As a dancer I am often in class for three hours a night. Packing the right snack is therefore very important in order to stay motivated, energized, and focused. When I go to grab a snack before dance, I am always inclined to go for an energy bar. They are easy to bring, and "energy" is right there in the title. However, picking the correct energy bar is no easy task.
Walking into the nutrition bar section at the local Wegmans is ultimately a guessing game. There are over 40 different brands of energy bars, and within each brand there are different functions and flavors. When presented with so many options, it is difficult to know which ones will be most beneficial for each activity. For example, a heavy protein bar used by mountain climbers probably isn't the best fit for my short dance class.
After trying many different varieties, I finally discovered a nutrition bar that perfectly fit my energy needs. The brand is called Barre. The company name spells "Bar" the same way it is spelled in Ballet terms, which hints at where the energy bar's target demographic lies.
"Barres" currently come in three different flavors, all named after different ballet terms. Ballerina, Pirouette, and Black Swan are the names, and the flavors are Spirulina, Chocolate Berry, and Cinnamon Pecan respectively. The Barres were created by two professional dancers, which really appeals to myself and others in the dance community.
The creators of Barre have a simple reason for creating their healthy snack: "We traded our leotards for aprons and whipped up something of our own: a real food bar, made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients–stuff you can actually pronounce! Barre helps us maintain the peak level of performance necessary for ballet’s unique marriage of artistry and athleticism. " (realfoodbarre.com) Like many others, the company's founders had become fed up with confusing health bar labels and false advertising about energy benefits.
What makes the Barres so healthy is the use of dates as the main ingredient, with things like agave nectar and walnuts added for texture and taste. Every ingredient in the energy bars is recognizable and nutritious. For example, the ingredients in the Pirouette bars are: dates, walnuts, pecans, agave nectar, hemp seed, rolled oats, hemp protein, ground flax seed,brown rice protein, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, and peanuts. Because I know what all these ingredients are, I feel good about snacking on these 200 calorie pick-me-ups.
Another reason I reccomend the Barre company is their motto "Made by dancers, for everyone!" Barres are not "exclusively" made for dancers, and are made to be enjoyed and used by athletes everywhere. So next time you head to your 5 hour ballet intensive, your Zumba fitness class, or before a big basketball game, be sure to try a barre to help you stay focused and energized.
Walking into the nutrition bar section at the local Wegmans is ultimately a guessing game. There are over 40 different brands of energy bars, and within each brand there are different functions and flavors. When presented with so many options, it is difficult to know which ones will be most beneficial for each activity. For example, a heavy protein bar used by mountain climbers probably isn't the best fit for my short dance class.
After trying many different varieties, I finally discovered a nutrition bar that perfectly fit my energy needs. The brand is called Barre. The company name spells "Bar" the same way it is spelled in Ballet terms, which hints at where the energy bar's target demographic lies.
"Barres" currently come in three different flavors, all named after different ballet terms. Ballerina, Pirouette, and Black Swan are the names, and the flavors are Spirulina, Chocolate Berry, and Cinnamon Pecan respectively. The Barres were created by two professional dancers, which really appeals to myself and others in the dance community.
The creators of Barre have a simple reason for creating their healthy snack: "We traded our leotards for aprons and whipped up something of our own: a real food bar, made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients–stuff you can actually pronounce! Barre helps us maintain the peak level of performance necessary for ballet’s unique marriage of artistry and athleticism. " (realfoodbarre.com) Like many others, the company's founders had become fed up with confusing health bar labels and false advertising about energy benefits.
What makes the Barres so healthy is the use of dates as the main ingredient, with things like agave nectar and walnuts added for texture and taste. Every ingredient in the energy bars is recognizable and nutritious. For example, the ingredients in the Pirouette bars are: dates, walnuts, pecans, agave nectar, hemp seed, rolled oats, hemp protein, ground flax seed,brown rice protein, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, and peanuts. Because I know what all these ingredients are, I feel good about snacking on these 200 calorie pick-me-ups.
Another reason I reccomend the Barre company is their motto "Made by dancers, for everyone!" Barres are not "exclusively" made for dancers, and are made to be enjoyed and used by athletes everywhere. So next time you head to your 5 hour ballet intensive, your Zumba fitness class, or before a big basketball game, be sure to try a barre to help you stay focused and energized.