I first heard about Hail Merry Snacks on Amber Shea’s Almost Vegan blog. I filed it away in my mind as something to look for during my monthly pilgrimages to Whole Foods. Last month I finally found them on the shelf, conveniently close to the kombucha. I picked up a package of the Blonde Macaroons and tore it open as soon as I was back in my car. Heavenly.
I contacted the company to tell them how much I loved their product and to inquire about the possibility of their product being sold in HEB, the local grocery chain in San Antonio. Hail Merry generously offered to let me host a giveaway of both Grawnola and Macaroons. Come back Friday for the Macaroon giveaway.
As for the Grawnola, I got to sample both the Lemon Blue Agave and Orange Cranberry.
The Lemon Blue Agave has the following ingredients: almonds, organic buckwheat groats, sunflower seeds, organic raw blue agave, organic dried apples, fresh lemon juice, organic blueberries, fresh ginger, walnuts, organic flax seeds, lemon juice powder, seat salt and organic rice bran solubles. Not a bad label, huh?
I would put lemon just behind chocolate as my favorite flavor of sweets, so I loved this one. It does pack a lemony tang, though, so if you aren’t a lemon fan, you might find it a bit too lemon-y. I loved the hint of ginger and the very light sweetness. The blueberries add a nice visual, but I didn’t pick up any blueberry flavor. The product isn’t cloyingly sweet like so many of the traditional granolas on the market.
You know who else liked this? My two year old. See his little fingers caught in the act?
I’ve made my own Orange Cranberry granola with the Raw Food, Real World recipe, so I was eager to see how the Hail Merry product compared.
I prefer the texture of the Hail Merry Grawnola to my version. The buckwheat groats add a nice dry crunch that contrasts well with the chewy cranberries and whole nuts. It is wonderfully balanced texture with just the right amount of crunch. I loved the cinnamon and cranberry flavors together. I didn’t get much of an orange impact, which I actually think is a good thing. At times the orange zest used in raw granola can lead to a candied orange taste that overpowers the other flavors. Hail Merry uses orange juice, not zest, so it adds more of a fruity sweetness as opposed to a strong orange hit. The product almost has a brown, toasted note to it, even though it is heated at low enough temperatures to qualify as raw.
As with the Lemon Blue Agave, you can see the high quality ingredients. Full pieces of nuts and fruit galore.
The toddler grawnola snatcher strikes again.
I would also call these products kid-friendly, based on my little guy’s pilfering during my photo shoots.
Want to try some? Hail Merry is generously giving away 4 bags of Grawnola to one of you!
Please leave a comment below with your favorite way to eat granola. I’ll choose a winner on Friday, Jan 27.
Come back on Friday to see if you’ve won, as well as to enter for a chance to win Hail Merry macaroons.
I like to eat granola either all alone, or in a bowl with some yogurt or milk and a buncha fresh fruit (i.e. berries of the blue, straw, or rasp variety!)
I love to munch it straight out of the bag or with almond mylk. so tasty!
does with a spoon count?!? i like granola on top of smoothies or homemade coconut milk ice cream. these two sound yummy!
I love eating granola as a trail mix and mixed in Greek Yogurt!
Wow! That granola looks SO good!!!!
My favorite way to eat granola is piled high on top of some greek yogurt
Definitely on top of yogurt! Best way to go! Mmmmmm I want some right now!
I love granola on top of my Green monsters! It’s my absolute favorite
Most definitely on top of yogurt. I would imagine the Hail Merry lemon granola would be fantastic atop vanilla or blueberry Skyr. Yum!
i love granola in any way, shape, or form!!!
Wow, never participated in a giveaway before. I like granola over plain yogurt and honey. Or, if I am in a hurry, in a little baggie as I am running between classes.
I like it straight out of the package.
I guess I am a classic gal who likes granola on with fresh almond milk or coconut milk. Thanks for this giveaway!
What a great give away! I’ve never seen this brand in the stores, but have always loved the raw granolas I’ve tried in the past.
I like granola with almond milk. Like dessert!
Its a tie for my favorite way to eat granola. I’ll either eat it straight from the bag or use it to top off my yogurt
Loooove granola!!!
I like to eat granola either straight from the bag or on top of yogurt. Another good way to enjoy this sweet and crunchy mixture is to mix it with vanilla ice cream… would be good to try with banana “soft serve” too. Thanks for the giveaway Michelle!
I love granola with almond milk. So good!
granola mixed in yogurt. hits the spot every time
My favorite way is to eat it with a spoon and a side of almond milk. Yum!
I love their granola. I think I’ve only tried one before at a whole foods sample. I would love to use this in my trail mix!
LC
I love granola with peanut butter and almond milk!
My favorite way to eat granola: With my hands.
And straight from the bag.
Other variations of eating include topping a pile of stevia sweetened greek yogurt or a huge green smoothie. Both are acceptable.
This granola looks great- I’ve never tasted this one before.
Great review – I agree with you on the buckwheat crispies being one of the best parts of the grawnola! There’s not a single Hail Merry product I don’t love…you have to try the lemon tart sometime!
As for the grawnolas, the lemon blue agave is my favorite
I just like it plain!
I had the cranberry last week on Virgin Airlines for breakfast and was totally blwnaway by it’s texture and flavo. iI loved the crunchy way it felt when you chewed it.