Steve's PaleoGoods - Product Review

Steve’s PaleoGoods have been on the market for a few years now – truly dominating the world of clean, REAL food eating, I believe. It’s not just that their products have proved to be amazing across the market, but the fact the story behind the munchies make the product line even more remarkable.

In 2007, Steve Liberati’s passion for clean food and fitness , AND kids led him along a life-changing path. He started working with at-risk kids. A firm believer in paleo nutrition, Steve wanted to provide a nutritious lunch for his young athletes that they could eat at school. So he packaged beef jerky, nuts and berries to stay fresh in their backpack. And his flagship product the PaleoKit was born.

Knowing he had stumbled upon a solution for paleo dieters looking for hard-to-find portable lunch and snack options, Steve started selling his PaleoKits online. Seven years and 60 products later, athletes, outdoor enthusiasts and paleo people around the globe have made Steve’s PaleoGoods their favorite on-the-go clean eating options.

Much has changed since those early park days. Every day after school, about 40 young athletes from the hard streets of Camden City, NJ pour into “Steve’s Club,” the gym at Steve’s PaleoGoods. They lift weights, jump on boxes, climb ropes and do pull ups–as a way to pull out of the perils of street life. Some of the older teens even work next door in the warehouse where Steve’s PaleoGoods are made, packed and shipped.

Although the company has grown, one thing will never change. Helping at-risk youth realize their potential through fitness, nutrition and leadership skills is the driving force behind Steve’s PaleoGoods. Each purchase changes lives–15% of the proceeds go directly to Steve‘s Club National Program that has 30 local clubs around the country.

Yes, that’s right. 15% of ALL SALES to to help at-risk kids all around the country achieve health and wellness.

That in and of itself is pretty awesome.

Back to the snacks, though.

As the company has grown through the years, the products have become more and more widely available across the nation.
That said, as I’ve moved here and there through the years myself, locating these products in my ever-changing home-base has been challenging.
Finally I’m planted in a place where a few of Steve’s items are on the shelf. Just a few… I feel blessed to have the limited options available, but even more richly blessed NOW to have the opportunity to review some of the products directly from Steve’s PaleoGoods rockstar team! Thanks, team!

So, here we go:

Moist and Meaty PaleoStix

I was truly the MOST excited about these little dealios. Packed with plenty of protein, (25g, in fact) the 4 beef sticks in the pack are more than satisfying.
As I’ve tried competing brand jerky sticks in the past, my observations have been somewhat critical. Dry, too chewy, way too salty, and just to fake-y in flavor.
Steve’s takes the cake in this jerky stick market, for sure.
The stixs ARE “moist and meaty,” for sure. The juicy goodness is even visible through the packaging. The protein-powered snacks are literally dripping in flavor and goodness. What’s more is that they are perfectly seasoned, not over salted, and actually taste like beef! Unbelievable, right? Beef snacks that resemble beef – these are the REAL deal. Nothing fake-y about them. Nothing artificial. Way to go Steve’s!

Maple Bacon PaleoKrunch Cereal

I had mixed feelings going in to this one. I’m not a lover of bacon (for shame, I know) AND I don’t love anything maple either. So, this seemed like a double whammy for me.

However, I pushed through – and enjoyed the experience MUCH more than I anticipated. It’s not that I was expecting anything less than amazing – I just wasn’t sure if my personal preferences and biases would get in the way.

I believe I’ve developed a true impartial review here: well done, again.

Most grain-free cereals are WAY too sweet, I find – simply loaded with nectars, syrups, and the like. PaleoKrunch, however, most accurately advertises “a hint of honey, vanilla, and maple syrup.” Tried and true, my munching mouth did discover just a hint of sweet. Not too much maple either – and the salt of the bacon seemed to balance out all flavors. It was good. Yes it was.

My one less than outstanding critique of this particular product, though, was that it was perhaps just a little TOO moist to be considered in the “Krunch” category. I was anticipating more of a cereal crisp and crunch with each bite, as I observed the listed nutty ingredients – almonds, walnuts, coconut, and both sunflower and pumpkin seeds. The hard crunch of these items, though, seem to be a bit lost amid the hint of honey and bites of bacon. Alas, to solve the little issue of sorts, I tried popping the bag in the freezer overnight. Problem mostly solved, I’d say – other than a little extra ice and freeze in each morsel (remember, I like warm things in my belly). Enough said – I’d give it a go again, I believe.

