Shop Bought Snacks

Posted bybrooklynwellnessnzPosted inRecipes

We sometimes get people asking us to recommend a good protein, snack or energy bar. Any snack bar will be processed, so if possible it’s better to make something yourself, such as:

But if making from scratch isn’t an option for you right now, there are more choices around now that there were when I first reviewed snack bars in 2010, though most of them are not good.

First, let’s look at some of the criteria I look for in a bar. This will give you an idea of how to evaluate your favourite bar if it’s not here. I’m not factoring in the price, but am including family priced bars you can get from the supermarket, as well as bars that might come from a health or sports store (which tend to be more expensive, but may or may not be better quality).

Ingredients

I’ve ranked them in two ways. Firstly, by ingredients. We’re looking for bars that are made from real foods, minimally processed. Maximum ranking is 5 stars and points have been taken off for:

  • Soy – with the exception of fermented soy (miso, tempeh, natto), soy has a lot of elements that make it hard to digest, and it can disrupt the hormonal system
  • Artificial sweeteners (eg sucralose, aspartame). I haven’t taken points off for non-nutritive sweeteners such as stevia, monkfruit, erythritol and xylitol, though you don’t want to eat too much of these.
  • Added sugars (with the exception of fruit, honey and maple syrup, which are real foods. The total sugar is addressed in the second section)
  • Puffed grains – which are hard to digest
  • Refined flours, though some starches (eg tapioca) are ok
  • Unhealthy or unspecified vegetable oils – so called vegetable oils are not actually from vegetables, they are from seeds, and eating more than a very small amount of them is bad for us.
  • Common allergens (eg. gluten, peanuts and milk, though I have allowed whey protein)

Nutrition information

Secondly, they’re ranked by macronutrient ratio. Most bars are very low in protein and fat, and very high in carbohydrate. This might be OK, if you had a small part of the bar, with something else that’s higher in fat and protein. But if you’re grabbing a bar for a meal on the run, those ratios will disrupt most people’s blood sugar. Don’t get fooled by the 97% Fat Free label or the Heart Foundation tick into buying something full of sugar. Bars get a good score if:

  • The protein content is at least 10% (1 point) or even better, over 20% (2 points)
  • The total carbs are 40% or lower (1 point)
  • The total sugars are 20% or lower – if they are from fruit, that’s preferable to being from added sugars (1 point)
  • At least 10% of calories are from saturated fat, which will mostly be from coconut. (1 point) Our ancestors ate mostly saturated fats, and had no heart disease, so there’s no need to be scared of it. Unsaturated fats are much more dangerous.

(Note that these were calculated on the gms listed on the packaging, which may have been rounded)

If you are a sportsperson with high caloric demand, or are eating part of a bar (as dessert) with something high in protein or fat, or just go better on a high carb diet, you may wish to choose based just on the ingredient score, and not worry about the ratio.

Overall score

The ideal is a bar that gets a high score in both categories. But most important is the quality of the ingredients, as you can always have a bar as part of a meal and balance it with the other foods. So they are ranked best to worst ONLY on the ingredient quality.

As a rough rule of thumb, if you’re shopping in:

  • A health food shop – Will probably be mainly fairly good ingredients, but higher in carbs and sugars. Prob in the higher price bracket.
  • A sports or diet shop – Likely to have good macros, but may have sucralose or other processed ingredients. Prob in the higher price bracket.
  • A supermarket – pricing will be more affordable, but highly unlikely to find anything with good ingredients.

Note that I’m not having a go at the food manufacturers here. It’s a bit of a catch-22 situation as they have to make what sells, and a healthy bar isn’t usually a popular bar. Many consumers want cheap and tasty, and don’t much care about the ingredients.

Reviewed so far

I started off looking for snacks for the school lunchbox. But most of what I’ve found that is reasonable quality is either too expensive for family buying, or not child friendly for other reasons. The ones potentially suitable for school lunches are marked # in the chart below.

Scroll down for more info on each one. More to come.

