People avoiding both gluten and dairy
Look for product-specific gluten-free and dairy-free information on a portable bar. Check nuts, soya and precautionary statements separately: neither “vegan” nor “plant-based” answers every allergen question.
Who needs which checks?
The useful starting point is your specific exclusion, not the broadest claim on the front of a bar.
People with one ingredient to avoid
If you want to compare protein per bar while excluding gluten or milk, check that particular requirement first. A gluten-free bar can still use milk protein, while a dairy-free bar may contain other allergens.
People managing an allergy or coeliac disease
Use the current pack’s ingredients, highlighted allergens and precautionary statements for the exact flavour. GOV.UK distinguishes allergens used as ingredients from other information you may need when assessing a food.
What to check before choosing
Check dietary fit before comparing nutrition figures. Bars with similar front-of-pack wording can have different ingredient and allergen declarations.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Specific allergens | Read the exact flavour’s ingredients and highlighted allergens. Check any “may contain” statement separately from ingredients used in the bar. | I need to know whether the pack contains, excludes or warns about the particular allergen I avoid. |
| Free-from claims | Check gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan claims individually; one does not establish the others. Quest describes its gluten-free bars as containing dairy-based proteins, while Barebells says some vegan bars contain wheat protein. | A vegan label alone will not answer my gluten question, and a gluten-free label will not answer my milk question. |
| Per-bar nutrition | Compare the serving size and protein and sugars per whole bar. Check the ingredients for sweeteners or polyols if these matter to you; per-100g figures describe a different quantity. | For a tea break, I want to compare what I would get from one bar without setting aside my ingredient requirements. |
| Exact pack | Match the flavour and pack size to the listing, then read the current pack before eating. Tesco advises that ingredients and allergen information can change when foods are reformulated. | I cannot rely on a different flavour or an older listing to answer a question about the bar in my hand. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “gluten-free” or “vegan” as an all-allergen claim
Quest describes its gluten-free protein bars as using dairy-based proteins. Barebells says some vegan bars contain wheat protein.
Write down the ingredient you need to avoid, then check that requirement against the exact flavour’s ingredients and precautionary statement.
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Assuming a dairy-free nut bar is nut-free
Tesco lists nakd. Protein Cocoa Hazelnut as gluten-free and dairy-free, but its ingredients include peanuts and hazelnuts; the listing also warns of possible soya and other nuts.
If you avoid peanuts or tree nuts, do not choose that bar on the strength of its dairy-free claim. Check a different product’s current pack against your requirements.
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Comparing protein figures without checking the serving
Tesco describes the nakd. Cocoa Hazelnut bar as a 45g serving with about 7g protein. The cited Grenade Cookie Dough bar has 20g protein per 60g bar, but contains milk and soya.
Compare protein and sugars per whole bar alongside serving size and allergens, rather than treating a larger protein figure as a reason to skip the ingredient check.
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Using an old listing instead of the current pack
Tesco notes that reformulation can change ingredients, nutrition and allergen information.
Check the current product details when ordering and the physical pack before eating, particularly when an ingredient exclusion is essential.
Brand and range references
These examples illustrate different label checks; a claim about one bar or range does not apply to every product bearing the same brand.
nakd.
Tesco lists the Cocoa Hazelnut Protein Bar as a 45g vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free option.
- The cited listing states about 7g plant protein per bar.
- That bar contains peanuts and hazelnuts and may contain soya and other nuts; its claims do not describe every nakd. product.
Myprotein
Myprotein UK includes Vegan Carb Crusher Protein Bar in its dairy-free bar category.
- The category offers a starting point for shoppers avoiding milk-derived ingredients.
- Check the individual flavour for gluten, nuts, soya and precautionary statements rather than treating the category label as an all-allergen claim.
Quest
Quest describes its protein-bar range as gluten-free and says it uses dairy-based proteins, including milk protein isolate.
- The cited range information states up to 21g protein per bar.
- It is not a dairy-free route; check the exact UK pack and flavour, including its ingredients and sweeteners.
Grenade
DDC Foods lists 20g protein and 1.9g sugar per 60g Grenade Carb Killa Cookie Dough bar.
- The per-bar figures allow comparison with a tea-break serving of another product.
- The cited Cookie Dough bar contains milk and soya and carries additional precautionary allergen information; it is not a general free-from choice.
PhD
PhD lists 21–22g protein per 64g Smart Bar for the cited flavours.
- Those flavour-specific figures can be compared per bar.
- PhD describes a whey-protein centre, so this is not a dairy-free route; its product page also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.
Barebells
Barebells offers several bar types whose ingredient requirements differ.
- Individual flavour labels let shoppers assess a specific bar rather than the range as a whole.
- Barebells says its original and soft bars contain lactose or may contain traces, and some vegan bars contain wheat protein. Tesco lists milk proteins in the Cookies & Cream bar.
Joybuy product options
These bars and flapjacks offer different flavours and pack sizes for a morning tea break. Check each exact product’s current ingredients and allergen information before choosing it for a free-from requirement.
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Nakd Peanut Delight, 4 x 35g
A four-bar pack to consider for individual tea breaks. Confirm that the pack is Peanut Delight and check its ingredients and allergen statements before relying on any free-from claim.
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Trek Salted Caramel Protein Flapjacks, 3 x 50g
A three-flapjack pack for tea breaks. Check the exact pack’s gluten, milk, soya and precautionary allergen information against the ingredients you avoid.
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Nature Valley Protein Peanut & Chocolate, 4 x 40g
Four 40g bars for separate tea breaks. Check the current pack’s peanut and other allergen information, including whether its gluten and milk declarations meet your requirements.
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Grenade Oreo Flavour Protein Bars, 4 x 60g
A four-bar pack for shoppers comparing 60g tea-break servings. Check this Oreo Flavour pack’s nutrition panel and full allergen declaration rather than applying figures or ingredients from another Grenade flavour.
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Grenade Soft Core Double Chocolate, 12 x 50g
A 12-bar pack with 50g bars. For a free-from decision, read the Double Chocolate pack’s own ingredients, precautionary statements and per-bar nutrition rather than those of another Grenade product.
Questions about free-from bars
Does vegan mean a protein bar is gluten-free and suitable for every allergy?
No. A vegan bar can contain gluten or nuts: Barebells says some vegan bars contain wheat protein, and Tesco lists peanuts and hazelnuts in the vegan nakd. Cocoa Hazelnut bar. Check the exact pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements.
Is a gluten-free protein bar also dairy-free?
Not necessarily. Quest describes its gluten-free protein bars as using dairy-based proteins, including milk protein isolate. Check milk ingredients separately if you need to avoid dairy.
Where should I start when choosing a dairy-free bar?
Start with an explicit dairy-free claim for the exact product, then check its other ingredients. Tesco lists nakd. Cocoa Hazelnut as dairy-free but containing peanuts and hazelnuts; a dairy-free category, such as Myprotein’s, does not establish every flavour’s gluten, nut or soya status.
Should I choose the bar with the most protein?
Choose for ingredient suitability first, then compare protein per whole bar. Tesco’s nakd. Cocoa Hazelnut listing gives about 7g protein per 45g bar, while the cited Grenade Cookie Dough bar gives 20g per 60g bar but contains milk and soya.