Cluster Bucks Gut-Friendly Granola Clusters: Flavor and Quality Assessment

Today, Kevin and I are reviewing Cluster Bucks, a line of gut-friendly granola clusters. We sampled four flavors: Bucks and Honey, Birthday Cake, Chocolate Sea Salt, and Blueberry Crisp. These clusters are available at Whole Foods for $6.99 per 6 oz (170 g) container.

Nutritional Highlights

- Plant-based

- 3 grams of protein

- Gluten and grain-free

- 2 grams of prebiotic fiber

- 30 mg of magnesium

- Distributed by Little Bucks, Chicago, Illinois

Packaging and Calories

Each container holds six servings, with 1 oz (28 g) equating to 110 calories. We weighed and counted the clusters to determine serving sizes.

Ingredients: Sprouted buckwheat seeds, honey, pumpkin seeds, coconut shreds, coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, sea salt, plant-based vitamin D3.

Taste: The coconut oil's flavor was overpowering, leaving a beer-like aftertaste. The clusters also had a strong coconut intensity that didn't appeal to us. The clusters were mostly broken into small pieces.

Ingredients: Sprouted buckwheat seeds, maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, coconut shreds, rainbow sprinkles, baking soda, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, cacao powder, ashwagandha, sea salt, almond extract.

Taste: While it had a mild vanilla flavor, the absence of rainbow sprinkles made it less festive. The coconut oil flavor was present but not as strong as in Bucks and Honey.

Ingredients: Sprouted buckwheat seeds, maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, cacao nibs, sea salt, coconut oil, vanilla extract, plant-based vitamin D3.

Taste: This flavor was more cocoa than chocolate, lacking the creamy texture typically associated with chocolate. It had a stronger flavor profile than the other clusters but was drying to the mouth.

Ingredients: Sprouted buckwheat seeds, maple syrup, sunflower seeds, coconut shreds, dried blueberries, coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, sea salt, blueberry juice concentrate, cinnamon, acai powder, blueberry flavor powder.

Taste: This was our favorite. It had a pleasant sweetness from the blueberry flavor, which made it seem sweeter than it actually was. The texture was nice, though the coconut oil flavor was still detectable.

The quality of the ingredients is evident, but the strong coconut oil flavor in most varieties was a drawback for us. If you enjoy coconut, you might appreciate these clusters more than we did. Kevin preferred the Chocolate Sea Salt, while I favored the Blueberry Crisp. However, neither of us would likely purchase these again due to the overpowering coconut oil taste and the crumbly texture.

Cluster Bucks offer a unique, gut-friendly snack option with a variety of flavors, but the strong coconut oil presence may not appeal to everyone. They work best as a topping for yogurt rather than a standalone snack. If you're curious to try them, Whole Foods is your go-to retailer.