Better choices
(ingredients 4-5 stars)		So-so
(ingredients 2-3 stars)		Avoid
(ingredients 0-1 stars)
~Chief Collagen Protein Bar
~Betty bars
~Fibre Boost Cold Pressed bars
~Noshu Bars #
~FodBods bars
~Snack balls (2 brands) #		~Quest Protein Bar
~Nature Valley Crunchy Muesli Bars Oats + Honey #
~Zesti Fruit bars


~The Lady Bar / Man Bar
~Tasti Protein Bar Muesli Bars Nutty Choc
~Nice And Natural Choc Nut Bars Apricot


Better choices

Chief Collagen Protein Bar

Ingredients (cashew shortbread flavour):

Cashews [61%], grass-fed collagen [25%], tapioca starch, pure organic maple syrup, MCT oil powder (MCT Oil, acacia fibre), camu camu, vanilla bean powder, pure monk fruit.

Nutrition:

Energy 900 kJ / 215 Cal ~ Protein 15.7g 29% ~ Fat 13.7g 57% ~ Saturated 2.6g 11% ~ Carbohydrate 6.0g 11% ~ Sugars 2.5g 5% ~ Dietary Fibre 3.1g ~ Vitamin C 30mg

Pros: Real ingredients. Free from gluten, dairy, eggs. Low in sugar. Good ratios for a balanced snack. Several different flavours available. Taste and texture are nice.

Cons: Not suitable for vegans. Comparatively pricey. Probably not in your supermarket. About $6.50 in health stores, but can be found online for $5.50.

Summary: If you can afford them, best pick for a whole food snack. Possibly more to adult tastes than children. If the kids like them though, 1/2 or even 1/3 of a bar might be sufficient.

Betty bars

Ingredients (Strawberry Cheesecake)

Pea protein, soluble fibre (tapioca), coconut oil, almond butter, diced almonds, brown rice syrup, humectants (vegetable glycerine, sunflower lecithin), natural flavours, freeze dried strawberries, acidity regulator (lactic acid), monkfruit extract, stevia, salt, probiotics (bacillus coagulans), mineral salt (zinc sulphate)

Nutrition

Energy 826kJ / 198 cals ~ Protein 16g 32% ~ Fat 8.9g 40% ~ Saturated 4.6g 21% ~ Carbs 8.8g 18% ~ Sugars 4.5g 9% ~ Fibre 8.8g

Pros: Made in NZ. Gluten and dairy free. Vegan. Good ingredients. Only bar so far with probiotics. Good macros. Three different flavours.

Cons: Pea protein is usually well tolerated, but some people may find it causes gas. Unfortunately it also has a quite distinctive taste, which is not disguised by the flavourings. 4 of us taste tested the strawberry cheesecake flavour, and none would eat them again. Fairly expensive if bought in health food shops ($6), but can be bought direct from the manufacturer in a box of 10 for $49.

Summary: These bars would be great for someone who doesn’t use animal protein, but the taste could make them unappealing to anyone else. Though potentially the other flavours (caramel or choc fudge) could mask or blend with the pea taste better.

Fibre Boost Cold Pressed bars

Ingredients

Tropical: Soluble prebiotic fibre (corn), Whey protein isolate (milk), Milk protein isolate, Almonds, Apple, Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Natural Flavour, Stevia, salt

Nutrition

Energy 583kJ / 139 cals ~ Protein 20.4g 59% ~ Fat 2.2g 14% ~ Saturated 0.2g 1% ~ Carbs 2.7g 8% ~ Sugars 2.1g 6% ~ Fibre 25.9g

Pros: Mostly real foods. Good serve of protein and fibre, and low sugar. Large range of flavours. Some are better than others. The ones with a little dried fruit in are nicest (taste & texture).

Cons: No good if you are dairy intolerant. On the expensive side @ $5.50 to $5.99, cheaper if you buy a box of 12. Only available online. Texture takes a bit of getting used to, some are harder and chewier than others.

Summary: Good for sports people or if you need to boost the protein part of a meal. A bit expensive for family use, and texture not very child friendly.

