The Best Granola Bars In 2023
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Before we had granola bars — one of the most energizing, satiating snacks of today's world — there was granola. Granola's origin story starts with Dr. James Caleb Jackson, an American doctor who twice-baked bits of crumbled flour and fed them to ailing patients during the 19th century (via The New York Times). Jackson these bits "granula." Then, there was Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who created a similar product — which this doctor also named granula — leading Jackson to pursue legal action. But Kellogg slyly changed his food's name to "granola" and went on to create the successful cereal empire we know today.
Granola bars came to be thanks to another famous cereal giant: General Mills. According to the company, General Mills created the brand Nature Valley, along with its eponymous granola bars, during the 1970s, as a new way of consuming granola outdoors. Due to their inception during this particular decade, granola bars have always been tied to the hippie movement (via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). It's part of why modern-day bohemians are still sometimes described as "crunchy." But nowadays, granola bars are enjoyed by all.
When packing school lunches, hiking supplies, or work snacks, granola bars come in handy. These treats are useful for satisfying hungry individuals of any age. But not all granola bars are created equal. Although typically perceived as a wholesome snack, these bars can be surprisingly unhealthy. The times when they're not unhealthy, the snacks might taste bad. Luckily, we've found granola bars that are worth eating.
How we selected products
Technically, not every product we recommend is a "granola bar." Granola, according to Merriam-Webster, contains rolled oats. By this definition, every granola bar should also have oats in it. But we think this definition is too limiting. Instead, we broadened our horizons to consider items used similarly to textbook granola bars. Our final selections satiate individuals using wholesome, shelf-stable ingredients. To us, this is more important than the inclusion of oats.
Even though their ingredients may seem healthy, many granola bars are not. As Healthline explains, some of these bars contain high amounts of carbohydrates, calories, and sugar. In reality, some granola bars have more in common with candy than granola. But in good cases, granola bars can be high in fiber, protein, and essential nutrients. Truly healthy versions are made from beneficial ingredients like fruits, nuts, or seeds. When searching for a bar, you're going to want these genuinely healthy and energizing snacks, not just the well-known products that you know to taste good.
To decide what's worth recommending, we carefully examined the nutrition, user reviews, press recommendations, and general popularity of each snack bar. We've also found the best bar for specific needs. For those that follow certain diets, or simply prefer products without certain ingredients, we have the granola bars for you. Read on to learn about the best granola bars of 2023. All prices were accurate at the time this list was published.
Best overall granola bar
88 Acres is a Boston-based brand that specializes in making bars, butters, and granola made from seeds. The company uses ingredients like watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds to replace nuts, appealing to people with common nut allergies. According to the brand's allergy statement, 88 Acres' bakery is also free from gluten, sesame, dairy, soy, and eggs. We recommend the brand's line of seed and oat bars.
This line from 88 Acres includes several different types of true granola bars (meaning they contain oats). They come in tasty flavors like cinnamon maple, dark chocolate sea salt, and blueberry lemon. Each flavor comes with health certifications and appealing nutritional information. For example, the dark chocolate sea salt flavor is vegan and gluten-free. Each bar contains relatively high amounts of protein and fiber while keeping the amount of sugar in each serving low.
Due to their many appealing qualities, we think the 88 Acres seed and oat bars are the best overall granola bars in 2023. On Amazon, this product has more than 900 reviews, which come to an average rating of 4.4 out of 5. Many individuals describe it as their favorite granola bar on the market. "I have had other bars and 88 acres really blows them out of the water," wrote one reviewer.
You can buy a 12-pack of the 88 Acres seed and oat bars on Amazon for $24.
Best budget granola bar
In our research, we found that Sunbelt Bakery is one of the most affordable granola bar brands. On Amazon, the product has been evaluated over 800 times, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5. Many reviewers complimented the oat and honey bar's affordability. "These are the best bars I have ever had! They are low in cost and low in calories," wrote one person. "The price is a good value," said another. "Such good flavor and value for what they cost!" exclaimed yet another customer.
