Company: Pennant Foods, a division of Chef Solutions Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.

Introduced: January

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $2.49 for a 6-count package of cini minis

Ingredients: (Cinnamon Rolls): Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, barley malt, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), margarine [liquid and partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, water, sugar, vegetable mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, potassium sorbate and citric acid (preservatives), artificial flavor, colored with annatto and turmeric, vitamin A palmitate added], water, sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable shortening (soybean and cottonseed oils), invert sugar, eggs, yeast, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose. Contains 2% or less of: Soybean oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, modified food starch, natural and artificial flavor, caramel color, salt, soy flour, milk blend (whey, sodium caseinate, nonfat dry milk), whey, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), powdered cellulose, mono and diglycerides, carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan gum, calcium propionate (preservative), agar, fungal enzymes, propionic acid, phosphoric acid, artificial color (yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40), corn starch, guar gum. (Cream Cheese Icing): Sugar, cream cheese (pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, carob bean gum, guar gum), margarine [liquid and partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, water, salt, mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin (emulsifier), nonfat dry milk, natural flavor, vegetable color (annatto, turmeric), vitamin A palmitate], benzoic acid. May contain nut or nut residues including peanuts.

FYI: Cinnamon heaven! Pennant Foods introduces new Sweet Bites Cini Minis — miniature cinnamon rolls for consumers on the go. Six mini cinnamon rolls are packaged in a convenient, microwaveable, 6-in. tray that includes a built-in cup filled with real gooey cream-cheese icing. The plastic lid makes Sweet Bites Cini Minis a perfect portable breakfast or snack. They are filled with cinnamony goodness in every sweet little bite.

Company: Otis Spunkmeyer, San Leandro, Calif.

Introduced: January

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $0.69 for a 2 oz. muffin and $0.49 for each cookie

Ingredients: (Banana Nut Muffin): Eggs, soybean oil, enriched bleached flour (bleached flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), maltitol, walnuts, polydextrose, water, soluble wheat protein, corn starch, dextrin, inulin. Contains 2% or less of the following:  Natural and artificial flavors, whey protein concentrate, wheat gluten, modified food starch, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), glycerin, salt, potassium sorbate as a preservative, propylene glycol monostearate, monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, xanthan gum, sucralose (Splenda brand).

FYI: Otis Spunkmeyer introduces two of its most popular muffin flavors, Blueberry and Banana Nut, in low-carb versions! Perfect for the nutrition- and health-conscious consumer, each muffin contains only 9 net gm. of carbs and has no added sugar, trans fat or hydrogenated fat. New also is sugar-free cookie dough in three fabulous flavors — chocolate chip, double chocolate chip and lemon. Each cookie has 7 net gm. of carbs and no added sugar, trans fat or hydrogenated fat.

Company: Ruiz Foods, Dinuba, Calif.

Introduced: February

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $1.49 for a 5 oz. burrito

Ingredients: (Bean and Cheese Burrito): Tortilla (enriched flour (flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, with mono and diglycerides added. May contain 2% or less of: Salt, leavening agent (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium sulfate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), calcium propionate and fumaric acid to preserve freshness, mono and diglycerides, L-cysteine hydrochloride, and ascorbic acid as dough conditioners), water, Monterey Jack cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes), Cheddar cheese (pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes, annatto color), pinto beans, lard (lard, BHT, citric acid), wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), green chili (green chilies, citric acid), salt, garlic powder.

FYI: Ruiz Foods introduces new El Monterey Authentic Burritos, offering consumers that delicious homemade flavor of authentic Mexican food — just like Mom used to make. These new Mexican flavor sensations are available in three zesty varieties — Ground Beef and Spicy Potatoes, Shredded Steak and Spicy Potatoes and Bean and Cheese. The burritos are perfect for on-the-go consumers who don’t have a lot of time and don’t want to sacrifice taste. Each burrito comes in a convenient 1-min. heat-and-eat package, so turn up the heat at lunchtime and say “olé!” with El Monterey!

Company: General Mills, Minneapolis

Introduced: January

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $2.89 for 6-1.2oz. (35 gm) bars per box

Ingredients: (Peanut): Roasted peanuts, high maltose corn syrup, sugar, rolled oats, high fructose corn syrup, palm kernel oil, crisp rice (rice flour, sugar, malt, salt), wheat flakes (whole wheat, sugar, salt, malt), fructose, peanut butter (peanuts, salt), yogurt powder (cultured whey protein concentrate, cultured skim milk, yogurt cultures), canola oil, water, maltodextrin, salt, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, color (yellow 5&6 lake, red 40 lake, blue 1 lake and other color added), natural flavor, almonds, baking soda, honey, sunflower meal, mixed tocopherols added to retain freshness. Contains peanut, wheat, milk, almond and sunflower ingredients.

