The CLIF BAR Energy Food Protein Bar For Survival Kit

shelf life of clif protein bars

Recently I shopped around for some additional food bars to add to other foods in my 72-hour survival (emergency) kit that I keep in the truck.

The CLIF BAR looks (and tastes) to be one of the best energy bars to consider, and here’s why:

Natural ingredients, efficient calories, protein, and energy.

CLIF BAR Has Natural Ingredients

CLIF BAR is a great-tasting energy bar made with a blend of wholesome ingredients like rolled oats, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds for sustained energy.

CLIF BAR provides energy from multiple carbohydrate sources, and a blend of protein, fat, and fiber slows the rate of digestion delivering sustained energy.

CLIF BAR is the original energy bar made with a blend of 70% organic ingredients and contains zero grams trans-fat. They do not contain high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors.

The calories in a single Crunch Peanut Butter CLIF Bar (as one example) amount to 260, making it a great choice for one’s survival kit or 72-hour kit. Calories are significant to any emergency survival situation concerning the food category.

It’s not something you would want to eat all the time, but these sure do provide a calorie and energy boost. Here’s the nutritional facts breakdown from the label of the CLIF BAR crunchy peanut butter bar. It makes me hungry just thinking about it…

CLIF BAR crunchy peanut butter ingredients label

Calories 260
Protein 11g
Carbs 40g
Fat 7g
Sodium 230mg
Potassium 251mg
Calcium 193mg
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars 19 g (lots, but it’s energy)

CLIF BAR Energy / Protein Bars

>> Visit the CLIF BAR Store
(amzn)

Chocolate Chip:
12 Count

White Chocolate Macadamia:
12 Count

Crunchy Peanut Butter:
24 Count

Did I mention that they actually taste good?

The CLIF Bar is also a great addition for hiking. They’re lightweight, and packed with energy and calories.

CLIF BAR Shelf Life

Okay, its shelf life isn’t bad, although not quite as long as some others. Why? Because of natural ingredients rather than things that you cannot pronounce… In my opinion, I’ll take ‘real’ food over chemical additives any day.

The CLIF BAR ‘best by’ date appears to be 1 year from manufacture. If you keep these in a hot car during the summer, rotate them at the end of the season so they won’t eventually spoil.

The higher the average temp, the shorter the shelf life (colder will actually increase it – to an extent).

Here’s an article with some details vs. temperature:
Temperature Versus Food Storage Shelf Life

This is why I always rotate the foods that I keep in the truck.

You can freeze them for a long shelf life. Or, simply consume and rotate your inventory. One year is plenty for that. And it’s an excuse to eat them up yum.

Impressively, the company is family and employee-owned and is located in Emeryville, CA.

Note: I have also been a fan of DATREX food bars which I also keep in my 72-hour kit. They are different in that they were designed to be stored on lifeboats in vacuum-sealed packaging with a 5-year ‘best by’ date. They don’t taste quite as good as CLIF bars in my opinion (not bad though) but are also very calorie-dense. Formulated to minimize thirst afterward too (important if you’re floating at sea on a lifeboat!). Here’s an article I wrote about them awhile ago:

[ Read: The DATREX Food Bar ]