A Diet Candy Bar That Actually Satisfies

Published on Friday, October 14, 2011, by James Norton / Edit Post

Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp Candy Bar

Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp Candy Bar

I Paid: $1.19 for a .77-ounce bar (prices may vary by region)

Taste: 4 stars

Marketing: 4 stars

When I reviewed Skinny Cow ice cream cone sundaes a few years back, I was pleasantly surprised: Here was a diet food (diet dessert, no less) that actually satisfied a serious sweet tooth, and with comparatively little impact on the waistline. And while not quite good for you exactly, the Skinny Cow cones weren't horrible for you either.

Now Skinny Cow is rolling out candy bars, positioned for impulse purchase at the counter of your neighborhood gas station or urban bodega. The bars themselves are, in fact, skinny—the Heavenly Crisp milk chocolate flavor I tried was a mere .77 ounces and 110 calories (compare to the 280-calorie, 2.07-ounce Snickers bar or the 220-calorie, 1.55-ounce Nestlé Crunch bar)—and relatively pricey at $1.19.

The Skinny Cow bar gets to its low-calorie market position not through use of good or low-cal ingredients—it's full of the same sugary, partially hydrogenated crap that makes mass-market candy what it is. There's just a lot less of it.

But, it should be noted, it's used to much better effect. The delicate cookie layers render the bar delightfully crisp and light, with a chocolate-milk-like flavor that comes from the white icing drizzled atop. The flavor lingers, and it's pleasant: The chocolate has a richness to it that is unlike many conventional candy favorites (Hershey's chocolate bars, for example, or the aforementioned Crunch bars, which are made by the same company).

The question of whether the Heavenly Crisp's relatively slender 110 calories are actually satisfying in the same way that a more substantial dessert might be is in the gullet of the beholder, but I found myself totally pleased, the chocolate-craving demon within me fully fed and returned to its dormant state.

James Norton edits the Upper Midwestern food journal Heavy Table. He's also the coauthor of a book on Wisconsin's master cheesemakers. For his Supertaster Daily videos, he samples offerings from supermarket aisles and fast-food menus. (Click here to see all of James's previous Supertaster work.) You can follow him on Twitter and fan him on Facebook.

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POST A COMMENT |8 Comments

COMMENT

  • why are you hawking this crap?

  • So you pay twice as much for half as much product? You can get 8 bunch of Twix singles for $1.25 or pay $4.00 for that box that has 6 bars that you show up there.

    It's the same marginal ingredients that Nate650 points out.

    Is it a tasty little bar? Yes, it is.

    Is it diet food? No. It provides no nutritional benefit. It is pure indulgence in a portion control package that adds in the...+READ

    So you pay twice as much for half as much product? You can get 8 bunch of Twix singles for $1.25 or pay $4.00 for that box that has 6 bars that you show up there.

    It's the same marginal ingredients that Nate650 points out.

    Is it a tasty little bar? Yes, it is.

    Is it diet food? No. It provides no nutritional benefit. It is pure indulgence in a portion control package that adds in the expense as a further way to keep you from overeating.

    Honestly, for the calories, really good quality dark chocolate is much better for you. If you need crunch, try some Spelt Pretzels (more protein and fiber for additional satisfaction).-COLLAPSE

  • Or you could, of course, just not eat candy. I know, radical thought, right?

  • How is this considered a "diet" candy bar if it contains trans fat and a host of processed junk?

    Ingredients: SUGAR, WHEAT FLOUR, HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, NONFAT MILK, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, HIGH OLEIC CANOLA AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL, CHICORY ROOT FIBER, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, MILK, AND 1.5% OR LESS OF: BAKING SODA, CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL...+READ

    How is this considered a "diet" candy bar if it contains trans fat and a host of processed junk?

    Ingredients: SUGAR, WHEAT FLOUR, HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, NONFAT MILK, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, HIGH OLEIC CANOLA AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL, CHICORY ROOT FIBER, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM OIL, MALTODEXTRIN, MILK, AND 1.5% OR LESS OF: BAKING SODA, CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, VEGETABLE EMULSIFIERS (SOY LECITHIN, SORBITAN TRISTEARATE), SALT, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, TBHQ TO PROTECT FLAVOR, GROUND PEANUTS.-COLLAPSE

  • I actually bought one from an unlikely source - a mini mart at a Shell gasoline station in Emeryville. Located next to the pork rinds. Being a fan of Skinny Cow products, I give this newest offering a grade of "B+". I would have given it an an "A" if the the chocolate was dark and not milk.

  • In the UK I just used to buy kid-size chocolate bars if I was in a shop and really fancied a bit of chocolate. This is not because I was dieting, but simply because I find dairy milk to be too sweet to eat too much of. Freddos were always a good bet!

    The advantage of this over buying a large bar of good chocolate (usually dark for my taste) is that I don't then have to leave a bar of chocolate...+READ

    In the UK I just used to buy kid-size chocolate bars if I was in a shop and really fancied a bit of chocolate. This is not because I was dieting, but simply because I find dairy milk to be too sweet to eat too much of. Freddos were always a good bet!

    The advantage of this over buying a large bar of good chocolate (usually dark for my taste) is that I don't then have to leave a bar of chocolate melting in the car if I'm out and about. Plus no temptation to eat it all! Another good small chocolate treat are the booja booja truffles. Expensive but divine!-COLLAPSE

  • The clusters are better and have a 2 for Weight Watchers Points Plus. These are 3.

    And yes, small amounts of regular candy are pretty much the same as this. What dieters really should be doing is eating a tiny piece of quality chocolate. To really nail the chocolate craving there's nothing like a piece of sharp, rich 70% (or higher) cocoa chocolate. I write that, but I have these and the...+READ

    The clusters are better and have a 2 for Weight Watchers Points Plus. These are 3.

    And yes, small amounts of regular candy are pretty much the same as this. What dieters really should be doing is eating a tiny piece of quality chocolate. To really nail the chocolate craving there's nothing like a piece of sharp, rich 70% (or higher) cocoa chocolate. I write that, but I have these and the clusters (and an assortment of the WW 1 point chocolates by Russel Staufer) in my pantry.-COLLAPSE

  • So it's half the size of a Crunch Bar and half the calories. Why not simply eat 1/2 a Crunch Bar? Or if you lack self-control, buy a Crunch, break in 1/2 and immediately throw other half away? Save the money. Or buy the quite good TJ's chocolate chips and have about 10 at a time.