The best breakfast bars for snacking on when you’re feeling peckish on the go

Fancy a quick breakfast in the morning or a midday treat?

best breakfast bars

by Arabella Horspool |
Updated on

If you ever get a bit peckish between meals and don't know what to reach for, our advice to you would be to stock up on the best 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 for eating on the go. They're also generally considered a low-calorie snack too.

Best breakfast bars at a glance:

No matter what flavours you like, there is a breakfast bar out there for you, from chocolate ones and salted caramel ones for the more sweet-toothed, to nutty, wholegrain and oat bars. And while they may be called breakfast bars, there's no need to ditch your healthy breakfast for them. Breakfast bars, or cereal bars as they are otherwise known, are ideal for eating as a mid-morning snack or to satisfy any sweet cravings you may have in the afternoon.

We have compiled a list of what we think our the best breakfast bars and we've included a whole host of options to tempt your tastebuds. Whether you're looking for low calorie breakfast bars like Special K and Skinny Crunch, protein breakfast bars such as Trek Flapjacks and MyProtein Oat Bakes, or vegan and gluten-free breakfast bars, there's a whole load to choose from.

What are the best breakfast bars?

Best breakfast bars overall

Nature Valley Crunchy Variety PackNature Valley/Amazon

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.

Best gluten free breakfast bars

KIND Bars Almond & CoconutKIND Bars/Amazon
Price: $42.98
https://redirect.viglink.com?key=d0dbd0c339565e753f633a021d364c3d&prodOvrd=PCR&opt=false&u=DEQQEhcKTBxETkIYQgRbWFIUQh1QDl0dWBQcfX0td0l0BRAPHSBbXFpaWlQRUhh9E0JAHjJVUxw3UlpATnEFQhdPUAAEHkNYVl0YClEYAlQZBgZTCAUIVwoFAw%3D%3D&x=v1&prdId=11045532885&barcode=VAVUUlQBVgoGCw0DBVE%3D

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.

Best peanut butter breakfast bar

KIND Bars Peanut Butter Dark ChocolateKIND Bars/Amazon
Price: $42.98
https://redirect.viglink.com?key=d0dbd0c339565e753f633a021d364c3d&prodOvrd=PCR&opt=false&u=DEQQEhcKTBxETkIYQgRbWFIUQh1QDl0dWBQcfX0td0l0BRAPHSBbXFpaWlQRUhh9E0JAHjJVUxw3UlpATnEFQhdPUAAEHkNYVl0YClEYAlQZBgZTCAUIVwoFAw%3D%3D&x=v1&prdId=11045532885&barcode=VAVUUlQBVgoGCw0DBVE%3D

Another option from KIND. 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...

Best crunchy breakfast bars

Go Ahead 5 Crispy Fruit Slices Apple & SultanaGo Ahead/Amazon

If you are looking for something that will pack a crunch, these Go Ahead 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 are only 57 calories per slice. Result!

Best breakfast bar for value

Alpen Strawberry and Yoghurt BarsAlpen/Amazon

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.

Best vegan protein breakfast bars

Trek High Protein Salted Caramel FlapjackTrek/Amazon

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.

Best fruit breakfast bar

Kellogg's Special K Red Berry BarsKellogg's
Price: $1.35

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.

Best plant-based breakfast bar

Deliciously Ella Apple, Raisin & Cinnamon Oat BarDeliciously Ella
Price: $2.09 (was £2.79)

www.hollandandbarrett.com

Packed with chewy oats, juicy apples and raisins with a hint of warm cinnamon, these Deliciously Ella Apple, Raisin & Cinnamon Oat Bar will certainly satisfy your snack cravings. Perfect for on-the-go munchies or a mid-morning treat, they're vegan, gluten-free and irresistibly delicious.

Best Cadbury breakfast bar

At just 93 calories per bar, these Cadbury Brunch Honey & Oat Bars might be light but they're still satisfying and packed with flavour. Crunchy oats come together with a drizzle of honey and the backs of the are dipped in deliciously smooth Cadburys to give you your chocolate fix.

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Best fruit and nut breakfast bars

These Eat Natural Fruit & Nut Bars blend crunchy nuts, rich chocolate and a touch of natural sweetness to bring you a high protein and high fibre treat that will fuel your busy days and provide you with an energy boost wherever you are.

Best raw breakfast bar

Nakd Fruit & Nut Bar Variety PackNakd/Amazon
Price: $38.99

Made with 100 per cent natural ingredients, the bars in the Nakd Fruit & Nut Bar Variety Pack have no artificial flavourings, colours or preservatives and no added sugar or honey to create a snack that is simply wholesome. The variety pack contains three each of Nakd's six top flavours, including blueberry muffin, cocoa orange, berry delight and peanut delight.

Best protein breakfast bar

MyProtein Oat BakesMyProtein
Price: $12.64 (was £21.99)

www.myprotein.com

Available in Berry and White Chocolate and Chocolate Chip flavours to tempt your tastebuds, there's 18g of protein in each one of the MyProtein Oat Bakes. These soft and chewy treats will help you to support your workout goals while satisfying sweet-tooth cravings.

Best low calorie breakfast bar

Skinny Crunch MultipackSkinny/Amazon

At less than 75 calories a pop, these Skinny Crunch Bars are the perfect snack option for those looking for a sweet treat that'll still help them keep on track. This multipack contains three flavours; Raspberry & White Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter. Simply delish!

Recipe for Homemade Cereal and Breakfast Bars

Making your own cereal bars is really fun and 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 quality 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 five minutes before cutting it into even slices, 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!

Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV, film and theatre. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, playing board games and spending time with her pet dogs, tortoise and chickens.

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