We also appreciate the nutritional profile of Sunbelt Bakery's bars. Per the company, each oats & honey bar contains trace amounts of calcium, iron, and potassium. The granola bars are relatively low in sugar, with less than ten grams per serving. Plus, each bar contains only 120 calories. Unfortunately, there isn't much protein or fiber in each snack. Additionally, this product is not vegan, gluten-free, or free from common allergens. If these are things you're looking for, maybe don't pick up Sunbelt Bakery's oats and honey bars. But if you're not picky — and also looking for a deal — you could try them out.
You can buy a 50-pack of the Sunbelt Bakery oats and honey bars on Amazon for $24.
Best granola bar for snacking
As a snack, granola bars should be both delicious and nourishing. If you're looking for something like this, look no further than Nature's Bakery. All of the brand's products are gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free. Specifically, we recommend this company's line of whole wheat fig bars, which make an incredibly satisfying snack. Their somewhat chewy exterior, balanced with a soft fig filling, makes for a great sweet-and-savory bite. They're like healthy Fig Newtons.
To ease your worries, Nature's Bakery makes its whole wheat fig bars free from most allergens. Aside from wheat, each bar is made in a facility without fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, tree nuts, crustacean shellfish, or eggs. On the downside, each bar is somewhat high in calories yet low in protein, according to the nutritional facts for the blueberry flavor.
On Amazon, Nature's Bakery's whole wheat fig bars have been reviewed more than 41,000 times, achieving an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. Evaluators called it a "great tasting cookie for an in-between meals snack," saying "I love the fig flavor," and complimenting the texture as well.
You can buy a 12-pack of Nature's Bakery whole wheat fig bars on Amazon for $7.
Best gluten-free granola bar
Bob's Red Mill isn't just a brand that makes gluten-free flour. It also makes gluten-free granola bars. Along with gluten, there isn't any dairy, egg, or soy in each bar. While there are several flavors — including chocolate, banana, jelly, honey, and coconut — all have a few components in common. Each bar is made with peanut butter and oats. This satisfying base gives this snack a classic granola bar taste, no matter which flavor you choose.
Gluten-free (known as GF, for short) fans especially appreciate these bars. "It is hearty enough for an emergency GF meal," wrote one person on the Bob's Red Mill website who reviewed the peanut butter jelly & oats flavor. "Hands down, the best flavor & texture of any GF Oat Bar on the market right now," said another customer who reviewed the peanut butter coconut & oats flavor.
On Amazon, these bars are in high demand. They've been reviewed over 2,000 times, coming to an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. Many agreed that the bars were filling and great tasting. "These can be used as a tasty, quick breakfast or a midday snack to tide you over until dinner," read one review. "I was not expecting it to be so dang delicious! It tasted fresh, was the perfect texture, and a good size. Filling too," echoed yet another person.
You can buy a 12-pack of Bob's Red Mill peanut butter and oat bars on Amazon for $24.60.
Best vegan granola bar
Some of the best vegan granola bars are made by Bobo's, a company with nearly two decades of experience. All of Bobo's products are gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and made with coconut oil instead of less healthy seed oils (via Bobo's). Bobo's oat bars are one of its most popular products, according to the best-sellers list on the brand's website. Many of the products, including its oat bars, are vegan.
The classic oat bars made by Bobo's come in flavors like chocolate chip, maple pecan, lemon poppyseed, cinnamon raisin, and apple pie. The chocolate chip oat bar — one of the most popular bars of the line — contains three grams of protein and ten grams of sugar. Bobo's promises that it will help customers to obtain a healthy gut, lower their blood pressure, and control their weight, thanks to the nutritional content of its oat bars.
Amazon customers are big fans of these vegan bars. On the virtual retailer, the products have been reviewed over 3,700 times, receiving an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. Those looking for vegan snacks were satisfied. "I'm obsessed with bobo's bars. They are healthy, filling, and vegan," said one reviewer. "Can't believe it's vegan! Delicious taste," said another. The bar's texture, which is softer than many other granola bars, was a divisive topic among reviewers. If you're going to try it, prepare yourself for something without crunch.
You can buy a 12-pack of Bobo's original oat bars on Amazon for $31.
