Nature Valley Soft Baked Breakfast Bars: Banana Chocolate Chip, Blueberry Oat, and Maple Nut

Today, Kevin and I are sampling the new Nature Valley Soft Baked Breakfast Bars. We have three flavors to try: Banana Chocolate Chip, Blueberry Oat, and Maple Nut. These bars were priced at $4.32 each at Walmart, located alongside other Nature Valley products. With five bars per box, the packaging could easily accommodate more, but that's typical for many products today.

The Banana Chocolate Chip bar has a strong banana aroma, although there's a slight chemical undertone. Despite being made with real banana puree, the flavor feels somewhat artificial, similar to how some maple syrups can taste. The bar includes whole grains, chia seeds, and chocolate chips, adding texture but detracting from the soft-baked experience. At 210 calories, it’s a decent-sized bar. While I appreciate the banana flavor and the chocolate chips, the chia seeds are an annoyance as they get stuck in your teeth.

The Blueberry Oat bar, at 200 calories, features dried blueberries and honey. The flavor is reminiscent of blueberry tea, with an earthy, tea-like taste. This bar also includes chia seeds, which unfortunately impact the overall eating experience by getting stuck in teeth. The flavor profile isn't very appealing to me, and I prefer other Nature Valley options over this one.

At 210 calories, the Maple Nut bar is my favorite. It has a pleasant oat and nutty flavor with a hint of maple that doesn’t taste artificial. The bar is sweet and has a nice texture, but again, the chia seeds are a drawback. Despite this, the bar’s overall flavor and texture make it a standout among the three.

While the concept of a soft-baked breakfast bar is appealing, the inclusion of chia seeds across all flavors detracts from the experience. They add unwanted crunch and get stuck in teeth. For those who enjoy chia seeds, these bars might be more enjoyable. However, for those who don’t, this is a significant downside. The Maple Nut bar is the best among the three, followed by the Banana Chocolate Chip, with the Blueberry Oat being my least favorite due to its earthy, tea-like flavor.

If you've tried these bars, especially the Blueberry Oat, let us know if you also noticed the tea-like taste.