The $5.29 Target Find My Whole Family Can’t Get Enough Of

When it’s 3 p.m. on a weekday, I know where to find my husband. Our daily work-from-home habits are well worn, and I can safely bet that Mr. Ganz will be standing at the kitchen counter, butter knife in hand, spreading peanut butter and jelly on two slices of white bread—his way of getting through the last hill of meetings before the workday is through. 

A few weeks ago, I found a portable pick-me-up at Target that hits that same spot with zero effort: Bobo’s PB&J’s Oat Bars. Now my whole family can’t get enough (husband included).

Why We Love Bobo’s PB&J Oat Bars

Available in strawberry and grape flavors, Bobo’s PB&J Oat Bars are like a little peanut butter and jelly sandwich in cookie/bar form, and they more than satisfy my husband’s habitual cravings. In fact, they’re even more wholesome than his daily sandwich because Bobo’s has replaced the white sandwich bread he uses with a satisfying oat exterior, which happens to make them gluten-free.

The individually wrapped bars are shaped a bit like oatmeal cream pies, with a soft and chewy exterior of oaty goodness (17g of whole grain oats in each bar, according to the packaging) and a filling of sweet strawberry or grape jelly. There’s a nice, subtle nuttiness from the peanut butter that comes through in every bite. 

My favorite thing about the bars is that they are 100% plant-based. We’re a household of omnivores, but I work hard to make intentional choices around eating less meat and dairy, so I very much appreciate a snack that doesn’t include either. It makes the choice an easy one for me and, let’s face it, snacking choices should be easy.

Snacking for the Whole Family

Once we started buying these oat bars, it was clear that I’d need to get two boxes at a time if I wanted to keep up with demand. Now they’re getting tossed in lunch boxes as a treat and served up for an afterschool snack to my two kids, ages five and 12. 

I’ve even sent one out the door for a breakfast-on-the-go when one Monday morning went sideways, and it felt good knowing that my daughter had a little fuel to get her through the morning. The kiddos and I prefer the sweet and tangy strawberry flavor, while my husband likes the classic grape, so I get a box of each. 

We were already a household of Bobo’s fans before we discovered these PB&J bars, which started appearing on my local store’s shelves last summer. Bobo’s Chocolate Chip and Lemon Poppyseed Oat Bars are two of our favorite snacks for road trips, so I can’t say I was surprised that these PB&J oat bars were such a hit. I’m just grateful for anything that can keep my family members away from Hangry Island when those afternoon cravings start creeping in.

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