The Snack Bar Designed for People with Swallowing Disorders

We should take a moment to appreciate the people in this world who go out of their way to improve the quality of life for others. While we sit back and enjoy our avocado toast, poke bowls and Beyond Burgers, it is estimated that 1 in 25 people suffer from dysphagia, a swallowing disorder that essentially takes all the joy away from food. Often times those with dysphagia are limited to only consuming pureed and baby foods.

Thankfully companies such as Hormel, have dedicated their business to creating a series of pureed meal kits for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that focus on taste. However, a new startup called Nutraphagia has also presented a tasty option – a satisfying snack bar that literally melts in your mouth.

EAT Bars were brought to fruition by Tia Bagan, a speech therapist based out of USA. Throughout her 15 years of practice, Tia has provided patient care for acute hospital care, outpatient, rehabilitation, day rehab, skilled and long term care facilities. In her own independent research of dysphagia products, she continued to see a discrepancy between the needs of her patients and the current offerings in the market. This was the seed that blossomed into Nutraphagia.

Tia’s EAT Bars launched in January of this year, but these have been her passion project over the last 3-years. She came up with the idea when she was working with nursing homes and hospitals. Her patients were looking for something that “tasted good,” was “calorie dense,” and “melted quickly”. When these bars were developed, these sold out rapidly on their first Amazon launch.

These snack bars consist of meringue surrounded by a flavored Greek yogurt coating. Currently available in Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, Strawberry, Lemon. Each serving provides 200-calories and her bars are GMO-free, gluten-free, nut-free and Kosher.

When the combination of yogurt and meringue mix with moisture, they dissolve rapidly. While Tia has developed both Chocolate and Strawberry flavours, Lemon was the initial flavour as according to Tia, the taste of citrus helps to stimulate the production of saliva, which further supports the dissolving of these bars.

It’s wonderful for those with dysphagia can now enjoy something convenient, that isn’t the same pureed meal that they’re used to.

Explore EAT Bars on their website, you can purchase a pack of 12 bars for $21.49 or subscribe and save.