ALOHA
Vanilla Almond Crunch
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
An organic, plant-based bar that keeps sugars to 3 grams without stevia or erythritol, delivering a chewy-crunchy texture from nuts, seeds, and rice crisps—and earning repeated “Best Vegan” shout-outs from major outlets.
When to choose ALOHA Vanilla Almond Crunch
Choose it if you want a satisfying vegan mini‑meal with balanced macros, clean‑leaning ingredients, and sweetness without stevia. It’s a strong fit for dairy‑ and soy‑avoidant eaters, afternoon slumps, and anyone who likes a crunchy bite over a fudge‑like bar.
What's in the ALOHA bar?
ALOHA’s Vanilla Almond Crunch builds its flavor and texture from real almonds, vanilla, crispy brown rice, and roasted pumpkin seeds, while its 14g of protein comes from a blend of brown rice protein and pumpkin seed protein.
The bar is bound with tapioca and brown rice syrups yet keeps sugars surprisingly low by using monk fruit (a very sweet fruit extract) and a small amount of vegetable glycerin for softness and mild sweetness.
Expect higher‑than‑average fats from almonds, sunflower butter, and seeds—calories land on the fuller side, but so does satiety.
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Calories
- 250
Protein
1415MIDThe 14g of protein are driven by a plant blend of brown rice protein and pumpkin seed protein. Rice protein is naturally lower in lysine; pairing it with pumpkin seed helps round out the amino acid mix, with a little extra lift from the whole almonds and roasted pumpkin seeds in the bar. It’s a dairy‑ and soy‑free way to get mid‑pack protein without relying on whey.
Fat
129HIGHMost fat here comes from almonds, sunflower butter (ground sunflower seeds with a little sunflower oil), and pumpkin seeds. That means mostly unsaturated fats—and some natural vitamin E—plus a modest omega‑6 tilt from sunflower oil; balancing your day with omega‑3 sources is smart. At 12g, fat lands on the higher side for bars and is a big reason this feels satisfying.
Carbs
2320MIDMost of the 23g of carbs come from tapioca syrup (a cassava‑based glucose/maltose syrup) and brown rice syrup binding brown rice crisps, with vegetable glycerin helping keep the bar soft. These are refined, quick‑burning carbs, so the energy skews fast; the nuts and seeds help slow the overall rise compared with a purely syrup‑based snack. Expect a quick lift tempered by fat and fiber rather than truly slow‑release carbs.
Sugar
34MIDOnly 3g of sugar is listed—low for a bar that uses syrups. Sweetness is mostly handled by monk fruit, an intensely sweet fruit extract used in tiny amounts, and by vegetable glycerin, a plant‑derived humectant that adds mild sweetness without counting toward the “sugars” line. Keep in mind that even with low sugars, tapioca and rice syrups are still fast‑absorbed carbs.
Calories
250210HIGHAt 250 calories, this is more mini‑meal than light nibble. Fats from nuts and seeds and quick carbs from the syrups and crisps carry most of the energy, while the 14g of protein adds staying power. If you’re active or stretching time between meals, that trade‑off can be useful.
Vitamins & Minerals
This isn’t a fortified bar; the standout micronutrient is iron at about 10% of daily value, largely from pumpkin seeds/pumpkin seed protein, almonds, and rice‑based ingredients. Calcium and potassium appear in smaller amounts. Nuts and seeds also naturally carry some vitamin E, even if it isn’t highlighted on the label.
Additives
The label stays comparatively short on additives. You’ll see vegetable glycerin (a refined, plant‑derived moisture keeper), natural flavor and vanilla extract for aroma, and monk fruit for high‑intensity sweetness; the binding syrups (tapioca and brown rice) are refined starch sugars. Overall, it leans on recognizable nuts, seeds, and rice crisps with a few functional helpers.
Ingredient List
Almond tree seeds
Brown rice grain
Pumpkin seeds
Cassava starch
Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp.)
Dehulled whole grain rice
Brown rice
Vegetable oils (palm, soy)
Sunflower plant seeds
Sunflower seeds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I LOVE ALOHA BARS and this flavor is tied for my favorite”
“I really like Aloha bars. Heat one up for 20 seconds in the microwave and they taste even better!”
“I love aloha bars so much! I had weight loss surgery so now, when I crave a candy bar, I eat an aloha bar instead. Absolutely delicious”
Main Praise
Taste and texture are the headline wins. Bon Appétit and SELF both praise ALOHA for chewy, craveable texture without a weird aftertaste, and our flavor leans into that with real almond crunch and crisped rice.
Fans on Reddit call it “absolutely delicious,” with one clever tip to warm it for 20 seconds for a softer, fresh‑baked feel. Many Amazon reviewers echo the “tastes good, keeps me full” theme, which makes sense given the nuts-and-seeds fats paired with mid‑pack protein.
Ingredient quality gets frequent nods—organic, dairy‑free, soy‑free protein, and no stevia aftertaste—while the overall sweetness reads clean to a lot of palates. The 4.
4 average across tens of thousands of ratings suggests this isn’t a niche favorite; it’s a broadly liked plant‑based option.
Main Criticism
Two friction points come up repeatedly: sweetness and stomach comfort. A few Redditors find ALOHA bars too sweet, and SELF flags monk fruit as a love‑it‑or‑not ingredient for some tasters.
A subset of Amazon and Reddit comments mention digestive upset; in a bar that uses refined syrups and a bit of glycerin for softness, that’s plausible for sensitive folks. Texture isn’t universally adored either—some call it chalky or powdery, and EatingWell’s testers thought this specific flavor underdelivered on vanilla.
Finally, if you want a straight 20+ grams of protein, this 14‑gram bar won’t scratch that itch.
The Middle Ground
So where’s the truth? Think “tasty plant‑based mini‑meal,” not “protein bomb.
” The 14g of brown rice and pumpkin seed protein is solid for a vegan bar, but heavy lifters like Redditor unknown hunting 20 grams will want to look elsewhere—or pair this with a shake.
The sweetness debate tracks with monk fruit’s personality: it’s intensely sweet in tiny amounts, which some perceive as brighter than table sugar and others read as too bold. That explains why one Reddit post says “too sweet” while another melts for it after a quick microwave.
GI gripes are also believable; refined syrups and glycerin can be touchy in larger amounts, so testing half a bar with water is a reasonable strategy if you’re sensitive.
Texture is the other fork in the road: if you enjoy a crispy‑chewy bar (and the nut‑and‑seed crunch here), you’ll likely be happy; if you want a soft, brownie‑like bite, you may call it chalky.
EatingWell’s note about muted vanilla rings true—the flavor leans nutty and toasty first, vanilla second.
What's the bottom line?
ALOHA’s Vanilla Almond Crunch earns its fan base by feeling like real food: nuts, seeds, crisped rice, and a clean‑leaning sweetness that dodges stevia’s aftertaste. At 250 calories with 12g of fats and 14g of plant protein, it behaves more like a tidy mini‑meal than a diet bar, and that’s exactly why it satisfies. If you want an organic, vegan option that tastes good, travels well, and won’t spike sugars sky‑high, it’s a top contender.
If you’re sweetness‑sensitive, monk fruit might run a little loud; if your gut is finicky with refined syrups or glycerin, start with half. And if your goal is a 20‑plus gram protein hit, this isn’t that bar.
Listicle take: ALOHA Vanilla Almond Crunch is the vegan bar for people who hate stevia aftertaste—3g sugar, 14g plant protein, crunchy‑chewy texture, and a nutty profile that actually satisfies. Great for afternoon slumps; sweetness‑sensitive folks should sample before they stock up.