EPIC Beef Protein Bars, Uncured Bacon and Apple, Paleo Friendly, Gluten Free, Whole 30, 12 Ct, 15.6 oz

I must admit I didn't love them from the get go. When you think of high-end buffalo/deer meat snacks you often think of a tough jerky-like product. This is a bit softer, not very chewy, reminiscent of freshly cooked meat. I can see how it may be unexpected or a bit off putting for those used to the norm. I can see where the guy who said it's like "solidified powder" is coming from but I think that's a bit of a hefty exaggeration. The taste is excellent, easily my favorite meat snack I've had (and I've had 'em all). Hard not to scarf down two at a time. Naturally any shelf-stable meat is going to have a good two or three times the salt if it was from butcher to table, that's just how it is. The Bison variety is just under 600mg of sodium per bar, a good 25% of the recommended daily intake so those with hypertension or who are just trying to watch their sodium intake might want to go easy. I love them, again, new favorite (ordering another case now). Needless to say at just under $2.75 a bar it's not the cheapest snack in the world but they last a long time (my box's expiration is about a year from the time it arrived) and are about as "filling" as I would expect for a high end bison or deer meat snack. Not quite a meal but a very satisfying snack. Plus the simplicity of the all-natural ingredients (no chemicals whatsoever) is a highly-sought after quality in this house. And the company seems to be responsible/ethical/Eco-friendly (as much as you can be for serving up animal meat) yada yada. Worth the purchase. Highly recommended. Note: Have also sampled the venison (deer). Very good as well, though noticeably saltier in overall taste and of course physically (750mg). Probably since unlike the bison version (mixed with beef) the venison is 100% deer meat and nothing else. I enjoy both but if you're sampling the brand for the first time and have to choose one, I'd go with the bison. Just so you can see if the unique texture/consistency is something you'd enjoy. To exaggerate myself I guess you could compare traditional beef jerky like biting into a piece of old tire, while this is a like a thick, hearty meatloaf type of snack. It's solid, no doubt. Very rich and excellent taste which makes it addictive (to me at least). Though again, it took a while to grow on me.

Never thought I would eat biscon, but these bars are so much better than any beef sticks. Very moist and great taste with the mix of cranberries.

Somewhat soft, moist yet grainy texture, and easy to eat. Very salty and kind of spicy with a definite jalapeno taste and kick. I like them, but wish they weren't as salty. Still good.

By "bars" the description means it is not jerky (tough) but more like a meat candy bar. I like these (we bought another version, too) because it is NOT sweet. These are individually packed so I leave some in my car and sometime throw one in my bag for later. They are good!

Bacon Bars: I've been getting these on subscribe and save for a while and specifically chose this item because they did not have any type of added sugar. While mine always seemed dry, the flavor was good and I could deal with the dryness seeing as how I finally had a filling, no sugar snack to carry with me (and it tasted like bacon - even better!). Today I opened one from my most recent delivery and took a bite, only to taste a sticky sweet, pork flavored bar. It was so different, I wasn't sure if there was something wrong with it. I noticed the label read pork + maple bar, so I wondered if I was sent the wrong box. No, the company switched the product formulation and tried to pass it off as the same thing! My "100% sugar free...15g of protein" bar transformed into a "100% Natural Pork...8g of protein" bar. I also noticed the sodium increased to 590mg, from 330mg in the previous bar. I am extremely disappointed and have no desire to eat this new bar. It IS more moist, but I honestly don't like the flavor. I quickly cancelled my subscription and will not order any more products from Epic, as they no longer have items that work for me, nor do I feel I can trust them. (I have spent a lot on their bars and animal fats/oils, only to have to throw too many of them out due to being sour/off or poor tasting.) Basic Nutrition Info: *Old bar - Uncured Bacon & Pork: Uncured Bacon - No nitrates or nitrates added (Pork, Water, Sea Salt, Vinegar, Celery Powder), Natural Pork, Lactic Acid Calories: 130 Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 20mg Sodium: 330mg Carb: 0g Sugars: 0g Protein: 15g New Bar - Uncured Bacon Pork + Maple: Uncured Bacon - No nitrates or nitrites added (Pork, Water, Sea Salt, Vinegar, Celery Powder), Natural Pork, Maple Sugar, Sea Salt, Celery Powder Calories: 150 Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 25mg Sodium: 590mg Carb: 7g Sugars: 5g Protein: 8g

The Venison bars taste pretty good albeit the texture is more meaty than jerky like. So if you're concerned about the bar texture then you might want to move on to something else. I just recently tried the Bison bacon Cranberry and it was so greasy, sweet and to be frank rather disgusting - I ended up pitching the box. I can somewhat recommend the venison but I'm a definite NO on the bison bacon & cranberry. YMMV.

Love them. Very convenient when traveling, especially when you need to follow The Autoimmune protocol! :) Thanks! UPDATE: Like I said, still love the Epic bars, BUT the price has risen ridiculously. These were about 10 GBP per 1.5 oz when I bought it. Now it's always between 30-50 GBP. Way too much.