'Good Housekeeping' Rates Fudge Bars

ByABC News via logo
July 7, 2003, 1:47 PM

N E W   Y O R K, July 8 -- Need a chocolate fix without a major calorie commitment? Frozen fudge bars can be the perfect fix.

Good Housekeeping magazine says low-calorie fudge bars don't range much in terms of calories, but when it comes to flavor, consumers should know there is a big difference.

So testers at the Good Housekeeping Institute tackled the low calorie fudge bar market, testing the most popular brands, and here's what they found:

Slim-FastThe Slim-Fast Chocolate Fudge Bar won first place for its milk chocolate flavor and soft-serve-like texture. Plus, this 110-calorie snack provides 25 percent of your daily value of calcium. $3.99 for six 3.5-ounce bars.

Skinny CowWeighing in at only 90 calories each, the Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bar earned second place for its authentic chocolate taste ("It's like a truffle," said one of our testers). $4.39 for six 4-ounce bars.

FudgsicleThe well-known Fudgsicle brand fudge bars came in third. Good Housekeeping testers said they were divided as to whether this "soft, mousse-like" bar had a "rich, natural" chocolate taste or an artificial chocolate flavor. They cost $2.75 for eight 2.5-oz. bars.

Blue Bunny Fudge BarsTesters put the Blue Bunny Fudge Bars in fourth place. One noted the icy bar had a "wimpy chocolate flavor," but it was still sweet. They run $1.79 for six 2.5-oz. bars.

Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Sorbet BarsThe most expensive bars were placed fifth by Good Housekeeping's testers. "It has a nice dark color, but it doesn't deliver," said one tester of the Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Sorbet Bars. Most testers thought that the chocolate taste was weak and artificial. They sell for $3.59 for four 2.43-oz. bars.