Do you ever get a bit peckish between meals and look in your kitchen cupboards but they are looking a bit bare or you don't know what to reach for? Well, our advice to you would be to stock up on breakfast bars.
They are such a simple yet tasty snack and they are sure to satisfy any cravings you have throughout the day. Plus, they are individually wrapped for convenience so you can just pop one or two into your bag or child's lunchbox for snacks on the go.
No matter what flavours you like, there is a breakfast cereal bar out there for you, from chocolate ones and salted caramel ones for the more sweet-toothed, to nutty, wholegrain and oat bars.
We have compiled a list of our favourite bars - each one has been tried and tested by us - from healthy breakfast bars like Special K bars to nutrigrain bars and the brand new American Style Cookies and Cream Rice Krispies Squares.
Just so you know, while we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections.
What are the best breakfast bars?
The best overall breakfast bars
Can't decide which flavour to go for? We don't blame you because they're all just as good as each other. Thankfully though you don't have to, as this pack comes with three yummy flavours: Oats & Honey, Canadian Maple Syrup and Oats & Dark Chocolate.
The best crunchy breakfast bars
If you are looking for something which will pack a crunch, these Crispy Fruit Slices are the ones to go for. They may be thin but they are full of flavour; we love the crunchiness of the biscuit combined with the chewiness from the sultanas and raisins. Plus there's only 57 calories per slice. Result!
The best gluten free breakfast bars
A fabulous gluten-free option here. They're really tasty and great for snacking on after workouts or between meals. They are full to the brim with nuts (59 per cent to be precise), low in sugar and high in fibre, thanks to almonds and coconut and will therefore give you a slow release of energy throughout the day.
The best marshmallow breakfast bars
Satisfy your sweet tooth with these delicious Cookies & Cream bars from Squares' new American Style range. The crispy Rice Krispies are mixed perfectly with the chewy, sweet marshmallow and the addition of white chocolate chunks and cookie crumb on top
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The best low calorie breakfast bar
To all the peanut butter fans out there feast your eyes on these bad boys. These taste rather naughty but are actually low in carbs, calories and sugar and high in fibre, protein and deliciousness. Just look at that chocolate drizzle...
The best for value
If, like us, you love cereal bars a little too much and want to stock up on all of your faves, check out this huge selection. You can get five boxes of Alpen's best flavour for only £12.50.
The best breakfast bars for protein
An excellent vegan option here. These taste just like a flapjack but are a lot firmer and crunchier. They also have a gorgeous, mouth-watering, soft salted caramel topping which is the highlight of the bar.
The best fruit breakfast bar
If fruit bars are your thing you'll love the taste of these. Special K have packed their bars full of wholemeal oats, crispies and wheat flakes, along with dried apple. strawberry and cranberry pieces which give it that deep red colour. The addition of the berries is great as they add a nice sweetness to each mouthful without being overpowering.
Recipe for Homemade Cereal and Breakfast Bars
Making your own cereal bars is really fun add you can add your own toppings to create your dream bar. So, if you've got some time on your hands why don't you give it a go?
• 100g butter
• 80g demerara sugar
• A few tablespoons of Golden Syrup
• Your favourite cereal
• Any toppings or flavours you'd like to add (cinnamon, honey, yoghurt, marshmallows, sprinkles, nuts, chocolate, seeds, dried fruit etc.)
Firstly, grease and line a baking tin with parchment/greaseproof paper and preheat your oven to 140 degrees. You will now need a saucepan to melt the butter, sugar and syrup together on the hob.
Once that has all melted together to form a clear, runny and slightly sticky consistency, you can add your favourite cereal. You could add a couple or just one if you'd like to keep it simple. You don't need to worry about exact measurements as you can always add more as you go along, and you'll be able to judge by eye.
You can also add in anything else that you'd like inside the bar, for example, dried fruit, peanuts or honey.
Now you need to get your baking tin and spoon your mixture into it; gently press it down with the back of a spoon to get it all nice and even.
It's now time for it to go into the oven! Pop it in for roughly 30 to 35 minutes but keep checking on it every ten to make sure.
When it's ready to come out leave it to cool for around 5 minutes before cutting it into even slices and sprinkle or drizzle your favourite toppings on and there you have it - delicious homemade cereal bars which will last for around a week in an airtight container - bon appetit!
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