This week I was on a mission to discover why Fodbods are the ultimate snack for hikers with sensitive tummies. Is it actually possible to satisfy your cravings, keep your digestion on track, and enjoy the flavours too?
There's nothing I hate more than biting into an overly processed bar mid-hike and knowing immediately that I'll be paying for it later. While highly processed snacks taste good, if you react poorly to emulsifiers, colourings, and artificial flavours, it can be a fast route to ruin your hike.
This is where brands like Fodbods come in. Their low FODMAP, dairy-free snack foods are made from plant-based ingredients to suit even the most intense of dietary requirements. If you've got a fussy tummy, this might be the brand you've been looking for.
Want to jump ahead? Click on the heading that interests you!
So, who are FodBods?
FodBods is a 100% Aussie brand dedicated to creating gut-friendly protein bars that are FODMAP-friendly, gluten-free, and dairy-free. They promise that their food will help you feel full and not bloated – sounds good to me!
They offer a small range of snacks, including chunky nibbles in a share packet, small buddies bars for energy, and protein bars with an average of 13g of protein for a more substantial option (perfect snack for hiking!). They've even got a mini range of protein bars perfect for kids or when you just need a quick bite and want to keep moving.
The team are really passionate about creating food that will simultaneously delight your taste buds and won't cause gut symptoms. Their range caters to individuals with digestive sensitivities and gut issues, as well as people who just love food (me!).
What are FODMAPs?
FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) are short-chain carbohydrates that can cause digestive discomfort in some people, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They include certain fruits, vegetables, grains, and sweeteners.
What do Fodbods Ginger & Spice Nibbles taste like?
Flavour: 4.5/5
Whoa nelly these smell fragrant from the moment you rip open the packet! They smell like cinnamon and spice, and all things nice!
The texture is dry and nutty and the seeds make a satisfying crunch as you chew. The exterior is hard, but it's softer inside. The bites are generously sized and dense, so you feel full.
Compared to an M&M that you’d need fifty of to feel satisfied, I found the magic number was two to three for a quick on the go snack, though when distracted around the campfire I could easily polish off a bag between two of us without much thought.Â
They tasted warm and zingy, with a mostly nutty, and spicy flavour. It's rare to get punchy snacks with flavours that are punchy so testing these was a real treat!
The aftertaste lingers in a good way, which extends the snacking experience. Would be awesome on a cold hike as they do pack some heat and help you feel warm!
Note: These come in a range of other flavours (which I've yet to try!) Watch out for: Rosemary & Sea Salt, Cranberry Vanilla, Cheesy Cheese, Dark Chocolate, and the variety pack!
What do FodBods Protein Bars taste like?
As a quick aside before I jump into the taste-test results, the whole Fodbods range of low FODMAP protein bars is prone to melting quickly – even at room temperature (when you're holding them) – so expect chocolate-covered fingers and sticky wrappers along the way.
Despite this, they're excellent snack bars and you could do a lot worse in your choice of healthy snacks for the trail.
Fodbods Banana Peanut Protein Bar
Flavour: 5/5
I found the banana smell quite hard to detect so I did a blind taste on my partner and he couldn't guess it. The aroma is slightly fruity, and a bit creamy, but overall nondescript.
The texture is crumbly on the exterior but the inside is very dense and solid. Despite this, it's easy to bite into and wasn't as dry as other flavours in the range.
The bar itself tasted creamy and smooth – like a vanilla smoothie – with delightful pops of crunchy salt. It wasn't overwhelmingly peanut or banana in flavour but you can identify both easily. The balance is very delicate and expertly executed. With tiny bits of crunch and varied texture, this one was really enjoyable to eat.
I could happily eat six of them – very moreish.
Fodbods Double Chocolate Protein Bar
Flavour: 4/5
The Double Chocolate bar has a muted chocolate aroma, that's pleasant and not remotely intense. This smell was mirrored in the taste. The intensity of flavour was missing for something I'd describe as 'double chocolate' but misnomer aside, it was a lovely bar.
The pops of melted chocolate throughout were fantastic to offset the otherwise dry bar and really elevated the textural experience.
The bar had hints of salt throughout and soy protein crispy gave good crunch too. Interestingly it wasn't as creamy as milk chocolate or bitter like dark chocolate. It sat on the middle of the seasaw between those two flavours and would be enjoyed by just about anyone for that reason.
It’s a double chocolate bar you could eat more than one of without feeling sick. Although I'd probably just call it 'chocolate'.
Fodbods Lemon Coconut Protein Bar
Flavour: 4/5
When was the last time you saw a 'lemon coconut' flavoured protein bar? Yeah, never. I was immediately attracted to the prospect of a unique flavour, and I'm thrilled to report that this didn't disappoint.
The bar smells like a cheesecake and it's perhaps this mental association that makes the first, very dry bite, quite jarring. Fortunately, it's not so dry that I'd avoid eating it, just drier than I thought!
Oddly, the flavour is quite mild while you chew and it takes a few seconds for the flavour to develop and become detectable. It's beautifully savoury with a hint of sweet lemon and coconut coming through. The lemon is slightly stronger than the coconut.
While I'd love to see a bit more moisture in the bar, it was delightful.
