Lärabar is a brand of

energy bar Energy bars are supplemental bars containing cereals, micronutrients, and flavor ingredients intended to supply quick food energy. Because most energy bars contain added protein (nutrient), protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and other nutri ...

s produced by

General Mills General Mills, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational manufacturer and marketer of branded ultra-processed consumer foods sold through retail stores. Founded on the banks of the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in ...

. The bars come in a variety of flavors such as apple pie, carrot cake, cinnamon roll, and mint chip brownie.

History

Lärabar was created by

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

native Lara Merriken, who was looking to make a "very healthy product that tasted delicious". According to the General Mills website, Merriken's inspiration for the snack occurred during a hiking trip in 2000 through the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

. As she was running down the mountain, she was inspired to create a food bar that was made out of only fruits, nuts and spices. The umlaut on the ä is decorative. The bars were first introduced for sale in the United States on April 14, 2003. The original flavors were cherry pie, apple pie, cashew cookie, banana bread, and chocolate coconut chew. In 2008, General Mills acquired the original producer of Lärabar, Humm Foods. The product line has been expanded to more than 30 varieties, including high-protein bars and bars for children. In 2019, the Lärabar range launched in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Reviews

An April 2007 review in the ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving Greater Pittsburgh, metropolitan Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the fi ...

'' praised Lärabar, writing "The bar is moist and chewy, tart and tasty. None of the medicinal tastes of other protein bars." The bar's "authentic" taste and use as a breakfast meal have also been complimented.

Recalls

In January 2009, General Mills voluntarily recalled peanut butter cookie flavor Lärabar for fear of

salmonella ''Salmonella'' is a genus of bacillus (shape), rod-shaped, (bacillus) Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The two known species of ''Salmonella'' are ''Salmonella enterica'' and ''Salmonella bongori''. ''S. enterica'' ...

contamination. No illnesses were reported.

References

External links

Official US websiteOfficial Canada website

Official UK website

Lärabar on General Mills website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Larabar Energy food products General Mills brands Products introduced in 2003 2000 establishments in Colorado Companies based in Denver 2008 mergers and acquisitions