It was about time that we looked at exactly what is on the shelves and more importantly, in the boxes. We have done all the hard work for you so that you can see through the BS and know exactly what to look for when choosing the best muesli bar AND what options come out on top.
Have you found yourself in the supermarket…
a) Getting lost for an embarrassingly long amount of time searching for the best muesli bar;
b) Becoming so overwhelmed you grab the box that claims the most health benefits (because surely that must be the best option)
OR
c) Just grab whatever is on special that week.
And you know what? We have done all three of these options at some stage! You can see all of the bars on review at the end of the blog, but if you just want to know what to buy – see our top 5 picks below for the best muesli bar options available right now!
So What Did We Compare to Determine the Best Muesli Bar?
For us, it is an order of priority when selecting the best muesli bar.
- Ingredients List – Ingredients need to be listed from the highest to the least. This order lets you assess the overall nutrition without looking at the numbers. We also considered the quality and length of the ingredients list.
- Sugar (and added sugar) – Bars with under 10% sugar (less than 10g per 100g) are absolute stars. Bars with dried fruit tend to have higher sugars, so we took the source into account.
- Protein – While not all bars are protein-heavy, it’s a great bonus for helping with overall protein intake and fullness.
- Fibre – We aim for over 25g of fibre daily, so a muesli bar that adds to that is a real win!
Now, let’s explore the superstars of each category, alongside those that should be considered occasional snacks rather than everyday staples.
We might even throw in a BS award for fun – because, hey, that’s how we roll!
Ingredients List & Quality Rating
Superstars:
- Tasti Smooshed Wholefood Balls
- Carman’s Bliss Balls
Pretty Good:
- Most of Carman’s Nut Bars (except the ‘yoghurt-style’)
- All Natural Bakery Oat Bars
- Barley+ Muesli Bar Range
Occasional only (or perhaps with purpose to fuel training sessions):
- LCM Bars
- K-Time Twists
- Fruit Sticks
- Roll-Ups
- Hillcrest Caramel Muffin Bars
Sugar Content
Superstars:
- Special K Protein Bliss Bites (5.5% sugar)
- Nice and Natural Protein Nut Bars with 3 Superseeds (6.6%)
- Barley+ Seven Seeds Bars (7.5%)
Pretty Good:
- Carman’s Nut Bars (11%)
- Carman’s Fruit Free Bars (12%)
Occasional only (or perhaps with purpose to fuel training sessions):
- Coles Fruit Sticks (70% sugar!)
- Carman’s Bliss Balls (47% – coming from dates)
- K-Time Twists (37%)
- LCM Bars (34%)
Protein
Superstars:
- Carman’s Gourmet Protein Bars (27.7g/100g)
- Hillcrest Salted Caramel Protein Bars (26.5g/100g)
- Nice and Natural Protein Nut Bars with 3 Superseeds (25.5g/100g)
- Special K Protein Bliss Bites (25.5g/100g)
- Nature Valley Salted Caramel & Nut Protein Bar (25g/100g)
Pretty Good:
- Carman’s Nut Bar (23g/100g)
Occasional only (or perhaps with purpose to fuel training sessions):
- Roll-Ups
- Coles Fruit Sticks
- Most to be honest are pretty low – particularly: Uncle Toby’s Muesli bars, Carman’s Bliss Balls, Carman’s Oat Slice, LCM Bars, K-Time Twists, Hillcrest fruit bars
Fibre Rating
Superstars:
- NRG Max Snack Bar (31g/100g)
- Barley+ Bars (26g/100g)
Occasional only (or perhaps with purpose to fuel training sessions):
- LCM Bars (0.4g/100g)
- Special K Biscuit Moments (1.2g/100g)
- Coles Fruit Sticks (2.5g/100g)
- Hillcrest Morning Break (3g/100g)
The Top 5 Best Muesli Bars…
Nice and Natural Protein Nut Bars with 3 Superseeds
Smashes it with a pretty good ingredients list, excellent protein content and very low sugar.
Barley+ Muesli Bar Range
This new bar to the market is a welcomed addition! An incredibly simple ingredients list with low sugar content and extremely high fibre.
Carman’s Nut Bars & Gourmet Protein Bars
This is a great all-rounder that features well in most areas – excellent protein levels for a muesli bar, only a moderate sugar content and most have a good ingredients list in terms of quality ingredients.
HAS NO Gluten Free Date & Chia
This all rounder slipped under the radar a little! It didn’t ‘superstar’ in any categories, but definitely does really well in all key areas to make a great product choice.
Tasti Smooshed Wholefood Balls
We couldn’t leave this product off the list – it is literally 4 ingredients (Dates, Nuts, Coconut & Salt). The dates make it a little high in natural sugar compared to other bars on the market, but it does great in all other areas.
As you can see, there is not just a single best muesli bar – it does really depend on the purpose of the snack (is it to help hold you over until your next meal, or to fuel a training session?); but also budget & enjoyment to!
The Winners of the BS Award are…
Makes all the health claims but has an ingredients list the length of an essay:
Uncle Toby’s Chewy Muesli Bars
Mother Earth Baked Oaty Slice
The Bars that offer sugar, an ingredients list resembling a science experiment, and not much else:
Roll-Ups
‘Fruit’ Sticks
LCM Bars
For really not being as ‘fruit filled’ as they claim:
K-Time Apple & Raspberry Baked Twists – The ‘Fruit’ Filling makes up 40% of the product, but is only 4% raspberry juice concentrate & 2% apple. Wow. Just Wow.
Last Fun Fact: How Many Words Were Used for ‘Sugar’?
No less than 20!
Sugar | Glucose | Invert Sugar | Honey | Brown Sugar | Glucose Syrup | Golden Syrup | Sugar Syrup | Caramelised Sugar | Caramelised Sugar Syrup | Brown Rice Syrup | Molasses | Fructose | Maltodextrin | Fructose | Glucose Solids | Invert Syrup | Dextrose | Polydextrose | Fructose Powder
Also to be aware of: Juice Concentrate | Grape Juice | Fruit Puree | High levels of Dried Fruit | Dates
See below for all the products reviewed in this blog (including the best muesli bar options highlight above). We’re sure there are many more on the ever-growing market! You can also check out a number of other product reviews here.
If you’re feeling unsure about your food or fuelling choices, our team offers personalised & evidence-based support to help you achieve your best in a safe and sustainable way. Access a free assessment below!
