The Story of Sable’s Foods

Sable’s Foods Nutritional Empowerment Bars were born from firsthand knowledge developed over many years caring for cancer patients. As a long-serving oncology nurse, Sable understood the immense struggle of those fighting cancer and what she terms cancer’s “nutritional challenge”—the crucial need for proper nutrition during treatment coupled with the loss of appetite and digestive issues that often prevent patients from receiving the nourishment they need. Discontent with patients’ lack of flavorful yet nutritionally balanced options, Sable felt compelled to direct her experience and empathy toward a solution. She knew that cancer patients needed foods that would meet their specific nutritional requirements while offering flavors and textures that would taste great and be easily digestible. She also wanted to offer them something portable, as Sable strongly believes that patients should be able to thrive while continuing with their daily lives during treatment and recovery. Championing this cause, in 2006, Sable stepped into her kitchen and began baking up a solution.

A Labor of Love…and Experience

Fueled by the helping nature of a bedside nurse and guided by the business sense of a schooled entrepreneur, Sable went about her mission in a series of stages. Stage one was to create the most flavorful nutrition bar on the market, according to those who mattered most: patients.

• Flavor

  Sable realized that—in addition to their lack of natural, wholesome-tasting ingredients—most bars are not cooked. Like homemade baked goods and fresh breads and treats, she decided hers would be. So she set up focus groups and baked the first batch. From here, she began the process of perfecting the flavor: back and forth between patients, caregivers, and her kitchen, Sable adjusted and readjusted the recipe until it was right.

• Texture

  Texture was identified as the second major issue for patients. Although delicious, granola and certain nuts can be hard on the mouth, throat, and stomach, causing digestion problems for patients undergoing treatment. In stage two, Sable once again balanced input from the patient groups with that of the specialists to devise a solution—a bar that retains its crunch, yet eliminates the discomfort of consuming granola and whole nuts.

• Nutrition

  Once patients were excited about the taste and texture, Sable moved to stage three: balancing the nutritional content of the bars to contribute supportive nourishment. Playing with protein levels and meticulously mixing the concentration of vitamins and minerals, Sable consulted with her specialist groups to ensure the appropriate nutrient thresholds were reached. Protein is a key factor in the healing process, yet higher levels of protein compromise taste and texture. Therefore, finding the perfect level required the scrutiny of a scientist. It required someone with Sable’s passion for detail and persistence along with the determination to make a difference in the lives of patients.

Pulling in the Professionals and Patients

When asked what makes our bars different from others, the answer is simple. Sable’s Foods was developed with insights provided by two primary groups: cancer patients who know best what they want to eat…and nutrition and oncology specialists who know what patients need to eat to support them through their journey and recovery. Pulling it all together was someone with the understanding and commitment to balance the, sometimes conflicting, interests of the two.

A Commitment to Prevention and a Cure

Sable’s Foods’ journey doesn’t start and end with great-tasting, nutritionally sound bar. Sable and her team are dedicated to keeping the ultimate goal in sight. To this end, a portion of the profits from product sales are donated to non-profit organizations actively pursuing solutions to cancer care issues, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and symptom management. Or in simpler terms, “a bite of every bar” is donated to cancer research.