I’ve pretty much seen the full spectrum of “taste”.
I’ve been that “fat guy” that eats everything indiscriminately. Overly greasy, fatty, salty, sauced and more. You reach a certain point where eating and drinking like that… you sort of deaden your taste buds. Then those terrible foods begin to… “taste” good. Now? I’m that “fit guy” who makes better choices. I avoid those things I used to eat. My taste buds came back to life. I can taste spices, nuance, subtlety, and the chef/creator’s intent. It’s why I drink my coffee black, why I love seltzer water, and why I say Grin Hola is not JUST granola.
I realize that might sound a bit… over the top…
But have YOU tried Grin Hola? It’s unlike any granola I’ve ever picked off the shelf in the supermarket. TOTALLY found it by accident… might never have known about it otherwise. And… sadly… YOU might never get to eat it.
It starts with quality, natural ingredients.
Grin Hola is made from pretty simple, pretty wholesome ingredients. The ingredients for the Apple Pie flavor, for example (see image) – I don’t see anything artificial or difficult to pronounce there. The Peanut Butter & Jelly flavor? It ACTUALLY has peanut butter and grape jelly in it! There’s organic when it can be done, but sure, not EVERYTHING is organic. Honestly… not everything NEEDS to be. This isn’t some elitist food blog – I’m certainly not gonna dump on someone for not being 100% organic, 100% GMO free, etc. I’m behind good, quality, healthy stuff. This fits the bill. Besides…
The flavor is incredible.
I can’t go on any longer without talking about this. Most granola is dry, mostly flavorless, and not super impressive. Just a big bag of oats with maybe some nuts and fruit in there… then there’s Grin Hola. This guy is some kind of kitchen wizard… I don’t know HOW he does it… but there’s an incredible depth of flavor in this stuff. It’s hard to describe… but the way the flavors combine… there’s levels that absolutely destroy everything else on the shelf. I can taste the vanilla and how it plays with the apple, the nutmeg… Honestly, I’m no cullinary genius… but this guy is seriously some kind of magician.
The flavor names/descriptions are spot-on, too! The Apple Pie tastes like a delicious, crunchy slice of apple pie. The Cocoa Nutty is the most delicious blend of chocolate and subtle vanilla tones you’ll try. And OH… the Peanut Butter & Jelly… actually tastes like a pb & j sandwich! PB & J is the one flavor I feel like is simply impossible for most companies to get right. Ever had a peanut butter & jelly protein bar? Nine times out of ten… terrible. Grin Hola nailed it.
Texture and mouth-feel are a home-run, too
Most granola is super dry, and to say it’s “crunchy” would be a gross understatement. In this regard… Grin Hola, once again, is unlike any other granola I’ve had. There’s a moistness to it that seems wholly uncharacteristic of granola in general… but it works in the most amazing way. It’s just soft enough, but there’s still some crunch to it. I think that moistness helps carry more flavor, if that makes sense.
And it comes in such an unassuming package
Grin Hola… quite possibly the most delicious breakfast treat or trail snack available… comes in such a simple, plain, honest-to-goodness here-I-am package. Just a simple little stand-up pouch with a re-sealable top. That’s it! That simple. It just sits there on the shelf… giggling because you have no idea the awesome that sits before you.
You can tell… Grin Hola is made with love
Honestly, I don’t even consider that to be hyperbole. There’s no industrial kitchen, there’s not even a humble unmarked no-storefront commercial kitchen. Grin Hola is a tiny little hyper-local company – it’s a guy in his kitchen.
Yes, you read that right. The magic of this amazing granola SERIOUSLY happens in a home kitchen. No staff save for the man himself and his young helpers – yes… his kids. Jason Warren, founder, creator, and head chef of Grin Hola is the American Dream in action. He had an idea, he brought it to life, he pitched himself and he is SUCCEEDING HUGELY.
He’s earning that success with hard work
He personally travels all over Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts. He’s getting out there, spreading the word, sampling his product. He’s boots-on-the-ground, finding opportunities. He sampled at the gym I manage, he’s sampled at local markets, and he’s sampled at local races (that’s how I found him!). You can find him at places like Lambert’s Fruit & Produce in Hyannis, or Marshfield Hills General Store… but right now… not in a major supermarket… and not outside my very local area.
The rest of the state… and everyone… is missing out.
This might just be the best breakfast food, munchable snack, or trail fuel you’ve never eaten and WILL never eat. Due to certain constraints, right now it’s not as widely available as some of us might like, and it’s not readily available for online purchase. Nevertheless… this granola is so… GOOD… that I feel compelled to review it and tell the world about it. Even if 99% of you will never get to eat it (read on, though… maybe I can hook you up). Those of you who live here, though? RUN, do not walk… and get yourself some of this amazing granola!
So WHAT are you waiting for?
Seriously… this isn’t a paid ad or anything – I just honest to goodness think Grin Hola is THAT GOOD that EVERYONE who likes granola even a LITTLE bit should be eating it. And if you DON’T like granola? Well… it’s a safe bet you haven’t tried Grin Hola and it might just change your mind. Don’t live in Southeastern Massachusetts? FEAR NOT! Email me, I’ll connect you with the man in charge – Jason – and we’ll see about doing some kind of special-order ship-you-some situation. Hit the contact page and let’s do this thing! (Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com)
So there it is… a solid A+ rating for Grin Hola… the best damn granola I have ever or (probably) WILL ever eat.
