Flavor Tried: Fruity Cereal, Cinnamon Crunch Cereal
Price: $39.99 for 12 bars ($3.33 each)
Nutrition: 240 Calories, 9g Fat, 26g Carbs (4g Fiber & 12g Sugar), 18g Protein
Foundation Cereal Bars are a protein bar that I had no idea existed, and going into this review, I knew absolutely nothing about them.
I came across these protein bars at my local Vitamin Shoppe, and if I see a new protein bar, I have to give it a try. Then, when I noticed that these were high-protein cereal bars and not just regular protein bars, my excitement skyrocketed.
Who doesn’t love Fruity Pebbles or Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Since I’m assuming that is what these bar flavors are named after, I wasted no time cracking these open.
In terms of macros, these Foundation Bars are very balanced. If you’re on a sugar-free or keto diet, then you’re not going to find these bars very appealing.
Personally, I like seeing some sugar in protein bars. I tend to eat protein bars as a post-workout snack in the morning, so I find that the small amount of added sugar really helps me out.
Sugar or not, 240 calories and 18 grams of protein is pretty standard for a protein bar, so there’s nothing to complain about there.
Unwrapping these bars, I was immediately impressed by the size. These protein bars are much larger than I was expecting, and the crunchy pieces inside are clearly very prominent.
Cinnamon Crunch Cereal Foundation Bar
First up, I went with the cinnamon crunch flavor. You definitely smell cinnamon when you open up the wrapper, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call it Cinnamon Toast Crunch, more like regular cinnamon.
This is definitely an interesting protein bar. The bar is made up of protein crisps, and not cereal like the name “cereal bar” would allude to. And while it looks like it would be light & airy, similar to a Rice Krispies Treat, the bar is more firm than that.
Still, it’s not dense and chewy like other protein bars out there, so the crispy interior is actually a really welcomed change of pace.
Unfortunately, nothing about this bar says “Cinnamon Toast Crunch.”
Yes, it has a cinnamon flavor, but the combination of cinnamon & white chocolate makes this taste like a cinnamon roll protein bar. In fact, the flavor (and texture) is nearly identical to the cinnamon ONE Crunch Bar.
I happen to really like it as a cinnamon protein bar, but don’t expect Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Fruity Cereal Foundation Bars
The fruity cereal flavor looks nearly identical to the cinnamon crunch cereal flavor, but you are immediately hit with a very potent scent that reminds you it’s a different bar.
The best way I can describe the smell of this bar is if you combined a very potent Trix smell (like a Trix-scented candle) with a lot of citrus. It’s certainly a fruity smell, that’s for sure.
Much like the cinnamon crunch cereal flavor, this bar does not really taste like fruity cereal. Whether you’re expecting Fruity Pebbles, Trix, or another type of cereal, you might be disappointed by this one.
Like the scent, the flavor is very much citrus more than anything else. If this were called a “Lemon Cereal Bar” I would not question it.
There is definitely a hint of fruity cereal in there that you get from the mix-ins they added, but it certainly feels like it takes a backseat to the lemon flavor.
Overall thoughts: Foundation Cereal Bars
So, what’s the final word on Foundation Bars?
They have a ton of potential, but the flavor just isn’t quite there right now.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying: I thoroughly enjoyed these high-protein cereal bars. The texture is a nice change from the typical dense & chewy protein bars, and the flavors are very pleasant overall.
There is no artificial flavor or bitter aftertaste in these bars, which is something that has become all too common in protein bars. So, with all of those things considered, these are solid options.
But, we have to be honest and review these for what they are: high-protein cereal bars.
They simply don’t taste like the cereal that they are named after. These are a great foundation (pun intended) for new protein bars, and with flavor improvements, I can see these becoming one of the better protein bars on the market.
They’re just not quite there just yet.
