Lola Granola

Product review by Lisa VanWilliams

Lola Granola was started by a family that had once turned to food banks & public assistance when times were hard for them. Mary and Ernie were doing the best they could, and Ernie was eating junk food because it was cheaper than eating healthier more expensive choices.  Mary's kids also had soy and gluten allergies, so she started whipping up these granola bars in her kitchen for a healthier alternative. Fast Forward. They started a whole line of Granola bars called Lola Granola and named the 5 different flavors after each of their kids & family members. They are out of Croton Falls, NY. The bars are wonderful and we are really enjoying them. They are dense and packed with flavor for such few ingredients.

These are the flavors:

THE LOLA - The original! Lola is teeming with vibrant cranberries and almonds
THE RUBY - Ruby is abounding with robust cranberries
THE ELLIE - Ellie is chock full of succulent dates and cashews
THE ENZO - Enzo is packed with hearty almonds and cashews
THE NATHAN - Nathan is brimming with delectable blueberries and almonds

Their motto is Clean, Simple, Good. The bars are made with oats, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and only sweetened with honey, they are gluten free, and they are non-GMO. You can find out more about the company here: http://www.lolagranolabar.com/

You can find the bars at most Whole Foods and Big Y's in Connecticut, or you can do a search to find your closest retailer here:
http://lola-granolabar.myshopify.com/apps/store-locator

Not only are they making a healthy snack, they are a charitable company and they give back. They know what it's like to have the shoe on the other foot. They donate to backpack programs for children as risk for hunger and they partner with retailers to support their charitable community efforts. The whole month of November if you buy a whole box of granola bars, they will donate a box to three local food banks. Way to go Lola Granola!! Here's to making it through tough times and coming out on top!