The Best Granola Bars

One look at the huge wall of granola bar packages in the grocery store aisle is enough to make even the most savvy shopper feel stumped.  Phrases like “Whole grains inside!” or “Now, with fiber!” or “Less sugar than leading brands!” seem to appear on every box.  So how do you know which bars are really wholesome, healthy, and worthy of your hard-earned money?

It’s pretty simple, if you take a moment to scan the Nutrition Facts Label and

Look for the following criteria:

• At least 3g fiber per bar (but not a ton more, which is a sign of added ‘synthetic’ fiber which can upset your stomach)
• Less than 10g sugar per bar
• Whole grains (any kind, but likely to be oats) is the first thing in Ingredients list
• No “partially hydrogenated oil” in Ingredients list (this means there’s trans fat, even if the label says “Zero grams trans fat per serving”)

Some great choices that meet this criteria:

• Kashi TLC Chewy bars – all flavors
• Kashi TLC Crunchy bars – all flavors
• Health Valley Organic Chewy bars – Blueberry or Double Chocolate Chip
• Cascadian Farm Fiber Right – some flavors

Or, make your own:

• Thick and Chewy Granola Bars
• Coconut Almond Granola Bars

image above courtesy of Smitten Kitchen