Noshu Bars

Noshu have a range of bars that don’t have added sugar – protein bars, nuts bars, coconut bars that are like Bounty bars and Cherry Ripes. I chose this one to review at random. The others will get similar scores, but might not be quite the same. If you have allergies, you will need to check each one yourself.

Ingredients (dark chocolate, orange & roasted almond):

Roasted Nuts (48%) [Peanuts, Almonds (12%), Cashews], Reduced Sugar Dark Chocolate (18%) [Cocoa Solids1 (45%), Non-GMO Erythritol, Corn Fibre, Milk Solids, Polydextrose, Maltodextrin, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavours Steviol Glycosides], Orange Pieces (11%) [Polydextrose, Glycerine, Orange Juice (10%), Vegetable Fibre, Pectin, Citric Acid, Natural Flavouring, Natural Colour (Paprika), Steviol Glycosides], Soluble Corn Fibre, Chicory Root Fibre, White Compound (Non-GMO Erythritol, Polydextrose, Soy Lecithin, Steviol Glycosides), Vegetable Glycerine, Coconut Oil, Acacia Gum, Salt, Orange Oil (0.01%), Monk Fruit Extract.

Nutrition:

Energy 598 kJ / 143 cal ~ Protein 3.9g 11% ~ Fat 10.0 g 63% ~ Saturated fat 2.8g 18% ~ Carbs 3.8 g 11% ~ Sugars 1.8 g 5% ~ Fibre 9.8 g

Pros: Mostly real foods. Good macros. The range is reasonably affordable, at around $2.50 a bar.

Cons: Only rated 4 stars as there are some potential allergens, and quite a few additives, though fairly benign ones. For most people they will be fine. Although all 3 major supermarkets supposedly stock the Noshu range, they don’t tend to have many of the bars. But they are all available online at places like Low Carb Haven, My Sugarfree and Ketostore.

Summary: On balance, probably one of the best choices for a family. Just check each one for your specific requirements.

FodBods bars

Ingredients (lemon coconut flavour):

Almonds, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Protein Blend (Pea and Rice), Organic Coconut (6.5%), Soy Protein Crisps, Pure Lemon Oil (0.05%), Himalayan Salt

Nutrition:

Energy 897 kJ / 215 cals ~ Protein 15.5g 29% ~ Fat 9.8g 41% ~ Saturated 2.8g 12% ~ Carbs 16.1g 30% ~ Sugars 11.7g 22% ~ Fibre 2.9g

Pros: Designed for those with FODMAP issues. Suitable for vegans. Good macros.

Cons: Soy crisps. Expensive. This size is around $6 in store. There is also a half size bar @ 116 calories, but that is still $5.50. Taste is better than the Betty bar, but still not very appealing (to me at least).

Summary: Not as good on paper as the Betty bar, but as a vegan / FODMAP option, probably more enjoyable. Small size too expensive.

Snack balls (2 brands)

These two brands of snack / bliss balls are similar enough to review together. There are other flavours of both brands.

Ingredients:

Tom & Luke Snack Balls Peanut Butter & Cacao: Dates (53.1%), Peanuts (20%), Peanut Butter (19.1) (Peanuts (99%), Salt (1%)), Cacao Powder (7.1%), Desiccated Coconut, Sea Salt (0.1%)

Frooze Balls Snack Balls Choc Hazelnut: Dates, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Coconut, Raw Cacao, Pink Himalaya Salt, Natural Flavour

Nutrition (2 balls):

Tom & Luke Snack Balls Peanut Butter & Cacao: Energy 492kJ 118 cals ~ Protein 3.8g 13% ~ Fat 6.1g 47% ~ Saturated 3g 23% ~ Carbs 12.2g 41% ~ Sugars 9.9g 33% ~ Fibre 2.6g

Frooze Balls Snack Balls Choc Hazelnut: Energy 545kJ ~ 130 cal ~ Protein 3g 9% ~ Fat 7g 48% ~ Saturated 2g 14% ~ Carbs 13g 40% ~ Sugars 12g 37% ~ Fibre 2g

Cost per 2 balls = Tom & Luke: 81c ~ Frooze Balls: 1.00

Pros: Affordable. Mostly whole foods. Although high in unsat fats, they are from whole nuts, so better than from processed oils. High in sugars, but all from fruit, so better than added refined sugar.

