Tried and Tasted Cereal Bars

Most cereal bars are low in calories but which taste the best? Our taste team give their verdict

Cereal Bars

Everyone knows a good breakfast is the best start to the day. But with today's busy lifestyles, for many people it is difficult to find the time. For those of you who can't fit a carton of milk in your briefcase or cook a Full English on the bus, our taste team sample a few of the healthier cereal bars available for breakfast on the go.

Tracker - Breakfast Forest Fruits Don't be put off by the appearance of these bars. They have a delicious fruity flavour and interesting textures: a light crispy base, a chewy middle and a creamy, milky top. Higher in fat than most bars tested but if you have missed breakfast, you could do far worse. Per 26g Bar Per 100g CALORIES 124kcal 474kcal CARBS 16.7g 64.1g FAT 5.8g 22.2g SODIUM No Data No Data PROTEIN 1.2g 4.6g FIBRE No Data No Data

Quaker - Harvest Cheweee Milk Choc Chip Quaker have produced the lowest calorie bar in the test although the look, and taste, wouldn't necessarily give this away. They have crispy cereal, chewy toffee and sweet choc chips. Perhaps too small to be a filling breakfast alternative but still a worthy choice as a snack on the go. Per 22g Bar Per 100g CALORIES 95kcal 430kcal CARBS 15.0g 68.0g FAT 3.5g 16.0g SODIUM 0.1g 0.2g PROTEIN 1.2g 5.5g FIBRE 0.8g 3.5g

Jordans - Frusli Cranberry & Apple A generous sized portion from Jordans. This is a nice, chewy, tangy bar. The flavouring did seem slightly unnatural and non-fruit sections may be too dry and bland for some. Per 33.3g Bar Per 100g CALORIES 128kcal 385kcal CARBS 22.9g 68.9g FAT 3.3g 9.9g SODIUM 0.01g 0.03g PROTEIN 1.7g 5.1g FIBRE 1.9g 5.8g

McVities - a:m Cereal Bars Strawberry The a:m bars had a plastic, or even "pet food" like, appearance with the artificial smell of Strawberry Laces. They had a strong strawberry flavour and felt moist but with little texture. The highest in calories but may still be a reasonable purchase for some. Per 35g Bar Per 100g CALORIES 138kcal 395kcal CARBS 24.7g 70.5g FAT 3.5g 10.1g SODIUM 0.1g 0.2g PROTEIN 2.0g 5.7g FIBRE 0.9g 2.7g

Safeway - Chewy Cereal Bars Nut & Chocolate These were popular with the panel when judging appearances but, as in most cases, looks are not everything. A good nutty, chocolaty taste and crisp texture; almost a naked Snickers. The appealing chocolate is perhaps reflected in the higher fat value. Maybe not everyone's choice for an early morning bar. Per 27g Bar Per 100g CALORIES 127kcal 471kcal CARBS 15.6g 57.9g FAT 6.1g 22.7g SODIUM Trace Trace PROTEIN 2.3g 8.7g FIBRE 1.1g 4.1g

Tesco - Breakfast Snack Bars Apple & Cinnamon This was a different style to the other bars; which may not be to everyone's taste. Although this would probably be the most filling, it was quite doughy and stodgy. The taste panel may have scored this higher if given one of the other flavours in the range but, overall, this was definitely not a favourite. Per 37.5g Bar Per 100g CALORIES 137kcal 365kcal CARBS 22.1g 58.8g FAT 4.7g 12.5g SODIUM 0.1g 0.3g PROTEIN 1.6g 4.3g FIBRE 0.8g 2.0g

Conclusion

This was a closely run test with some positions decided by the tasters' individual flavour and style preferences. Notably, the supermarket own products were lagging behind the stronger brands in this trial. Although these bars should not necessarily be used as permanent breakfast substitutes, we can definitely recommend the Tracker and Quaker for when you need a quick breakfast on the move.

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