millets (ragi/jowar), they were still considered.
Related Review : These Energy Bars by Monkey Bar Are Vegan And Under 200 Calories.
Date and Nut Energy Bars Brands – Detailed Review
What’s so nutritious about the date and nut combination?
Speaking in terms of macronutrients, dates are a source of carbohydrates and fiber, and nuts of fats and plant-based protein. Fats and protein, together, pace down the digestion of carbohydrates, allowing for a slow but consistent release of energy over a period of time. Plus, dates are sweet, hence keep cravings at bay.
As for micronutrients, dates are rich in vitamin C and nuts have iron. Iron is crucial for apt vitamin C absorption.
Now that science is out of the way, let’s discuss the taste and texture in detail.
1. The Whole Truth Energy Bars – Mishry Top Pick
Our Experience
The Whole Truth won our review for three reasons – This is the best tasting bar with an ideal texture and a clean ingredient list.
This bar was loaded with nut bits. They retained the natural texture, added a much needed crunch to an otherwise smooth bar. We also bit into some cacao nibs that led to a burst of chocolate flavor. The balanced sweetness was a delight, considering this is made of dates. Nuts were fresh-tasting and all elements worked well together.
Product Details
The ingredients are Dates (40%), Cashew Kernels (31%), Cocoa Nibs (14%), Almond Kernels (13%), And Cocoa Butter (2%)
A 40-gram bar is priced at ₹ 60/- and has a shelf life of five months.
- Clean ingredient list
- Inviting flavors
- Fresh tasting
- Thumbs up on texture
- Commendable distribution of macronutrients
- Priced appropriately
A refined ingredient-free ‘dessert’, a satiating snack with your evening beverage- we recommend The Whole Truth’s energy bar.
The Whole Truth - Energy Bars | Almond Choco Fudge | Pack of 6 x 40g | Dairy Free & Sugarfree | No Artificial Sweetener | Vegan | No Preservatives | All Natural | Healthy Snack
5% Off2. Afters by Happy Jars Dessert Bite – Also Recommended
Our Experience
They call this a craving killer, and rightly so! The texture and flavors worked in harmony, giving it an almost candy-like structure. This was quite chewy, with minute bits of cashews throughout. The sweetness was on point, not overwhelming or artificial-tasting.
Afters dessert bite had a glossy finish. This was so prominent, it left a reflective sheen on our fingertips. However, this wasn’t really bothersome as this was not sticky, nor did it affect the flavor. If anything, it was proof to the fact that the bar contains no additives, as nuts had released their natural oils.
Just 100 calories and two ingredients, this is our Also Recommended date and nut bar.
Product Details
50% dates and 50% cashews are the only ingredients used. A 25-gram bar is priced at ₹50. The shelf life is nine months.
- Calorie-friendly
- Travel-friendly packing
- Quite satiating
- Fresh, natural taste
Love chewy toffees? Here’s a bite-sized chewy dessert to melt all your cravings.
3. Monkey Bars Dark Cocoa Hazelnut Energy Bars
Our Experience
Monkey Bars energy bar was not as chewy as Afters, but it had a firm bite (similar to Whole Truth). That’s not to say that it was hard, it was just not as oily or soft as the contender above. This may be due to the addition of oats.
There was a noticeable dark chocolate-like bitterness in this bar. We could see some chopped hazelnuts on top, they retained the nutty flavor and bite.
Product Details
Dates (38%), cashew (33%), rolled oats (18%), hazelnut (5%), cocoa (6%) are the ingredients used. A 40-gram bar is priced at ₹ 55/-. It has a four-month shelf life.
- Low on sweetness
- Soft but dry bites
- Nutritious ingredients
This is ideal for those who prefer dark chocolate with a low-medium sweetness.
MONKEY BAR - Dark Cocoa Hazelnut Energy Bar - 10 Bars, 40g Each, Just 5 Plant-Based Ingredients, Best for Healthy Clean Protein-Rich Snack, Dairy Free, No Added Sugar, Vegan, Chocolaty
9% Off4. Gladful Cocoa & Peanut Date Nut Square
Our Experience
Gladful’s Nut Square’s only saving grace was the nutritional values. This energy bar has the highest calorie to protein content across all contenders.
