Granola is a pantry staple in my house. Not only is it delicious and delivers the perfect crunch with every bite, it is also quite versatile. Whether I eat the clusters straight out of the bag as a snack or as a topping on Greek yogurt, granola is something I purchase at least once a month. As I opt to eat grain-free whenever possible, I typically go for grain-free granolas over regular granola with oats. Luckily, more and more companies have been producing grain-free granolas, including Purely Elizabeth, Paleonola, Nature’s Path, and Autumn’s Gold. Some of the best places to find a wide selection of grain-free granolas include Whole Foods Market and Amazon, but if you prefer to buy in bulk and like to frequent Costco, you’re in luck.
Costco carries two brands of grain-free granola: Nutrail Keto Blueberry Cinnamon Granola and Autumn’s Gold Grain Free Toasted Coconut Almond Granola. To my surprise, I recently stumbled upon a new brand at Costco: Love Grown Keto Maple Cashew Granola. Packaged in a bright red bag, it was nearly impossible to miss. So, I decided to give it a try!
In this article, we’ll discuss the nutritional value of Love Grown Keto Maple Cashew Grain Free Granola, compare it to other grain-free granolas sold at Costco, and provide an honest review. Ready to learn more about this new grain free granola at Costco?
Contents
Love Grown Keto Maple Cashew Pecan Granola
Costco Location & Price
I came across Love Grown Keto Maple Cashew Granola at my local Costco, located in Wayne, New Jersey. It is safe to assume that this grain-free granola is carried in the Northeast region.
Sold in a 22 oz. (623g) bag and priced at $12.89, it can be found in the cereal and granola aisle. Unfortunately, like many products at Costco, this item is not available on Costco.com.
Keto Friendly
This grain-free granola is suitable for anyone on the keto diet, as it is low in carbohydrates. It contain 11 grams of total carbohydrates with 3 grams of dietary fiber and 4 grams of sugar alcohol, bringing it to a total of 4 grams net carbs per 1/3 cup serving (11g – 3 g – 4 g = 4 g).
Allergens
Contains almonds, cashews, pecans, and coconut. Made in a facility that also processes dairy, wheat, tree nuts and soy.
Nutrition Facts
Ingredients:
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Sunflower Seeds
- Coconut
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Monk Fruit Sweetener (Erythritol, Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit) Extract)
- Coconut Oil
- Pecans
- Cassava Flour
- Maple Syrup
- Natural Maple Flavor
- Sea Salt
- Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E)
Nutrition Facts (Per 1/3 cup or 35g):
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g (30%)
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 75mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 3g
- Total Sugars: 1g
- Includes 0g Added Sugars
- Sugar Alcohol: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Vitamin D: omcg
- Calcium: 25mg (2%)
- Iron: 2mg (10%)
- Potassium: 83mg (2%)
Review of Love Grown Keto Maple Cashew Pecan Granola
Please note that this is an honest review and was not sponsored by Love Grown, Costco, or any other third party.
1. Flavor
I enjoyed this grain-free granola but I must say first and foremost: you have to love maple scent and flavor. As soon as I opened the bag, a strong smell of maple hit me and I immediately thought of pancakes doused in syrup. This granola does contain maple syrup but it also contains natural maple flavor, which is very likely the source of the strong smell. Natural flavors are far from ideal, as they are also far from “natural” but are rather man-made. I did find that the more I ate, the less I noticed the maple taste. As you eat more of the granola, the maple flavor subsides and a more prevalent taste is a sweet and salty combination.
Aside from the maple flavor, it’s important to note that there is a slight cooling effect from the erythritol. If you have eaten keto sweets before, you have surely consumed erythritol and are familiar with the taste that some describe as chemical tasting. I definitely did not find it overpowering, and thought it was rather mild, but prevalent nonetheless.
2. Texture
In terms of texture, I enjoyed that this granola contained the perfect amount of large clusters (for mindful snacking!), as well as more loose granola to sprinkle as a topping on yogurt. I have found that it is difficult to find a bag of granola which has both, as it’s often either clusters, which sometimes can be too hard, or all crumbles that you can’t pick up with your hand. Love Grown utilizes cassava flour to create a coating for the clusters.
3. Value
As far as nutritional and overall value, I appreciate how much iron and protein a single serving provides. This granola also includes a good amount of cashews, pecans, almonds and pumpkin seeds, rather than containing mostly more of the cheaper fillers such coconut chips and sunflower seeds. Additionally, there was a good amount of granola. There is nothing worse than opening a brand new bag that is half empty, right? We’ve all been there and I can assure you, this is not the case with this granola.
Overall Score
Score: 8/10. I enjoyed the texture, nutritional value, and the price. Though I also liked the taste, I could do with a little less maple smell, as it can be overpowering at first, and in turn no “natural flavors”.
Final Verdict: Would I purchase this again? Absolutely. Should Costco bring back Purely Elizabeth’s Vanilla Almond Butter Grain-Free Granola, I would choose it over this flavor of Love Grown granola, but I do think this is a great addition to the line up!