Cons: Both include peanuts, which can be allergens. Very high in sugars.

Summary: If you make your own, you can lessen the sugars a bit, and use nuts that work for your family (or no nuts). But if you need to buy something, these are a better choice than many others, as long as you pair them with some good proteins. I have a slight preference for Tom & Luke’s as they come in a bigger, resealable container so are more affordable, and don’t have any added flavourings (even “natural flavour” really isn’t that natural).

So-so choices

Quest Protein Bar

Ingredients (White Chocolate Raspberry):

Protein Blend (30%), (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate), Prebiotic Fibre (Soluble Corn Fibre), Almonds, Water,White Chocolate Chunks (10%) [(Cocoa Butter (5%), Micellar Casein, Sweetener (Erythritol) , Natural Flavour, Flavour Enhancer (Sea Salt), Sweeteners (Sucralose, Steviol Glycosides)], Dried Raspberries (5%), Natural Flavours, Palm Oil, Sweetener (Erythritol), Flavour Enhancer (Sea Salt), Colour (Calcium Carbonate) , Sweeteners (Sucralose , Steviol Glycosides).

Nutrition:

Energy 895kJ / 214 Cal ~ Protein 20g 37% ~ Total Fat 9g 38% ~ Saturated Fat 3g ~ Carbs 7g 13% ~ Sugars 1g ~ Fibre 13g

Pros: Mostly good ingredients. Gluten free. Very good macros. Available from supermarkets and Chemist Warehouse, so easy to source. Several different flavours. Good taste and texture.

Cons: Contains sucralose. Also has some milk protein, so not dairy free. Manufacturer says not suitable for children under 15 years of age or pregnant women. On the more expensive side at around $5.

Summary: I’m a bit antsy about the sucralose. But its not the only sweetener, so may not have a lot of it. If you’re ok with dairy, this might be a reasonable sometime choice for adults.

Nature Valley Crunchy Muesli Bars Oats + Honey

Ingredients:

Whole Grain Rolled Oats (63%), Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Honey (3%), Salt, Molasses, Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Raising Agent (Sodium Bicarbonate)

Nutrition:

Energy 777.0kJ / 186 cals ~ Protein 3.6g 8% ~ Fat 7.6g 37% ~ Saturated 0.9g 4% ~ Carbs 24.5g 53% ~ Sugars 11.7g 25% ~ Fibre 2.60g

Pros: The ingredients are quite clean ie very light on additives. Affordable at just under $1 per serve.

Cons: Macros bad. (Protein almost up to 10% so have been generous and given it 1 star.) Not gluten free. Contains sugar (looks like quite a bit). Sunflower oil also not good, and unsaturated fats high, though there are worse oils.

Summary: If this was the dessert part of a meal, and put with some protein, good fats (nuts, avo) and some veges, you could do worse. Each serve is a twin pack, so you could give just one in a lunch box.

Zesti Fruit Bars

Ingredients (Blackcurrant & Manuka Honey)

Organic Stoneground Wheat Flour, Organic Sugar, Organic Sultanas, Organic Butter (Cream, Salt), Organic Apples, Organic Manuka Honey (1.3%), Organic Whole Milk Powder, Blackcurrant Concentrate (1.3%), Natural Flavour, Raising Agent (Sodium Bicarbonate), Acidity Regulator (Cream of Tartar).

Nutrition

Energy 654kJ / 156 cals ~ Protein 2.6g 7% ~ Fat 3.6g 21% ~ Saturated 2.2g 13% ~ Carbs 28.1g 72% ~ Sugars 14.5g 37% ~ Fibre 1.9g

Pros: Organic. Real food ingredients. Some good fats from butter, so get 1 star on the macros. If you shop around, you should be able to find them at $6.50 for a box of 5.

