Big Gear Show 23: Snacks
You don’t get a name like Fatman-LittleTrail without knowing (and loving) a thing or two about snacks. For many hikes, the snacks are the best part for me! This year at the Big Gear Show there were several snack companies displaying. The best part, they all had samples! Here is a look at the Big Gear Show 23: Snacks!
Nakee Butter
Nakee Butter makes 100% vegan, soy, dairy, and gluten free nut butter spreads. There original spread is a Cacao Peanut butter that is infused with 12 grams of plant proteins and MCT oil which fuels the focus. The Cacao Peanut Butter is available in a jar and pouch form and the pouch is great for hiking.
This year they came out with a new flavor, Maple Sunflower Butter. The Maple Sunflower is crafted with Chaga mushrooms, Elderberry, plant proteins, Sunflower butter, Maple, Ginger and Ceylon Cinnamon. It is also available in a jar or pouch.
This wasn’t my first time trying Nakee Butter. I met them last year at the Big Gear Show and was able to try some of the Cocoa Peanut Butter. They gave me some pouches and I took them on hikes and absolutely loved them. The flavor is amazing and they are super convenient to throw in a pack and have instant energy when you need it on a hike.
This year I tried the Maple Sunflower. I liked this one as well! The sunflower was the dominant flavor for me with just a hint of maple that sweetened it up just enough. The butter was super smooth and spread out well. I haven’t used the butters as a spread much because I love to take a pouch with me on hikes. The 1.16 ounces is perfect for a quick snack and energy refill.
On a side note, I have met Evan and Steffani the last two years at the Nakee Butter booth and they are just full of positive energy and are super excited about meeting people and talking about nut butters! It is nice after a long convention to be filled with energy with a meeting!
Embark Maple Energy
Remember when you were a kid and took a shot of maple syrup? Just me? Well, that is kind of the concept behind Embark Maple Energy syrup. The syrup is perfect to mix with some water for hydration, mix with your favorite adult spirit for enjoyment, or to drink from the tube like an energy gel.
Embark comes in three flavors currently. Salted Maple contains just Organic Maple Syrup and sea Salt. Elderberry Maple is just Organic Maple Syrup, Sea Salt, and Organic Elderberry. Finally there is Coffee Maple Syrup which contains just Organic Maple Syrup, Sea Salt, Wonderstate Coffee, and Green Tea Caffeine.
I tried the Elderberry flavor that was undiluted. The flavors are really strong and really nice. The maple syrup was rich and had a strong maple flavor. Since it was undiluted it was pretty thick, and also had some hints of caramel. The elderberry had a bit of floral and sweet taste to it that went well with the maple. The maple flavor stuck with me and it was basically like I drank a pancake…which is pretty amazing.
Jerps Jerky
Jerps Jerky makes there Jerky in Parker, Colorado. The name Jerps is a combination of jerky and chips and that is exactly what the tasty meat snack is. A crispy and thin snack full of protein. The “jerp” is gluten free with no preservatives and is keto friendly. Plus, every ounce of Jerps has 17 grams of protein in it!
I have tried a lot of jerky’s on my adventures and I have to say that this is really good. Jerps come in three flavors, original, spicy and extra spicy. I enjoy some spicier food and I was really impressed with the flavor and spice in the beef chips. The spicy was good with a nice kick that catches you after the bite. The Extra Spicy was my favorite. It is spicy enough to make the nose run but not totally clear the sinuses but also keeps plenty of flavor in the thin “jerp”.
With the Jerps being on the crispy side I was worried they would be a little dry but I didn’t find that. I found them to be crispy like a chip but also a little chewy like jerky which was nice.
Umlands Crunchy Cheese
Sticking with the gluten free, Keto friendly and low carb snacks is Umlands Crunch Cheese. Umlands Crunchy Cheese is 100% cheese but crunches like a crouton. The cheese balls are made by removing the water from the cheese but also keeps all of the best parts of the cheese. Each quarter cup serving has six grams of protein and 15% of your daily calcium.
The Crunchy Cheese is come in small round little nuggets or curds. They aren’t perfectly round like the cheese balls you can buy in bulk but each Crunchy Cheese has a bit of a different shape and there are some holes and imperfections. That is because they are made from real cheese! The taste is pretty much exactly like your favorite cheese. Because, well, its real cheese! They had a nice crunch to them and were light and tasty.
The Crunchy Cheese comes in Gouda, Wisconsin Cheddar, and Pepper Jack. They are sold in either a 1.9 or .6 ounce package.
More From the Big Gear Show 2023
Check out my entire week of review from the 2023 Big Gear Show with the links below.
Hikers Favorites
Innovation
Colorado Connections
Fresh Faces
Moosejaw Accelerator
Snacks
More from the Fatman
For a list of other products that I have reviewed you can check my Product Review page here. If you have any products you would like me to review or any comments you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!
YUM!
They were delicious!