Workers taking an afternoon tea break
If you want a bar in place of your usual biscuit, compare the protein, sugars and energy in one complete bar. A protein-focused name alone does not tell you how much the portion provides.
Who these bars might suit
Plant-based snack-bar shoppers
Check both vegan labelling and protein per bar. The TREK Cocoa Oat bar lists 9g plant protein, while its Choc Peanut Butter bar lists 15g; the exact variant changes the comparison.
Gluten-free or allergen-aware shoppers
Choose from the current pack’s dietary and allergen information, not the brand name. A gluten-free or vegan label does not answer separate questions about peanuts, soya, milk, sesame or other nuts.
What to check before choosing
Start with the amount in the bar you would actually eat, then check whether its ingredients and other nutrition figures fit your needs.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per bar | Read grams per whole bar and the bar’s weight. TREK lists 15g per 55g Choc Peanut Butter bar; Nature Valley lists around 10g per 40g Peanut & Chocolate bar. | I want to know what one afternoon portion provides, rather than comparing product names or per-100g figures alone. |
| Sugars and energy | Compare the same per-bar measure for both figures. TREK lists 2.3g sugars and 198 kcal for its 55g Choc Peanut Butter bar; Tesco Groceries lists 13g sugars for a 45g Nakd Peanut Butter Protein bar. | Protein matters to me, but I also want to see the sugars and energy in the portion I would eat. |
| Dietary suitability | Check the exact flavour’s ingredients, dietary labels and precautionary allergen statement. The Food Standards Agency advises using the full ingredients list to identify emphasised allergens. | I need a bar that meets my dietary requirements without assuming that vegan or gluten-free means free from other allergens. |
| Fibre and portion | Read fibre per bar alongside its weight. Tesco Groceries lists 6.8g fibre per 45g Nakd Peanut Butter Protein bar; TREK lists 15g per 55g Choc Peanut Butter bar. | Some days I want a smaller bar; on others, I would rather compare what a larger portion provides. |
| Pack format | Check the number of bars and the weight of each one. Keep the variant name in view when comparing multipacks. | I want a pack that works for several tea breaks without mistaking the weight of the whole pack for one serving. |
Common buying mistakes
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Reading “protein” as an amount
The word in a bar’s name does not say how many grams one bar provides. The researched product examples have different weights and protein amounts.
Use the nutrition information for the complete bar, especially when comparing different pack sizes or flavours.
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Confusing no added sugar with a sugars figure
Tesco Groceries lists 13g sugars per 45g Nakd Peanut Butter Protein bar, which is described as having no added sugar. Those statements refer to different things.
If total sugars affect your choice, compare the per-bar sugars figure rather than relying on the front-of-pack wording.
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Using a dietary label instead of checking allergens
A gluten-free or vegan description does not establish whether a bar contains peanuts, soya, milk, sesame or other ingredients relevant to an allergy.
Read the ingredients and precautionary statement on the exact pack, including when you switch flavour.
Brand and product-line references
These examples describe particular bars or product lines, not every product made by each brand.
TREK
TREK lists 15g protein per 55g Choc Peanut Butter bar and 9g plant protein for its Cocoa Oat bar.
- The Choc Peanut Butter listing also gives 2.3g sugars and 15g fibre per bar.
- Check the Choc Peanut Butter pack for peanuts, sesame, soya and its precautionary allergen statement.
Nature Valley
Nature Valley lists around 10g protein, around 4g fibre and about 7g sugars per 40g Protein Peanut & Chocolate bar.
- The 40g bar gives a distinct portion size to compare with larger bars.
- The Peanut & Chocolate variant contains peanuts, soya and milk; check each flavour separately.
Nakd
Tesco Groceries lists 7.6g protein, 6.8g fibre and 13g sugars per 45g Nakd Peanut Butter Protein bar.
- That variant is listed as suitable for vegans and gluten-free.
- It contains peanuts; no added sugar does not mean the bar contains no sugars.
Eat Natural
Eat Natural lists 7.8g protein, 2.4g fibre and 10g sugars per 40g Dark Chocolate & Peanut Protein Bar.
- The named variant offers a peanut-and-dark-chocolate option with a stated per-bar protein amount.
- Check its peanut and soya ingredients and precautionary allergen statement before choosing it.
Graze
For Graze Peanut Butter Oat Boost, Tesco Groceries lists 2.2g protein, 4.6g fibre and 3.1g sugars per 30g serving.
- The per-serving figures make this oat flapjack straightforward to compare with a protein-focused bar.
- Its stated 2.2g protein per serving may not meet a shopper’s own protein target for the break.
Alpen
A Weetabix Food Company and Alpen product list from November 2021 names Chocolate and Berries Protein Bars.
- For an Alpen bar you are considering now, use the exact current pack to check protein, ingredients and allergens; the historical list cannot describe that pack.
Joybuy snack-bar options
These Grenade and Nature Valley multipacks offer flavours and bar sizes to compare for an afternoon tea break. Check the current nutrition and allergen information for the particular variant you choose.
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Grenade Oreo Protein Bars, 12 x 60g
For a protein-focused afternoon break, compare the nutrition information per 60g bar with your other options. Check the current ingredients for milk and wheat if either matters to you.
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Grenade Soft Core Double Chocolate, 12 x 50g
This Double Chocolate multipack contains 50g bars for portion-by-portion comparison. Check its protein, sugars and fibre per bar, and read the milk and soya allergen information on the pack.
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Grenade Soft Core Golden Caramel, 12 x 50g
If Golden Caramel appeals for a tea break, compare its own per-bar nutrition rather than assuming it matches another Soft Core flavour. The pack contains 50g bars; check its milk and soya allergen information.
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Grenade Soft Core Peanut Butter, 12 x 50g
This Peanut Butter variant comes as 50g bars. Compare its per-bar nutrition with the other flavours, and check the current pack for peanut, milk and soya allergen information.
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Nature Valley Protein Salted Caramel Nut, 4 x 40g
These 40g bars provide a smaller portion format than the Grenade packs shown here. If gluten-free suitability or a particular allergen matters, check this Salted Caramel Nut variant’s own label rather than using details from Peanut & Chocolate.
Frequently asked questions
Does “protein” in a bar’s name tell me how much it contains?
No. Read protein grams per whole bar on the exact pack, together with its weight. That lets you compare what you would eat at an afternoon tea break rather than relying on the product name.
How do the TREK and Nature Valley examples compare per bar?
TREK lists 15g protein per 55g Choc Peanut Butter bar, while Nature Valley lists around 10g per 40g Protein Peanut & Chocolate bar. Check sugars, portion size and allergens as well as protein before choosing between them.
Is a gluten-free bar suitable if I have a nut or milk allergy?
Not on the strength of its gluten-free label alone. Nature Valley Protein Peanut & Chocolate contains peanuts, soya and milk, while Nakd Peanut Butter Protein contains peanuts; check the ingredients and precautionary statement for the exact bar.
How should I keep snack bars at work?
Follow the storage instructions on the individual pack. Keep the wrapper available until you eat the bar so you can refer to its ingredients and allergen information.