FYI: For those consumers who love their snacks sweet and salty, Nature Valley introduces new Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars in two crunchy, chewy peanut and almond varieties. The peanut bars are bursting with wholesome oats and roasted peanuts, dipped in a creamy peanut butter coating. The almond bars combine delicious almonds with hearty granola dipped in an almond butter coating. It’s nut lover heaven!

Company: Fabe’s All Natural Bakery, San Fernando, Calif.

Introduced: January

Distribution: Whole Foods and health-food stores in northern and southern California, Arizona, Nevada

Suggested Retail: $1.79 for a 2-oz. bar

Ingredients: (Organic Chocolate Raw Life Bar): Organic dates, organic almond meal, organic walnuts, organic coconut, organic agave syrup, raw carob powder, raw chocolate. Made in a plant that processes soy, peanuts/tree nuts, eggs, dairy and wheat.

FYI: Fans of organic foods and devotees of the Vegan lifestyle have new options when it comes to energy bars. Fabe’s introduces new Natural Nutrition Energy bars in two great-tasting varieties — 100% Organic Original and Organic Chocolate. Each bar is jam-packed with Mother Nature’s natural goodness — dates, walnuts, oranges and raisins, and all organic! Get a burst of energy and flavor when you chomp into each bar. Fabe’s also has two more indulgent, treats — Chewy Organic Brownies and Organic Mini Macaroons — sure to please even the pickiest snacker!

Company: Paramount Farms, Los Angeles, Calif.

Introduced: February

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $3.99 for a 6 oz. bag

Ingredients: (Roastie Toasties): Almonds, salt.

FYI: It’s all good with Almond Munchies, a new line of six delicious, heart-healthy snacks, mainly flavored by nature, that are just the perfect size for popping into your mouth. Offering four “lighter” varieties — “In the Raw,” “Nudies,” “Roastie Toasties” and “Hot and Sassy” — these snacks taste as fun as they sound! For the more “indulgent” snacker two additional varieties, “Buttered Up” and “Honey Dipped” will leave you hungry for more. Packaged in convenient, resealable packaging, these nutty little snacks are oven-roasted, never “oil-roasted,” and are perfect for toting along wherever you may roam. Naturally trans fat-free and cholesterol-free, almonds are high in Vitamin E, a good source of protein and dietary fiber. Best of all, according to the FDA, 1.5 oz. of almonds per day may reduce the risk of heart disease. Rip open a bag and start munching — for your health!

Company: Clif Bar Inc., Berkeley, Calif.

Introduced: January

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $1.39 for a 1.69 oz. bar

Ingredients: (Nutz Over Chocolate): LunaPro (soy rice crisp [soy protein isolate, rice flour], organic oats, organic soy flour, organic roasted soybeans, organic milled flaxseed), brown rice syrup, coating (organic evaporated cane juice, palm kernel oil, cocoa, inulin, soy lecithin, natural vanilla), vegetable glycerin, organic peanut butter, inulin, peanut flour, natural flavors, sea salt, green tea extract. Vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, magnesium oxide, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), ferrous fumarate (iron), molybdenum glycinate, biotin, beta carotene (vitamin A), riboflavin (B2), calcium pantothenate, zinc oxide, selenium, thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), chromium, phytonadione (Vitamin K), manganese, pyridoxine (B6), cupric oxide, folic acid, cyanocobalamin (B12), potassium iodide. Contains soy and peanuts; may contain traces of other nuts and dairy.

FYI: Luna bars from Clif Bar focus on wellness, and the belief that what women put into their bodies matters. As such, Clif has created two new-and-improved Luna varieties — Nutz Over Chocolate and Lemon Zest —  sure to carry consumers to a more Zen-like state. Now with more fiber and less sugar, Luna bars are 100% natural, trans fat-free and packed with antioxidants, and they have only 180 calories. Join in healthy, joyous living!

Company: Vitamin Branding Corp., New York

Introduced: February

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail: $2.99 for a 2.53 oz. bar

Ingredients: Hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, calcium caseinate, maltitol and/or lactitol, water, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (palm kernel, palm, cottonseed and/or soybean), natural and artificial flavors, casein, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, sunflower oil, cocoa powder, vitamin and mineral blend (dicalcium phosphate, ascorbic acid, magnesium oxide, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate, niacinamide, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A palmitate, zinc oxide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, copper gluconate, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, potassium iodide, cyanocobalamin), milk protein concentrate, nonfat dry milk, soy lecithin, salt, fructose, oligofructose, sprouted mung bean extract, acesulfame K, potassium sorbate (to preserve freshness), oat fiber, citric acid, sucralose, red 40 lake, blue 2 lake. Not a reduced calorie food. Allergy Alert: This product is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing soy, dairy, eggs, wheat ingredients, peanuts and tree nuts.

FYI: There’s a new energy bar on the block! The new Everlast energy bar, blueberry cheesecake, has a unique, smooth flavor and no artificial aftertaste. Packing a healthful punch with 30 gm. of protein and 3 gm. of net impact carbs, this bar combines the best of both worlds — indulgent flavor and quality energy.