It had a soft bite with no graininess. The flavors did not work for us. There was a peculiar sourness, like flaxseeds having gone rancid and the peanut butter flavor was stale and undesirable. This was disappointing since the bar was very much within its shelf life.
Product Details
Peanut butter, date syrup, rolled oats, raisins, cashew, cocoa powder, almond powder, flaxseeds, cinnamon powder are the only ingredients used. A 20-gram bar costs ₹ 40/-.
5. Nourish Organics Choco Nuts Bar
Our Experience
Nourish Organics bar was slightly hard. It had a fibrous bite with a deep brown hue. There was no pertinent aroma, but we could see some flaxseeds and white pecs (oats or nuts).
The sweetness on this bar was balanced but the taste varied. Nourish Organics uses three sweet ingredients, dates, raisins, and honey. It also contains vanilla extract which should, in essence, add a mild floral sweetness, but it overpowered, to the point that it tasted slightly bitter. The nuts had a soft crunch and tasted fresh, but we cannot say the same about the bar.
Product Details
A 30-gram bar is priced at ₹ 60/-. The ingredients are dates (28.5%), organic seeds (15.5%- sunflower seeds, flaxseeds), organic peanut butter (12.5%), organic dry fruits (10.2%- raisins, walnuts, cashewnut), honey (10%), cocoa powder (9%), oats (7%), almond (7%), cacao nibs, vanilla extract.
6. Happilo Premium Walnuts Healthy Dry Fruit Bar
Our Experience
This was the only energy bar that was placed in a tray, it adds a touch of premium. Moreover, Happilo dry fruit bar did not have a brown hue like all the other contenders. This was a deep ocher. Like our Top Pick, this was topped generously with nut bits. This didn’t really have a sweet aroma, it was more warming and savory.
It had a soft bite but wasn’t too chewy, the nuts did not really add a bold crunch and tasted slightly racid. Ragi crispies, however, lent a crisp bite we quite liked. But it was added sparsely. The flavor was not inviting at all. It didn’t taste fresh and even the characteristic flavor of nutmeg wasn’t appealing.
Product Details
This energy bar is made with cashews, dates, Californian walnuts, Californian almonds, ragi crispies, and nutmeg. The cost of a 35-gram bar is ₹ 70/-.
Our Top Picks & Recommendations
Six energy bars were reviewed, and we quite liked the following three. The Whole Truth is our Top Pick as it had the best flavor and texture, with a commendable nutrition profile.
Afters, though a little greasy, had a taste and texture like a chewy candy. Thumbs up on the ingredient list and freshness. Finally, Monkey Bar is for those who like their energy bars neither too sweet or too chewy with flavor profile similar to dark chocolate.
Also Read : Kelloggs K-Energy Bars Review – We Tried 3 Variants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on healthy date nut bars
1. Are these date and nut energy bars suitable for vegans?
Yes, they do not contain any milk products and can be consumed by vegans.
2. Can date and nut energy bars be used as a meal replacement?
No, we do not recommend that. It is because no bar offers more than 200 Kcal and this amount is not sufficient for a meal.
3. Are there any side effects of consuming healthy energy bars?
No, and that’s the best part. All these energy bars are made with clean, natural ingredients that one can find in their pantry.
4. Are date and nut energy bars suitable for children?
Yes, in fact, these would be a healthier alternative to chocolates.
5. What is the shelf life of these healthy snack bars and how should they be stored?
The shelf life ranges from six to nine months. They must be consumed within this time frame and be stored in a cool, dry place.
Final Verdict
We were delighted to find not one, but three decadent energy bars where neither taste was compromised nor health. As explained above, we recommend The Whole Truth energy bars, Afters by Happy Jars, and Monkey Bar for the fresh, natural flavors, desirable textures, and impressive nutrition profiles.
How many of these have you tried before, which is your go-to?
Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.