Is Grain-Free Granola Healthy?
Grain-free granola is often healthier because it is geared towards those watching their carbohydrate intake, and often sugar intake. Therefore, many grain-free granolas contain far less sugar than regular granola. However, grain-free granola, especially keto granola, is often high in saturated fat (due to the use of either butter or coconut oil), as well as high in calories.
Granola, in general, can be misleading when labeled and considered by some as a “health food”. Grain-free or not, granola is often high in calories, whether due to oats or nuts. Granola should always be eaten in moderation, which can be tough when you reach for the large crunchy clusters!
My advice is to measure out the granola and stick to a single serving size. If you combine granola with a high protein food item such as Greek yogurt, you are sure to eat far less granola than you would if you were to eat it straight out of the bag.
Is Love Grown Keto Maple Cashew Pecan Granola Healthy?
Boasting on the front of the package that the first ingredient is cashews means that essentially there should be more cashews than any other ingredient in this product. This is because the food should contain more of the ingredients found first on the ingredients list, and less of the ingredients at the end of the list. Other ingredients include nuts such as almonds and pecans, coconut, cassava flour, and monk fruit sweetener.
Pros
- Nuts (cashews, pecans, almonds) provide healthy fat and protein
- Coconut provides sustained energy
- Pumpkin seeds are high in iron, zinc, and magnesium
- A single serving provides 5 gram of protein
- A single serving provides as much as 10% of the recommended daily iron
- Low in net carbs
Cons
- High in calories
- High in saturated fat, with as much as 30% of the recommended daily value for a single serving
- Tough to stick to a single serving size
- Contains natural flavors
- Contains sugar alcohol (erythritol) which can cause bloating and diarrhea when eaten in high amounts
Love Grown vs. Other Grain-Free Granolas at Costco
Most Costco members already know, if you love a product, you better stock up! Unfortunately, Costco changes their offerings from time to time. So a product you may see in store this month may not be around in three months. Case and point: one of my all-time favorite grain-free granolas, Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Vanilla Almond Butter + MCT Granola was sold at Costco in abundance during spring and summer 2021, but is no longer available at my local warehouse as of fall 2021.
Additionally, availability of products varies per warehouse. Products available on the west coast of the United States, may not be available in Costco warehouses in the Northeast, and so on. Many products that are also available in the warehouse are not available for purchase on Costco.com. You can always contact your local warehouse or Costco’s Member Services to find out if an item is available at your local Costco.
Currently, Costco offers three grain free granolas: Love Grown Maple Cashew Pecan, Nutrail Blueberry Cinnamon, and Autumn’s Gold Toasted Almond Coconut. All three are grain-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO. But how do they stack up against each other? Find out below!
| Brand | Flavor | Size | Price | Diet | Ingredients | Allergens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Love Grown | Maple Cashew Pecan | 22 oz. | $12.89 | Keto, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free, Vegan, Non-GMO | Cashews, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Coconut, Pumpkin Seeds, Monk Fruit Sweetener, Coconut Oil, Pecans, Cassava Flour, Maple Syrup, Natural Maple Flavor, Sea Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E) | Almonds, Cashews, Pecans, Coconut. *Made in a facility that also processes dairy, wheat, tree nuts and soy. |
| Nutrail | Blueberry Cinnamon | 22 oz. | $12.79 | Keto, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Non-GMO | Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut Chips, Almonds, Pecans, Erythritol, Monk Fruit Extract, Butter, Blueberries, Cinnamon, Salt | Almond, Coconut, Pecans, Milk. *Processed in a facility that handles dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy, and tree nuts. |
| Autumn Gold | Toasted Coconut Almond | 22 oz. | $14.99 | Paleo certified, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Non-GMO | Almonds, Organic Honey, Pecans, Toasted Coconut, Sunflower Seeds, Coconut, Coconut Oil, Organic Vanilla Extract, Salt, Cinnamon | Almonds, Pecans, Coconut. |
Related Questions
Where Else Can I Find Love Grown Maple Cashew Pecan Granola?
This specific flavor of grain-free granola can be found on Love Grown, as well as on Amazon. Love Grown also offers a wide variety of regular cereal and grain-free cereal, which are carried at a variety of stores, from Whole Foods Market to Wegmans and Ralphs. Feel free to refer to Love Grown’s Store Locator to find a Love Grown product near you.
Does Love Grown Offer Any Other Flavors of Grain-Free Keto Granola?
Yes! Besides Maple Cashew Pecan, Love Grown also has a Chocolate Cherry Cashew keto granola which has 6 net carbs and Pumpkin Almond keto granola which is 4 net carbs.
Is Grain-Free Granola Always Keto?
Not necessarily. In order for a granola to be keto-friendly, it has to be low in carbohydrates, and in turn be low in sugar. A grain-free granola usually consists of nuts, rather than oats, which makes it low carb. However, if the grain-free granola is loaded with refined sugar, or even natural honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar, it will be high in net carbs.