Taste of Nature: It’s time for Canadians to make a healthy snack pact ~ #Review & #PR

It is the start of a New Year and new goals.  Many have chosen to start to eat healthy and keep fit.  I have a snack drawer that contains all kinds of snacks, ready to be eaten.  I often try to add only healthy snacks and usually they contain granola bars.  I had the opportunity to try 3 flavours and I have to say they were all equally good.  I have them in the morning when I am so busy with work and deadlines.  They are so tasty that I can't believe they are healthy too!   I was very surprised at how good they taste because I had "healthy" granola bars and they were unpleasant to swallow.  I could eat a case of the Taste of Nature.  Going for Taste of Nature instead of a high calories snacks  or breakfast on the go is the perfect choice to to stay healthy.

The unique Canadian company that has developed a cult-like following for its organic fruit and nut bars in 35 countries around the world – is encouraging Canadians to pledge to snack healthy in 2014. A recent survey* reveals that nearly all Canadians snack (95%). We admit that our snacking habits are not as healthy as they should be, and we are unwilling to sacrifice taste. Since Canadians want to snack better (only 10% say the snacks they typically eat are extremely healthy), Taste of Nature wants to help inspire healthier snack choices through its uniquely delicious fruit and nut bars that are 100% certified organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and certified Gluten Free**.

Take the Taste of Nature Pledge to Snack Healthy, found on the company’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tasteofnature, a promise to switch to at least one healthy snack a day. It’s a small change that can make a big difference. And as an extra incentive, everyone who signs the online pledge until February 28th, will be entered into a daily draw for a yoga mat and Taste of Nature bars (value $55).

Real Tastes Good: A Ton of mmm...
Already a favourite of health-conscious snackers around the world, Taste of Nature organic fruit and nut bars are like no other. They are simple, healthy, and delicious, offering a ton of mmm, along with a long list of certifications including:

Organic – certified by both Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. and Eco-Cert Canada, Taste of Nature meets the requirements of Canada Organic, USDA National Organic Program, the Japanese Agriculture Standard, and the Europe Union

Non-GMO Project Verified

Vegan – as certified by The Vegan Awareness Foundation

Kosher – verified by the Orthodox Union

Certified Low GI – Taste of Nature bars have been clinically tested by the Glycemic Index Laboratories, Inc., Toronto, and come in well below the ‘low GI’ target of 55.

Gluten-Free – as tested by the University of Nebraska, Taste of Nature bars contain less than 10 PPM (parts per million) of gluten**.

In addition to all these certifications, Taste of Nature bars are a source of fibre, are low in sodium, and, best of all for Canadian snackers, they taste great. That’s because Taste of Nature travels the world to source the best ingredients, working directly with farmers to pick and choose the best crops. Taste of Nature bars contain nothing artificial, no fillers and no chemicals with names as hard to pronounce as they are to digest. With nothing to hide, each bar is packaged in a clear wrapper – what you see is what you eat. The result: no snacker’s remorse.

Motivators to Munch On
Taste of Nature was motivated to create the Taste of Nature Pledge to Snack Healthy after the survey uncovered that Canadians want to snack better and that almost half of respondents (45%) felt that “adding one healthy snack to my diet every day” was something they could do in order to be healthier. But taste can’t be compromised. Nearly three quarters (68%) of respondents said that taste is crucial to satisfying a snack craving, making Taste of Nature the perfect solution. Almost one in three Canadians (30%) say they generally choose an unhealthy snack option, only 33% of us are motivated by nutritional values, and only 21% consider calorie count. The Taste of Nature Pledge to Snack Healthy is designed to inspire Canadians to snack better and kick-start a healthy revolution.


Snack Happy Stats
We all know the snacks we choose are very important, and the Taste of Nature Snacking Survey reveals snacking pitfalls that can sabotage even the best of efforts. Here are some of the key findings:
· More than half of Canadians (54%) say that convenience is a top consideration when making a snack choice, while another 38% point to accessibility. The goal is to keep healthy snacks like Taste of Nature bars handy.
· More than 33% of us choose our snacks out of habit. Shake it up!
· One in three Canadians (33%) admit to turning a snack into a meal by eating too much. Portion control – like choosing a bar – is key.
· Nearly a quarter (24%) of Canadians start out with the best of intentions, but quickly give in to temptation – they switch from a healthy snack to an unhealthy one in the same sitting.
· Many Canadians use unhealthy snacks as a reward. Two in five (41%) Canadians admit they treat themselves to unhealthy snacks as a reward for accomplishments, while another 29% use them as a reward for eating healthy meals. Women are more likely to “reward” themselves than men.
· Canadians sneak snacks: 15% of Canadians hide their snacks from others, presumably out of guilt for making an unhealthy choice. Taste of Nature offers a great-tasting, guilt-free, portion controlled option.


Make the Switch
“Making a positive difference is what Taste of Nature is all about whether in the organic ingredients we choose, our delicious recipes or our environmental practices. We want to promote positive change by encouraging switching to one healthy snack a day,” says Mike Lines, Vice-President Sales and Marketing, Taste of Nature. “This simple switch will sow the seeds for bigger, healthier changes in your life. We invite everyone to take the Taste of Nature Pledge to Snack Healthy at www.facebook.com/tasteofnature and ask a friend to pledge with you. After all, it’s easier to keep a promise if someone is keeping it with you.”

Taste of Nature bars are available in 13 flavours. Look for them in your grocery, drug and natural health food stores, and learn more at www.tasteofnature.ca.

* In December, 2013, Kelton conducted an online survey among 1,073 randomly selected Canadians. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the entire Canadian population ages 18 and over. Margin of error +/-3.0 per cent. 
 ** The Taste of Nature Niagara Apple Country bar is made with gluten-free oats, but regulations do not allow the company to make a gluten-free claim. These are the only Taste of Nature bars that Celiacs may want to enjoy with caution.


*Disclosure - I received 3 (THREE) Taste of Nature bars and was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.