One thing we are hoping to do here in 2014 is provide reviews on products that we stand behind. We’ve posted some from time to time, but it’s my hope to really push this part of the site so we can offer our take on healthy products to make your life easier, yet still meet your nutritional needs. I don’t think I need a disclaimer but for giggles, I am not, nor have I ever claimed to be a professional, a doctor or a dietitian. I like to eat, I like to taste good foods and share my thoughts – that’s it.
I’ve been approaching companies here and there and one that really jumped out to me was P28. What I’ve been looking for as far as foods to expose the community to are products that are easy, things you could put in your pack and head out on a trail run. Whether it’s an 8 hour Benson Polar Bear, a Spartan Super/ Beast/ UltraBeast or whatever other mayhem you’ve gotten yourself into, the intention is options. You can’t live on gels and trail bars. While those are great and serve a purpose, who doesn’t want something a little more sustaining? Racing and doing the things we do, our bodies need a near constant stream of complex carbs for energy and protein for strength and recovery. P28’s products fit that model for me and a few days after contacting them I got a very generous sample pack in the mail.
Their Bread:
- 28 grams of Protein per two slices
- 100% Natural
- 100% Whole Wheat – Made with Oat, Flax Seed, Sunflower Seed, and Millet
- Made with 100% Whey Isolate – The highest quality source of protein
- A rich source of 8 essential Amino Acids that your body needs for growth, energy, and vibrant health
- Cholesterol Free
- A Good source of Fiber
- Contains Omega 3’s
- Excellent for people who are trying to build muscle and/or lose body fat.
But what does it taste like? It’s bread so it’s gotta be some dry, bland cardboard like stuff right? I was completely wrong in my assumption. The bread was extremely moist, robust and had an amazing flavor. I had it as toast, used it for grilled cheese sandwiches, turkey and cheese sandwiches, etc. I substituted every bread meal or snack with this stuff, not only for myself but with my family eating it too.
My 5 year old is not a huge meat eater, and is not as adventurous as my 10 year old is with his veggies – so getting protein into him is not easy. He flipped his lid when he tried this bread. He is a creature of habit and has a pb&j at lunch as often as he can, he ranted and raved about the one’s I served to him with the P28. I felt good knowing his lil Spahtkin self was getting some much-needed protein! My other son, 10, loved this stuff just as much! I liked the fact that it never dried out. Even when I made grilled cheese, most breads while they may crispen up on the outside they dry out on the inside. Not the case at all here. They stayed moist and there was always a nice chew to it. I’m all about texture and this is what I want, and look for, in a bread!
Their Butter: (see what I did there?)
Similar to the bullet-ed list above, P28’s Signature Spread is chock full of nutrition. The spread is not only peanut butter, but is blended with almond butter, cinnamon, cranberries, honey, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and of course whey protein. It’s not creamy, it’s got texture, it’s got crunch. I’m a crunchy peanut butter guy, so this stuff was right in my wheel house. I thought the hint of cinnamon added a nice flavor. I tried this stuff in a variety of ways. I tried it in a pb&j, on one of the bagels, on toast and even blended it into a protein shake or two. Everywhere this stuff went it added a splendorous punch of wow to my taste buds. I really loved the cranberries!
The Bagels:
My 10 year old and I are always battling it out for the last bagel, and these nearly caused World War 3 between us when we got to the last bagel in the package. Having seniority over the little bugger I successfully strong armed the last one from him. That said, I love bagels. My job has me off and running first thing in the morning and I always devour either a cup of oatmeal on the ride in or a bagel.
I’m not a raw bagel guy, they have to be toasted. I had these plain with butter and with the P28 Signature Spread. They toast great in the toaster, nice and crunchy, while retaining their moist chewiness on the inside. I definitely preferred them with the Signature Blend, it added a ton of texture and flavor. The bagels are “dusted” in oats and 100% whole grain. They were extremely filling, and the amount of protein, 28 grams, was enough to keep me feeling satisfied for a good portion of the morning.
The Flats/ Wraps:
The addition of whey to these, again, made them extremely moist and chewy. They were robust for a flat/ wrap. I tried these in a multitude of ways as well. We rolled sliced turkey in cheese in them, wrapped em around turkey burgers, etc. One thing I want to do, and have not done yet, is to cut them up into triangles for pita chips as I’m sure they will be fantastic as a pita chip for dipping. Other than that, these were great and just as filling as the bread and bagels. The flavor was there too.
If you are looking for something different, and appreciate giving your body good clean carbs, I highly recommend P28 products. The cost compared to an average loaf of bread is quite a bit higher, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Bread, for me, is an item I am extremely careful about when it comes to ingredients. With all the crap that can be loaded into mass-produced bread, it’s nice to know P28 has put so much effort into providing athletes with a healthy replacement. You can buy their products in packs which bring down the cost a bit and make it worth it. I can’t pump these products up enough, they were really enjoyable. I can’t wait to try some of their other spreads.
Find P28 Foods @ https://p28foods.com