Cons: No good if you don’t tolerate wheat or dairy. Very high carb / sugar. Not nice – one of our mums says they taste like cardboard and her kids wouldn’t eat them.

Summary: If the kids won’t eat them, what is the point?

Avoid if at all possible

The Lady Bar / Man Bar Protein Bar

Ingredients (Choc Hazelnut flavour)L

Protein Blend (Milk Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate (Milk), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin)), Soluble Corn Fibre, Bulking Agent (Polydextrose), Water, Humectant (Glycerol), Dark Compound Chocolate (6.5%) (Sugar, Vegetable Fat, Cocoa, Whey Powder (Milk), Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin, 492), Salt), Hazelnuts (6%), Sunflower Oil, Cocoa Powder (3.5%), Almond Butter, Soy Crisps, Natural Chocolate Flavour, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Salt, Sweetener (Sucralose), Processing Aid (Soy).

Nutrition:

Energy 725.0kJ ~ 173 cals ~ Protein 14.0g 32% ~ Fat Total 6.8g 35% ~ Saturated 1.5g 8% ~ Carbs 5.0g 11.5% ~ Sugars 2.8g 5% ~ Fibre 11.6g

Pros: Good macros.

Cons: Points off for soy protein, soy crisps, sunflower oil, sucralose. Cost of $5.50 which is very pricey for what it is.

Summary: Bars to go along with the Man Shake / Lady Shake weight loss program. Though as far as I can see the two shakes are identical, and so are the two bars! Not recommended.

Tasti Protein Bar Muesli Bars Nutty Choc

Ingredients:

Peanuts (40%), Glucose Syrup, Soy Crisps (Isolated Soy Protein (16%), Tapioca Starch, Salt), Milk Choc Compound (12%) (Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Milk Solids, Cocoa Powder, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin, 492), Natural Flavour), Sunflower Oil, Humectant (Glycerol), Sugar, Cocoa Powder (1%), Caramelised Sugar, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Natural Chocolate Flavour

Nutrition:

Energy 832kJ / 199 cals ~ Protein 10.1g 20% ~ Fat Total 10.8g 49% Saturated 2.7g ~ Carbs 13.8g 28% ~ Sugars 6.9g 14% ~ Dietary Fibre 1.70g

Pros: Macros are ok. Affordable.

Cons: Zero stars given for ingredients. Potential allergens: peanuts, milk, soy (which is bad anyway). Three different types of added sugar. Sunflower oil isn’t as bad as some vegetable oils, but should still be avoided if possible. Total unsaturated fats are high, which is undesirable.

Summary: Apart from peanuts (and they are potentially toxic even if you don’t have allergy), there is nothing in there I would call food. Avoid.

Nice And Natural Choc Nut Bars Apricot

Ingredients: no star

Roasted Peanuts (51%), Dark Chocolate (23%) [Sugar, Cocoa Solids† (Cocoa Mass, Cocoa Butter), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Natural Flavour], Glucose Syrup, Apricot Flavoured Pieces (5%) [Ascorbic Acid, Pectin, Paprika], Inulin, Maltodextrin, Sunflower Oil, Glycerine, Natural Flavours, Emulsifier [Soy Lecithin], Salt, Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Natural Flavour [Milk], Traces of Almonds and Cashews. Contains Milk, Soy, Peanuts, Sulphites, Almonds, Cashews. May Contain Wheat, Gluten, Gluten containing cereals, Sesame, Tree Nuts

Nutrition:

Energy 653kJ ~ Cals 156 ~ Protein 4.0g 10% ~ Fat 8.4g 48% ~ Saturated 2.3g ~ Carbs 11.5g 29% ~ Sugars 6.7g 17% ~ Fibre 2.1g

Pros, Cons & Summary: Similar to the Tasti bar above. But slightly worse macros (less protein). And despite their claim to be natural (and being called an apricot bar) there doesn’t appear to be any actual apricot.

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