Best dairy-free granola bar
Since 2000, the Lärabar brand has been one of the most recognizable names in the granola bar world. When the Colorado company first introduced its fruit and nut-based bars to the market, it had just four initial flavors: cocoa coconut chew, cashew cookie, apple pie, and cherry pie (via Lärabar). These flavors, along with newer ones, have remained popular due to the bar's short ingredient lists (usually less than eight items per bar) and health certifications (such as dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan), per the brand.
Lärabar flavors like cherry pie, almond cookie, carrot cake, and mint chip brownie — all part of Lärabar's original fruit and nut bar line — are widely popular on Amazon. Customers reviewed the bars over 18,000 times, granting them an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. Those looking for a dairy-free granola bar were thrilled to find it. "I'm not vegan, and not a super healthy eater, but I do have a dairy allergy .. it is quite hard to find good chocolate bars with no dairy," said one customer who loved these bars.
You can buy a 16-pack of Lärabar's almond cookie bars on Amazon for $25.
Best keto granola bar
Followers of the keto diet need granola bars too. But they may have trouble finding such products, as many granola bars are high sugar, high carb, and low protein foods, which does not fly in the keto world. Luckily, there is Munk Pack. This company is dedicated to creating keto granola bars that are low sugar, low carb, and high protein. Along with being keto, these bars are gluten-free and egg-free. You won't find trans fat, cholesterol, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial preservatives in Munk Pack's snacks, either.
There must be a lot of keto shoppers on Amazon because these bars are surprisingly popular. Munk Pack's keto granola bars have over 10,000 reviews, coming to an average rating of 4.4 out of 5. One person called them essential for nature lovers looking for keto-friendly snacks. "Sure, I could've survived on my clean beef sticks and a handful of nuts," the reviewer wrote. "But sometimes you just need a shelf-stable granola bar and honestly these are the best of the best," they said.
You can buy a 12-pack of Munk Pack's keto granola bars on Amazon for $26.
Best high protein granola bar
RXbar makes snack bars many recognize for their bold wrappers decorated with shockingly short ingredient lists. As Wired explains, these lists are meant to communicate that RXbar's products are made with whole foods. However, they can be misleading, leaving out certain ingredients. RXbars are more similar to protein bars than typical granola bars. But due to their popularity and high protein content (around 12 grams per serving), we decided to give them a shoutout.
On Amazon, protein-lovers appreciate RXbars. "I like these, they provide protein without ingredients that I do not want," wrote one customer. "I'm a health nut and these are hands-down the best protein bars," said another reviewer. On the online retailer, these protein bars have been reviewed over 22,000 times, receiving an average rating of 4.4 out of 5.
Some users complained about the texture of RXbar's products. On Influenster, extreme chewiness, leading to issues breaking down the bars, was a commonly-mentioned issue. Yet on the same website, people said they loved the texture of RXbars. However, people agree that these bars are energizing. "They give me energy and make me feel full without weighing me down," said one person. If you need a protein-loaded bar but aren't too picky about texture, RXbar's products could be a good fit.
You can buy a 12-pack of RXbar's blueberry protein bars on Amazon for $21.
Best allergen-free granola bar
If you're cautious about allergens, MadeGood is an allergy-friendly granola bar brand. According to the company's website, all products are made without — as well as in factories free from — wheat, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, and sesame. With this allergy statement applying to all of MadeGood's products, you don't need to worry about looking up a particular allergy warning for individual products.
We recommend MadeGood's line of granola bars. This series includes flavors like cookies and creme, chocolate chip, and mixed berry. Within this line, some of MadeGood's granola bars come with an extra layer of chocolate drizzle. But don't be deceived by these dessert-like names. Even in flavors called birthday cake, MadeGood's snacks contain extracts of vegetables like beets, carrots, broccoli, and spinach. Hidden veggies, along with allergy-safe facilities, make these snacks well-suited for children.
On Amazon, the chocolate chip flavor of MadeGood's granola bars has been reviewed over 4,000 times. The average rating granted by Amazon customers is 4.7 out of 5. Allergy-cautious shoppers were impressed. "Two of my kids are highly allergic to certain foods, so finding safe, healthy, and tasty treats is sometimes a struggle. I was leary when I read the ingredients, but after a bite, I was swayed. They are tasty," wrote one reviewer.
