The Holy Grail

You know when you hear about a certain product from a friend, or see something online and you just have to have it? You spend days, weeks, even months scouring stores for this one, special thing, and you won't rest until you find it. Then, once you do, words cannot describe the true elation that swarms upon you, and, chances are, you look like an ultra freak, eyes bulged in excitement, trying your hardest not to break out in a happy dance right there in the middle of aisle 12.


That's how it was for me yesterday, when I finally stumbled upon the elusive Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars I'd been seeing all over the blog world for the past few months.

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A SNACK BAR?? Really, Rachel? A SNACK BAR??? That's what you got so excited about???? 


I'm sorry. I'm a nerd. I'm a snack food nerd and I don't care who knows it! But, seriously, Larabars, in general, are a cut above the rest. They are made from completely whole foods, and you can usually count the number of ingredients in each bar on one hand. Yes, they're a healthy snack bar, but they taste so decadent. 


And one of the newest flavors to be released has been the chocolate chip cookie dough bar. I've heard delicious things, and anytime you can squeeze a thing into a health bar that tastes like something I'd spoon into my mouth from a mixing bowl, you get two totally righteous thumbs up, from me.


For months, I've scoured local grocery stores, Whole Foods, and health stores for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars. I've come across all the other new flavors, but the cookie dough ones eluded me up until yesterday, at Target, when I happened to be looking for Flintstones sour gummy completely adult vitamins and turned around to see a box the bars staring straight at me. I'm almost completely certain I jumped when I saw them, and dumped the box straight into my basket. I succumb to hype, folks. I'm not ashamed of it. I've got Cabbage Patch Kids, a Tickle Me Elmo and about 50 Beanie Babies in my parents' basement to prove it.


So, how are the bars? They must certainly be magical, right? Well, I honestly couldn't tell you. Against all odds I have made it about 19 hours without gobbling up the entire box - nor even opening it! I'm saving my first bar 'til this afternoon - to give me strength, peace and happiness while stepping into the 7th Gate to Hell: IKEA. Don't get me wrong, I love IKEA for its dirt-cheap prices, hip design and Swedish meatballs, but I get flustered when there are too many people in a Subway restaurant, let alone a 5-million-square-foot home goods store with children running around, and four floors of veritable hell for someone with anxiety and complete inability to make purchasing decisions. 


But in that one moment where I'm about five seconds away from crumbling into 5,000 sweaty, short-fused pieces on the concrete floor, I'll bite into that Larabar and everything will be OK. At least I'm hoping that's how it goes.


Wish me luck, folks! Hopefully I'll come back in one piece to update you about important topics like how the snack bar tasted.


What's your "Holy Grail?" What's the one item you've coveted and searched far and wide to find?