As you saw in my recent video blog of my trip to Whole Foods, as always, I'm on a quest for healthy snacks for myself and my little guy Isaac. I look for tasty snacks that are low in sugar and fat and that are handy and easy when we're on the go.



We recently enjoyed trying Nature's Hand Granola for the first time. The company sent me a couple pouches to sample and Isaac can't seem to get enough. He really likes the crunch and the taste. We sampled the French Vanilla Almond and the Cinnamon Apple flavors. Nature's Hand Granola also offers these other flavors:

• Original Vanilla Almond
• Cranberry Delight
• Raisin Hazelnut
• Maple Pecan
• Wild Blueberry

Nature's Hand Granola is great tasting and all natural. I love that the pouches are resealable so it stays fresh and crunchy. This granola features roasted oats, wheat, nuts and seeds and is lightly and delicately sweetened with caramelized brown sugar and honey. They also use soy oil which is healthy and full of fiber, protein and antioxidants. They contain only 140 calories per serving, 4.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fats, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg of sodium, and only 6 grams of sugar. That is much less fat and sugar than many other packaged granola bars and snack mixes. The pouch is 13 ounces. The suggested serving size is 1/4 cup. There are approximately 12 servings per package.  The average retail price is $4.99 which makes this about 42 cents per serving which isn't bad for such a quality healthy product!

Nature's Hand Granola can be purchased on their website by the pouch or the case. You can also find it at Whole Foods Market or Jewel Osco or CubFoods. You can also check out Nature's Hand on Facebook and Twitter for more information, recipes and discounts. They

Our Experience:
We like the taste, texture and crunch of this granola. We tried French Vanilla Almond and Cinnamon Apple. I liked them both.  Isaac loves them both too, but especially liked the dried apple pieces in Cinnamon Apple. I liked how they are lightly and naturally sweetened with brown sugar and honey. It doesn't taste overly sugary or sticky like some granola bars that I've tried before. We've eaten it as a small cereal snack with skim milk, we've mixed it in our oatmeal and yogurt, and just eaten out of a zipper bag, on the go. Isaac likes to take it in a small paper cup to eat on the way to school in the morning. There are many ways to enjoy this granola, including using it recipes. You can find several recipes on the Nature's Hand website. They have a couple recipes with the info for each flavor.



Why not try this recipe? 
Chewy Granola Cookies
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 ½ cups Nature’s Hand granola
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
What to do:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Blend together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Blend in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, soda and salt; stir until combined. Stir in oat, granola and chocolate pieces.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are brown and center is soft. Let cool a few minutes on pan. Remove from pan; cool completely. (About 48 cookies).

Something I learned about Nature's Hand - they are the official granola of Outward Bound USA and support their Youth Intercept Program. Additionally, Nature's Hand donates more than 10,000 lbs of granola annually to women's shelters. Now that is an admirable and awesome way to give back!

Disclosure:  I received 2 packs of granola to try in exchange for sharing my honest opinion and experience. I received no monetary compensation. Your experience and results may vary - please see manufacturer website for full nutritional information. ALLERGY ALERT - Product contains/may contain nuts, seeds, wheat. Please read nutritional labels to be sure product meets your own personal health/safety  needs.