A huge thank you to Tracy from Mariani Premium Dried Fruit for sending me some tasty, natural dried fruit for review on the blog! In the mix, there were two Honeybars, a bag of Ultimate Apricots, some Pitted, Dried Plums, Mixed Fruit, Cherry Pie Cherries, and Berries & Cherries.
I learned that the Mariani Family has been around for four generations and have grown, dried, processed and packaged only the finest and freshest dried fruit snacks and ingredient products! They maintain a close relationship with their growers throughout the year. Before harvesting, they make sure the fruit has reached maximum sun-ripened maturity for best flavor!
I’ll start with the review of my favorite product that I received.
Mixed Fruit!
This is the BEST of all worlds. At just 100 calories and 3g of fiber per 1/4c. serving, this sweet blend of pears, plums, peaches, apricots, and apples drove my tastebuds absolutely nuts. Each taste seemed better than the one before. Each fruit was perfectly chewy. I could’ve eaten this entire bag at once. Each serving also supplies you with 15% of your DV Vitamin A!
Cherry Pie Cherries
The only product that I didn’t particularly care for (but my family LOVED) were the Cherry Pie Cherries. Not that I didn’t enjoy the taste (I only ate one or two), but it was kind of a turn off to me that when I looked at the ingredients list prior to the testing, sugar was the #2 ingredient (after dried cherries, of course). Weighing in at 130 calories, 31g of carbs, and 27g of sugar, I think I’ll pass on this indulgence. The taste was good, but I could definitely tell that the added sugar was counteracting with the tartness of the natrual dried cherries.
Another enjoyable product for me, was the Honeybar! My favorite was the trail mix, but the granola was equally as tasty!
Granola & Trail Mix Honeybars
The stats are a little different, based on which variety you decide on, but in general, they’re a healthy, all-natural treat! They’re Vegetarian, Wheat and Gluten Free, Kosher Certified, Preservative Free, Free of Artificial Flavors, and Cholesterol Free! Can’t argue with that! 160-190 calories, 6-12g fat (1-1.5g saturated), and 4-6g of protein in each bar! They’re made with wholesome ingredients such as rolled oats, honey, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit.
All of Mariani’s products are great to snack on, as is, but they can also be used for baking! There are several yummy looking recipes on their homepage that I can’t wait to try! Not to mention, you can get free shipping on orders of $75 or more! So if you like to buy in bulk, this would be a great option for you! They also sell their products in grocery stores, so be sure to check them out!
Thank you again, Tracy!
Just doesn’t measure up.