Fodbods Peanut Choc Chunk Protein Bar
Flavour: 4.5/5
This one has a strong, dry peanut smell. It didn't remind me of peanut butter but the nut itself. The texture was extremely dry. It's the first thing you notice when you bite down. Once you chew twice thought that's remedied, and the chocolate chips melt quickly, rapidly improving the texture.
The bar tastes completely natural. You can tell it's made from wholefoods, and it reminded me of homemade muesli bars I've had previously. The dominant flavour is peanuts.
The choc 'chunks' are more like chocolate dots or the small chocolate chips in cookies.
It would have been nice to have bigger chocolate chunks as promised.
Fodbods Hazelnut Mocha Protein Bar
Flavour: 4.5/5
This one has a strong coffee-bean aroma. You can't detect even the slightest hint of hazelnut or chocolate.
The texture is mostly crumbly with occasional pockets of melted chocolate, and well-aerated crunchy sections. I could have sworn this had soy protein crisps in it, so delightful was the crunch, but there aren't any. Not sure what Fodbods have done to achieve this delicate crunch instead but I like it! Unlike the chocolate chunk bar, the chocolate bits in this one are chunk-sized and a really enjoyable aspect of the experience.
I'm not sure if it's because of the coffee beans but this was the grainiest of all the bars and it is more likely to get stuck in your teeth.
The taste is ever so slightly sweet, with hints of hazelnut appearing as you chew. It smells of coffee more than it tastes of coffee, which I was greatly relieved about as a non-coffee drinker! It does leave you with a subtle bitter aftertaste though.
Despite generally avoiding all coffee-flavoured products, I'd legitimately buy this bar again. I really enjoyed it, even though the coffee-bean aroma does absolutely nothing for me as a consumer.
What do FodBods Minis Protein Bars taste like?
Mint Chocolate
Flavour: 3/5
This immediately gave spearmint rather than fresh mint vibes. It smelt like dry cocoa-rich chocolate and the chunks of chocolate throughout were divine. It was slightly chewy and melted in your mouth.
The texture of this mini protein bar was very dense but the variety provided by the chocolate chunks broke it up nicely.
If you're a big mint fan and like the flavour to hit you in the face like a Mint Aero, you might find this more on the bland end of the spectrum.
The overall taste is quite well balanced between both competing flavours (choc+mint), which makes a refreshing change for chocolate lovers sick of having mint be the star in pretty much every other choc-mint combo snack food product.
Raspberry Coconut
Flavour: 2.5/5
The flavour was impossible to identify by smell, even after doing some blind smell tests with colleagues.
Unfortunately, this one attracted a few negative reviews, with one of my volunteer tasters describing it as ' a bit dog biscuity'. Ouch! This was likely a result of the very dry texture, which to be fair isn't very pleasant until you moisten your mouthful with a few chews.
On the plus side, I really enjoyed the pops of salt throughout and the bar had a pleasant creamy, generally fruity flavour. It was very mild. I'd suggest it's a great option for kids or fussy eaters as there isn't a strong flavour but the mix of sweet, creamy, and salty was very palatable.
While this one rated low with the people I shared this with, it was the winner of an Australian Healthy Food Magazine Award in 2024.
What do Fodbods Buddies Bars taste like?
Strawberry Shortcake
Flavour: 5/5
This one absolutely smelled like fresh strawberries. Great start! It had a delightfully soft and varied texture with crunchy pops of dried strawberries throughout. There wasn't a hint of the dryness in the Minis Protein Bars.
It's been aptly named too. The flavour felt decidedly gourmet, and was more complex than you'd expect from a snack bar. This was likely a result of the use of tigernuts – a fairly common ingredient used in Fodbods snacks.
If you're not familiar, tigernuts are tubers that are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one and was disappointed when I finished it!
Lamington
Flavour: 4.5/5
This one smelled exactly like a good ol' Aussie lamington. The taste was quite rich, like dark chocolate. It had a beautifully light coconut aftertaste and according to another colleague, was 'easily the best bar' out of the protein minis and buddies bars.
The texture was excellent, although the tiny seeds are more prone to getting stuck in your teeth. Not a big deal, but worth noting – especially if you're hiking with strangers and don't want to unknowingly decorate your smile for the rest of the day!
FAQs Fodbods Snacks
Does Fodbods make other healthy snacks?
Yep! Fodbods have many delicious gluten-free snack options. From their spicy nibbles, to small buddies bars, and of course, the protein bars above, there's a healthy choice to suit every appetite or fill the gap between meals.
Are Fodbods protein bars gluten-free?
Yep they're gluten-free! And dairy-free. And low-FODMAP. And because they're plant-based, they're also vegan-friendly (that means vegetarian-friendly too!). If you're required to follow a FODMAP diet or you're just about a healthy life, you should give them a go.
Where can I buy these?
The best place to grab these is from the Fodbods website. They ship across Australia, and there are options for subscription or bulk buying, which may also come with discounts. You can also find the bars at your local Woolies.
Disclaimer
I reached out to the team at FodBods to ask for samples of their product range & they kindly sent me a bunch to test. I protect my ability to provide you with my honest opinion because I value my integrity far more than a free snack. I'll never accept payment for reviews, or free products on the contingency that I say what a brand wants.
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