For a picnic snack where lower energy per bar matters most, Tesco Groceries lists TREK High Protein Choc Caramel at 159 kcal and 12g protein per 44g bar—the lowest energy value among the four UK product variants compared here. If you want more protein per bar, its labels list 21g in Grenade Carb Killa Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel at 222 kcal or PhD Smart Bar Chocolate Brownie at 250 kcal. Compare the whole bar, then check the exact pack for allergens, sweeteners and storage instructions.
If a bar is one part of your lunch, compare the energy in the entire bar. The UK product labels used here show different bar sizes, so a low-sugar description alone will not tell you which portion has fewer calories.
Tesco Groceries lists 21g protein per bar for the specified Grenade Carb Killa and PhD Smart Bar variants, compared with 12g for the specified TREK bar. The higher-protein choices also have more calories per bar in this four-product comparison.
Milk, soya and peanuts appear in the ingredient information for some of these variants, alongside precautionary allergen statements. Check the current pack for the person who will eat the bar rather than relying on a familiar brand name.
Start with the portion you will pack, then check whether its ingredients and storage instructions work for the rest of the picnic.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Energy and protein | Compare kcal and protein per complete bar, not just per 100g. Tesco Groceries lists 159 kcal and 12g protein for the 44g TREK Choc Caramel bar, 222 kcal and 21g for the 60g Grenade Carb Killa Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel bar, and 250 kcal and 21g for the 64g PhD Chocolate Brownie bar. Barebells UK lists 217 kcal and 16g for its 55g Salted Peanut Caramel bar. | I want to know what one bar adds to my picnic lunch. A smaller energy figure may come with a different protein amount, so I would compare both figures for the variant I intend to pack. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and any may-contain statement for the exact flavour. Barebells UK lists peanuts, milk and soya for its Salted Peanut Caramel bar; the other variants have different ingredient and precautionary statements. GOV.UK explains how allergens used as ingredients are labelled on prepacked food. | If someone else will eat the bar, I need to check their ingredient requirements against the pack in my hand, including any precautionary allergen wording. |
| Sweeteners | Check the ingredient list and any pack warning rather than judging by sugar alone. Tesco Groceries lists 1.3g sugar per bar for the specified Grenade Carb Killa variant and 1.2g for PhD Chocolate Brownie; the PhD listing also warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. | I may prefer one flavour or ingredient list over another, even when two bars have similar listed sugar. A low-sugar description does not answer my calorie or ingredient questions. |
| Picnic storage | Follow the bar’s own storage instructions. For other foods normally kept chilled, Food Standards Agency picnic guidance says to use a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs. | I want a bar that fits my packed lunch, but I still need a separate plan for any chilled food I bring. |
In this four-variant comparison, Tesco Groceries lists the specified Grenade and PhD bars at 222 kcal and 250 kcal respectively, despite their low listed sugar values. Its TREK Choc Caramel listing shows 159 kcal but a different protein amount.
Compare kcal and protein for the entire bar before deciding which trade-off suits its place in your lunch.
Ingredient and precautionary statements differ between bars and flavours. Barebells UK, for example, lists peanuts, milk and soya in its Salted Peanut Caramel bar.
Read the current physical pack, particularly when buying for someone with an allergy.
A bar’s storage instructions do not apply to the other foods in your bag. Food Standards Agency guidance calls for foods normally kept chilled to be carried in a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs.
Pack each food according to its own storage requirements and keep chilled components in suitable cool storage.
Bringing chilled foods may mean carrying a cool bag and ice or frozen gel packs as well as the lunch itself.
The listed protein amount describes one bar, not everything you may want from a picnic lunch. Tesco Real Food’s protein guidance discusses obtaining protein from a range of foods.
Decide what role the bar has in the meal, then plan the other foods and their storage separately.
These figures describe named variants, not every bar made by each brand; check the flavour and bar size before comparing them.
The Carb Killa Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel variant is one option for comparing a 21g protein bar with a lower-energy snack.
The Smart Bar Chocolate Brownie variant provides another 21g-per-bar comparison point, in a 64g portion.
The Soft Protein Bar Salted Peanut Caramel variant is a peanut-containing option with a different portion size and protein amount.
These options are three Grenade Soft Core flavours, a Grenade Oreo Flavour multipack and Nature Valley Salted Caramel Nut bars. They are different variants from the four named bars compared above, so use each option’s own pack information when making a calorie or protein comparison.
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A 12-bar pack with 50g bars for portion-by-portion picnic planning. This variant lists milk and soya as allergens; check its current label for the full ingredients and nutrition per bar.
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Choose this 50g-bar variant if you want a caramel flavour in a 12-bar pack. Its listed allergens include milk and soya; compare its own per-bar nutrition and ingredients with the Double Chocolate variant rather than assuming they match.
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This 12-pack contains 50g Peanut Butter bars. The variant lists peanut, milk and soya as allergens, making the exact pack label an important check before putting it in a shared picnic bag.
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This Oreo Flavour pack contains four 60g bars, rather than the 50g Soft Core bars above. Its listed allergens include milk, gluten and soya; use the nutrition for this exact variant when comparing whole bars.
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This pack contains four 40g nut bars. Almonds, milk, peanuts and soya are listed as allergens; check the current pack and compare nutrition per whole bar before choosing it for a picnic guest.
Among the four specified UK variants compared here, Tesco Groceries lists TREK High Protein Choc Caramel at 159 kcal and 12g protein per 44g bar. Barebells UK lists Salted Peanut Caramel at 217 kcal and 16g protein per 55g bar; the specified Grenade and PhD bars provide 21g protein at 222 kcal and 250 kcal respectively. These figures describe those variants, not every bar from the brands or every bar sold in the UK.
Follow the storage directions for the exact bar and keep it protected from heat as instructed on its pack. That does not change how other foods must be carried: Food Standards Agency picnic guidance says foods normally kept chilled should go in a cool box or cool bag with ice or frozen gel packs.
Yes—check the ingredients and precautionary statements on the current pack of the exact flavour, especially when buying for someone else. GOV.UK’s food-labelling guidance explains the labelling of regulated allergens used as ingredients in prepacked foods; the named bars here have different allergen profiles.
No. Sugar, energy per bar, allergens and sweeteners are separate label checks. For example, Tesco Groceries lists 1.2g sugar but 250 kcal per bar for PhD Smart Bar Chocolate Brownie, and its listing warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.