I’ve never been a fan of chocolate and banana together—except in my morning protein shake. I’ve tried chocolate-dipped bananas, banana chocolate chip pancakes, and other combinations, but none of them have worked for me. I do, however, enjoy a few chocolate chips in banana bread.
So when a box arrived at my doorstep containing Kashi’s Banana Chocolate Chip bars, I was a little wary. I have a lingering aversion to artificial banana flavor thanks to a childhood memory: after my tonsillectomy at five, the only popsicles available were banana-flavored and they were terrible. That experience left me with a near reflexive dislike of imitation banana. Even so, I expected Kashi to be a cut above chemical banana flavoring.
My instincts were right. The bars are soft and chewy with a pleasant crunchy seven-grain topping. The interior delivers genuine banana flavor paired with dark chocolate chips, without being cloyingly sweet. A subtle molasses note adds depth, evoking a dense slice of banana bread balanced by bittersweet chocolate. I especially liked the contrast between the tender bar and the crisp grain topping.
I’m eager to try more flavors from Kashi’s new Soft n’ Chewy bar line. With this Banana Chocolate Chip variety, they’ve made a promising first impression.