You can buy a 40-pack of MadeGood's chocolate chip granola bars on Amazon for $24.22.
Best low sugar granola bar
Zing Bars are known for their low sugar content. The dark chocolate cherry almond flavor contains only six grams. The dark chocolate mocha bars have five grams. The oatmeal chocolate chip protein version also has six grams of sugar. By including less than 10 grams of sugar per bar, Zing has less sugar than most. Plus, those statistics are just in reference to Zing's chocolate-covered bars. Within the brand's line of keto bars, there is even less sugar — as little as one gram per bar. Even if Zing is not a normal granola bar, we recommend the company because of its low sugar content.
Along with being keto-friendly and low-sugar, Zing Bars are suitable for many other diets. That's because all of the company's products are free from dairy, soy, or gluten. That's gotten them the attention of many dieters on the internet. On Amazon, Zing Bars have been reviewed over 1,500 times. One verified purchaser wrote, "These things taste great and I bought them because they are high in protein and low sugar." There were a few complaints regarding the use of tapioca flour, stomach issues, and a perceived difference in taste after the company changed its recipe. Take note of these things if you're considering giving Zing Bars a try.
You can buy a 12-pack of Zing's coconut cashew bars on Amazon for $30.
Best granola bar for kids
As one of the most popular granola bar brands, Kind Bars has faced backlash. In 2015, the FDA told the company that some of its granola bars were misleadingly labeled as "healthy," due to their high amounts of saturated fat (via USA Today). Eventually, the FDA took back this claim, as it turned out to be based on outdated science (via NPR). Today, many of the products made by Kind are considered to be perfectly healthy.
Per one dietician who reviewed Kind's dark chocolate, nuts, and sea salt flavor earlier this year, KIND Bars "are an excellent choice as they are made with good quality ingredients and have a balanced nutrition profile." It is this such line, of Kind's nut bars, that we think is a great match for kids.
Of course, due to this line of granola bars containing various nuts, keep these away from allergic children. However, the nutrition, flavor, colorful packing, and recognizable ingredients make these bars great for hungry children. On Amazon, Kind nut bar buyers agreed. "Children love them as a reward for chores, or just a snack on returning from school," said one person. "Kind Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate have become a staple in my home for my children and I," wrote another Amazon user. Flavors like dark chocolate cherry cashew, pomegranate blueberry pistachio, and blueberry vanilla cashew are popular options (via Kind).
You can buy a 12-pack of Kind's cranberry almond nut bars on Amazon for $14.
Best granola bar for athletes
GoMacro is a granola bar company vying for athletes' attention. The brand truly wants fitness enthusiasts to use its products as workout snacks. GoMacro even recommends its protein bars for triathlon training because they are easily digestible and portable snacks.
On Amazon, where over 6,000 reviews come to an average rating of 4.6 out of 5, users recommended GoMacro for fitness fuel. "I eat a bar before exercising 3x a week," said one customer. Choose any of GoMacro's Macrobars for the perfect workout snack. Some flavors include salted caramel and chocolate chip or banana and almond butter. All of these protein bars are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. For additional dietary restrictions or allergies (such as nut allergies) there are even GoMacro bars that fill those needs. Simply check out the company's dietary considerations page to explore different options.
You can buy a 12-pack of GoMacro's cashew caramel protein bars on Amazon for $50.
Best granola bar with caffeine
Ultra-busy granola bar lovers might want these snacks to be laced with caffeine. This way, you can consume both parts of your breakfast — the coffee and the meal — at once. If this interests you, check out Verb Energy. Each of these caffeinated snack bars is made with green tea. By eating just one bar, you ingest 80 milligrams of caffeine, which is approximately the amount included in a shot of espresso. In case you're also concerned with certain dietary restrictions, each bar is also vegan and gluten-free.
On Amazon, these bars are popular with caffeine lovers. They've been reviewed over 900 times, receiving an average rating of 4.3 out of 5. "My coworker got a lot of energy when I gave her one," said one person of Verb Energy's bars. "Provides a nice steady stream of energy," said another person.
You can buy a 16-pack of Verb Energy bars on Amazon for $30.