PaleoKoko – Dark Chocolate Pineapple

Another sweet one in the mix from Steve – a treat, indeed!
My skepticism lingered only slightly in the back of my mind as I cogitated the combination of coconut, dark chocolate, and pineapple. Coconut and chocolate together is a no-brainer for me…macaroon magic. Yet, pineapple…hmmm.
Well, that hmmm now makes me marvel at the magnificent flavor fusion.
And, these little macaroon trail-mix snacks earn FIVE gold stars for both flavor and texture. Perfectly crunchy and chewy all at once and perfectly sweetened. I say perfectly again and again. As I mentioned before, most treats (even if they are raw or Paleo) ooze the sickly sweet aftertaste of nectars, syrups, and sugar cane.
My stream of consciousness thoughts as I stood at my counter, creating dazzling dreams of deliciousness from these PaleoKoko sweet treats: “crunchy but also chewy. perfect amount of sweetness. almonds and toasty coconut crackle and crunch, but the cocoa and dehydrated pineapple create a texture that’s easier on the munchers and quite pleasing. smells amazing. perfect!”
So there you have it. I hope YOU give these little cookie crunch bites a try.

Dried Strawberries

If you haven’t caught on by now, texture is highly important in my little book. I’m sort of like Goldilocks, I suppose. I like things “just right,” and I have a lot of “just right” rules floating around inside.
And, when it comes to dried fruit, my expectations are high and anticipations are somewhat resistant.
That said, with the other Steve’s Products knocking the ball of the park, so to speak, in terms of moisture, my hopes were high. Rather than expecting a shriveled up morsel of fruit, dried beyond comprehension and leaving my jaw sore from the extra munching and chewing efforts typically associated with dried strawberries, I was expecting more. After all, I’d already met “texture delight” with the other items.

“Our Dried Strawberries are amazing. Plump and juicy – and perhaps slightly addictive – these are (dare we say) like a healthy, all-natural, slightly-sweet Gummi Bear!”

Plump and juicy is right! Boy, these were great!!! Fruit-juice sweetened – THANK YOU – the moist morsels did prove to be somewhat “addictive.” I even added them to my nightly mix of nutty trail-mix goodness (or what was left of them after the preliminary large SAMPLING). That’s a remarkable thing, by the way. I am a creature of habit – and for me to add something new and different to the mix means it’s pretty darn awesome!
I’m not so sure about the Gummi Bear comparison – as the last time I popped a little chewy Haribo into my mouth has long since been forgotten or the erased from my feeble mind. I’ll retain the preferable Dried Strawberry snack experience instead.

Sea Salt and Pepper PaleoCracklings

What’s truly hilarious about this sample is that just ONE day before my package arrived, we were at home discussing the fact that none of us really know what a “pork rind” is… really, deep fried pig skin – in the form of a salty cloud?
I’d actually never tried a pork rind before – so the timing of this snacky arrival was immaculate.
And, now I can say I’ve tested and tried the fried foodstuffs.

Interesting.

“When it’s crunch you want and carbs you don’t, reach for PaleoCracklings! Fried in unrefined extra virgin coconut oil seasoned with sea salt and pepper, this delicious treat will have you hooked at first crunch. These aren’t your father’s pork rinds. They are squeaky clean and wildly delicious. With 7 grams of protein a serving, this snack will keep you satisfied until your next meal.”

I simply love that these light little clouds are fried in coconut oil. What’s strange, though, is that they don’t really seem fried. They are as light and as airy as can be, with no oily residue at all. It must be wizardry… who knows?
And, yes, as you pop these little crunchers in your mouth, you do become a bit “hooked.” You’re just compelled to keep on popping. (I’d heard rumors about that and they proved to be true). Even when you’re “done,” you’re just simply not quite DONE. Maybe the salt – perhaps the pepper? I’m not really sure, but a crunchy sea salty and peppery snack certainly does suit my fancy. And, I think I’ll just refer to them as sea salt and pepper clouds…which is what they are… and take the porcine preoccupations and presumptions I carry directly out of my mind.