The Nibble: Cereal Bars

Where nutrition information was provided on the label, I list the following: Serving size, total calories per serving, calories from fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, sugars, and protein. Not all of this information was given for every bar that provided ingredients.
The first ingredient of each bar is also stated (remember, oats can be first, second, or third).
Nutrition/health claims are listed with individual bars or manufacturers in quotation marks. Bear in mind that the claims are selling points, designed to get you to buy. I’m not saying any such claims are untrue, but they tend to be formed around the popular nutrition buzzwords of the moment. For instance, one bar reviewed below is described as “100% vegan.” As opposed to what—80% vegan? Different people may practice veganism differently, but it’s like being pregnant: Either you are or you aren’t. Another bar reviewed has “No Added Sugar” on its label, but honey is the third ingredient in the bar. Technically, the claim is accurate, but it makes the bar seem more healthful or lower calorie than it might otherwise.
Within categories, listings are alphabetical by brand, not manufacturer (for instance, Luna is owned by CLIF Bars, but it’s listed under “Luna”). Multiple products from any one brand are grouped under that brand’s listing.

As always, remember that these reviews are merely a sampling (albeit a good-sized sampling) of what’s on the market today. While granola bars from large-scale manufacturers are easy to find and can often be ordered online via multiple websites, some of the newer or smaller-scale manufacturers do not have online ordering capability, and not all of them accept credit cards. Recommendations reflect personal taste only and do not consider a granola bar’s nutritional profile.

And now, the index to 42 brands of granola bars!

Go To Page 5: Granola Bar Review Index

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