As the makers of the Original Refrigerated Protein Bar, we have faced one question over and over again: “Wait, you’re stored in the fridge? Why?” Simply put it is because the fresh nature of our bars – I mean, real food is kept cold, right? Think fruits and vegetables. The best bite of an apple is one that is crisp and fresh from the fridge. Our bars are similar – they are best fresh from the fridge. But, don’t worry if you need to take yours with you — our bars are good for a week at room temp!
Let’s dig a little deeper about the refrigeration thing and get a better understanding of why it is we chose to toss our nut butter protein bars in the fridge and forgo the shelf-stable option like many other protein bars.
One of the main reasons why Perfect Bar is a refrigerated protein bar is because we don’t use chemical preservatives or emulsifiers to create our bars, therefore refrigeration is required. What does this mean exactly? Though there are all types of natural food preservation – sugar, salt, smoke – that have existed for centuries, our food system in the modern-age has developed tactics that distorts or perverts food in ways that can make it stable to sit on a shelf without natural forms of preservations for months or even years without changing its make up.
Though in extreme environments or cases, this may be a viable option – think storm shelters or things of this variation. But for us, and those who want to add positive nutrition and whole food protein to our lives in healthy, quality ways, eating something that has sat on a shelf collecting dust for months at a time isn’t something that was particularly of interest to us when formulating the original Perfect Bar recipe.
So, we turned to tactics of old and found two, in particular, that made sense to us nutritionally and aligned with our core company values — the cold and organic honey. Refrigeration, then, was a natural preservation of the high-quality ingredients, always gluten free, soy free and Non-GMO Project Verified, and one that has remained central to our brand. This requirement stems from the need for our bars to stay at their optimal consistency, freshness and maintain the flavor you know and love.
Let’s rewind and take a look at the history of refrigeration, after all, it is one of natures oldest preservatives as our Founder, Bill Keith says.
Refrigeration was invented back in 1748 by William Cullen but was never fully executed or demonstrated. It wasn’t until 1844 when a US physician named John Gorrie built a refrigerator, based off of Oliver Evans design, with the sole purpose of producing ice for cooling air for yellow fever patients. It wasn’t until later in 1857 that the first ice making machine was invented for food purposes, such as storing meat and brewing by James Harrison.
Before both refrigeration and freezing were invented, people were using “refrigeration” to keep their meat fresh and other products but it was done in a very make-shift way using snow or ice found in the mountains. The first known “refrigerators or freezers” if you will, were simply holes dug in the ground and filled with ice and snow and would typically last a week. It’s safe to say that refrigeration has been around longer than you would expect and is one of the oldest ways to preserve fresh food.
Fast forward to today, the trend of fresh food and fresh snacking is continuing to grow as consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what is going in their food and what they are putting in their bodies.
The core reason the Keith Family turned to honey when formulating the original Perfect Bar recipe nearly 18 years ago was for its sweetness. Honey was always around the Keith household growing up. Leigh Keith, Co-Founder of Perfect Bar, tells us that her mom still keeps a 5-gallon bucket of honey around the house. Honey, a naturally derived sugar, is slow-burning, causing a lower and slower rise in blood sugar which pairs perfectly ( if we do say so ourselves) with all the good-for-you fats in our bars, like nut butters and oils, and keeps them working in cohesion.
Which brings us to the second and equally important reason why the Keiths chose honey — to act as a binder for the blend of whole food ingredients. The mixture of dried fruits, vegetables and freshly ground nut butter made for a delicious and nutritious protein bar but was in need of something to hold it all together. That’s where honey comes in. It acts as both a sweetener and a binder working in conjunction with the cold of the refrigeration, which spares our refrigerated protein bars from needing any preservatives or emulsifiers. So without honey, Perfect Bar would quite literally fall apart and not be that creamy, cookie-dough texture our fans love so much.
Perfect Bar protein bars are never heated like most of the other protein, snack or nutrition bars. Our bars are hand-crafted then go straight into the fridge where they can maintain its shape and optimal texture until they get shipped to happy households and retail partners across the country.
If it weren’t for refrigeration, Perfect Bar would not be where it is today. Refrigeration is required to maintain the best and most consistent tasting protein bar but not to worry, our bars are good for one week out of the fridge and on the go at room temperature. What this means is that we make for the perfect go-to snack whether you’re going on a road trip, to work or just hanging around the house, we’re there for you.
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Just tried my first bar and it's delicious!!
While reading about your bars I couldn't help but, notice this spelling error and thought you may want to fix it. :) :)
(I think you meant "nameD John Gorrie)
It wasn’t until 1844 when a US physician names John Gorrie built a refrigerator, based off of Oliver Evans design, with the sole
Thank you Stacy & thanks for being a fan!
Like Stacy, I tried my first bar today and indeed, it was delicious!! I had to research the reasoning behind the bars being in the refrigerated section of the grocery. While reading the background I found this confusing statement "The best bite into an apple is on that is crisp and fresh from the fridge." I think your proofreader missed out here. This is no way reflects on the bar. Just thought you would most likely like to edit the wording for clarity. I loved the bar so much, I can't wait to try the other flavors!! Thanks for making such a delish protein option.
Thanks, Debi! All fixed :) Thanks for being a fan!
I can't find the Gylcemic Index # for the Perfect Bar? I am on a Keto diet, so this is important. I love the taste of the Peanut Butter Bar
Hi Michele - The GI range of our bars lies between a GI of 20 and 41. Since low GI is considered under 55, all of our bars have tested to be low glycemic index.
What happened to Fruit and Nut? My whole family’s favorite. :-(
Hi there, Peter - Unfortunately, we have discontinued our Fruit and Nut flavor in order to make room for some exciting flavor innovations coming down the pipeline. Stay tuned for innovations to come!
I would like to know the nutrients such as calories, carbs, protein etc
Hey Paula! Feel free to check out the nutrition info for each flavor by going to shop.perfectbar.com!
Even if the bar has not been refrigerated for over two weeks, is it still safe to eat?
Btw, these bars are staple on our household. Everyone loves them especially our 1 y/o!
Perfect Bars stay fresh out of refrigeration for up to one week. Since we don’t use chemical preservatives or overly-processed ingredients, refrigeration is required to maintain the optimal freshness, consistency and flavor of our bars. It also helps keep Perfect Bars in well, bar form! However, even after over a week out of refrigeration, our bars do not spoil, but they may lose their overall freshness and will start to dry out as the oils from the nut butters separate. So happy you're a fan!
How many calories on average are there in the bars?
Hey there! Feel free to check out the nutrition info for each flavor by going to shop.perfectbar.com!
I tried my first bar chocolate hazelnut crisp.
This bar is delicious
Keeping in the refrigerator is great
But I am looking for one I can take on the go.
I definitely going to buy more so I can enjoy at home.
Thank you for these bars
Hey Linda! We're so happy to hear you gave us a try! Please note, Perfect Bars are okay out of the fridge for up to a week - so you can take us on the go!
Can Perfect Bars be frozen?
Hey Cindy! Yes, Perfect Bars can be frozen - we suggest keeping them in a freezer safe bag to prevent freezer burn. Cheers!
I love your bars but I am trying to get pregnant and need to know if you use Pasteurized products and honey? Thank you!
Hey Tracy! Short answer is yes, Perfect Bar is safe for you to eat during pregnancy, though we encourage you speak with your physician to see if they’re right for you. We use organic wildflower honey that has been pasteurized and our organic nonfat dry milk and organic whole egg powder are pasteurized as well.