Desk-based snackers
If a bar is your portable mid-morning snack, compare its protein with sugars, calories and fibre per whole bar. A prominent protein figure does not tell you what else is in that portion.
Who is choosing a bar?
Shoppers comparing protein and sugar
For a bar that fits an active routine, read both figures on the exact flavour’s nutrition panel. The amounts stated for one brand or flavour should not be applied to another.
Vegan or allergen-aware shoppers
Look for an explicit vegan suitability statement where relevant, and read the ingredients, allergen declaration and any “may contain” wording on the bar you intend to buy.
What should you compare?
Start with the portion you will eat at elevenses, then decide which other label details matter for that choice.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per bar | Compare grams per complete bar and check its weight. Use the nutrition panel for the exact flavour rather than a range-wide claim. | I want to know how much protein the bar I will actually eat provides, especially if the packs contain different-sized bars. |
| Whole-bar nutrition | Read sugars, calories, saturated fat and fibre alongside protein, using the same per-bar basis. For example, Myprotein lists 18g protein, 8.3g fibre, 6.6g sugars and 239 kcal for its 60g Chocolate Orange Layered Protein Bar. | Protein is important to me, but I also want to see what comes with it in my elevenses portion. |
| Flavour and format | Check the flavour, bar size and whether the format appeals to you. Do not assume that two coated or layered bars have the same nutrition. | For a regular desk snack, I would rather choose a flavour and texture I want to eat than commit to a multipack on the protein figure alone. |
| Ingredients and suitability | Read the ingredient and allergen statements, including “may contain” wording. Check for an explicit vegan statement if needed, and note any sweetener or polyol warning. | My dietary requirements or sensitivity to particular ingredients may rule out a flavour regardless of its protein content. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Choosing by protein alone
Bars with similar protein positioning can have different sugars, calories and fibre. Myprotein’s Chocolate Orange Layered Protein Bar, for instance, lists 18g protein and 8.3g fibre alongside 6.6g sugars and 239 kcal per 60g bar.
Compare the full nutrition table per bar, then decide which other figures matter for your snack.
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Applying one flavour’s figures to a whole range
Myprotein notes that nutrition can vary by flavour. PhD’s Smart Bar and Smart Plant pages also give protein figures in promotional copy that differ from figures shown for featured products.
Use the nutrition and ingredient panel for the exact flavour, bar size and pack you are buying.
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Buying a multipack before reading the label
Ingredients and precautionary allergen statements matter for each flavour. Barebells Cookies & Cream also carries a warning that excessive consumption may have laxative effects.
Read the exact label for allergens, sweeteners and polyols before choosing a case; if the flavour is new to you, consider a single bar first.
Which brands are relevant?
These brand examples illustrate different bar formats and label checks; the figures below apply to the named products, not every flavour in a range.
Grenade
Grenade offers confectionery-style protein bars, including its Carb Killa range.
- Grenade states that its White Chocolate Cookie bar contains 23g protein and 1.5g sugar per bar.
- Check the nutrition, ingredients and allergens for the particular flavour; those figures do not describe every Grenade bar.
PhD
PhD has Smart Bar products and a separate Smart Plant range described as suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- Its featured Smart Bar page shows 21g protein and 1g sugar; the Smart Plant Salted Caramel nutrition table lists 21g protein per 64g bar.
- Promotional protein figures differ from the featured nutrition figures on these pages. Check the exact pack, and do not assume standard Smart Bars are vegan.
Myprotein
Myprotein offers several bar formats, including layered protein bars.
- Its Chocolate Orange Layered Protein Bar nutrition table lists 18g protein and 8.3g fibre per 60g serving.
- That same serving lists 6.6g sugars and 239 kcal; other flavours may have different values.
Barebells
Barebells sells confectionery-style bars in several product ranges.
- The Cookies & Cream label lists 20g protein, 1.4g sugars and 190 kcal per 55g bar.
- That product contains milk, carries precautionary allergen wording and warns that excessive consumption may have laxative effects.
Quest
Quest describes protein bars made with dairy-based proteins and sugar alcohols on its US range page.
- Quest’s range information describes bars containing up to 21g protein.
- For a UK purchase, check the ingredients and nutrition panel on the exact pack rather than applying US range information to a particular UK-listed bar.
Tesco
Tesco is a retailer, not a protein-bar manufacturer; its protein-bar category has included Grenade and Barebells listings.
- A grocery listing can be useful when comparing a single bar with multipacks during a regular shop.
- Check the current seller, pack size and product label, since grocery and Marketplace listings can appear together.
Joybuy protein-bar options
These Joybuy listings cover Grenade and PhD bars for an elevenses snack, including multipacks with different flavours and bar sizes. Compare the exact pack label before deciding which suits your priorities.
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Grenade High Protein Low Sugar Oreo Flavour, 4 × 60g
A four-bar pack to consider if you want an Oreo-flavoured option for elevenses. Compare protein and sugars per 60g bar on the pack, and check the ingredients and allergens before choosing this flavour.
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PhD Smart Chocolate Peanut Butter Flavour, 12 × 64g
A twelve-bar pack for shoppers who already want this flavour in their elevenses routine. Joybuy’s listing describes approximately 20g protein per 64g bar; check the Chocolate Peanut Butter pack label for its exact nutrition and ingredients rather than using figures for another Smart Bar flavour.
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Grenade Soft Core Double Chocolate, 12 × 50g
This Double Chocolate multipack contains twelve 50g bars. If protein per snack is your main criterion, compare its per-bar figure with the 60g and 64g options rather than comparing pack names alone; also read the flavour’s ingredient and allergen information.
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Grenade Soft Core Golden Caramel, 12 × 50g
A twelve-pack of Golden Caramel 50g bars for shoppers considering that flavour at elevenses. Check protein, sugars and calories per bar on this flavour’s pack; do not assume they match another Grenade bar or Soft Core flavour.
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Grenade Soft Core Peanut Butter, 12 × 50g
This Peanut Butter option comes as twelve 50g bars. Check its per-bar nutrition against your elevenses priorities and read the exact ingredient and allergen statements, particularly if peanuts are relevant to your choice.
Questions about protein bars
Does “high protein” settle which bar to buy for elevenses?
No. Compare protein with sugars, saturated fat, calories and fibre per whole bar, then check its ingredients. A front-of-pack protein claim does not describe the rest of that portion.
What should I check if I have a food allergy?
Read the ingredients and allergen declaration on the exact pack, including any precautionary “may contain” statement. For example, Barebells Cookies & Cream contains milk and carries precautionary wording for other allergens; another flavour’s label is not a substitute.
Is every bar made with plant protein vegan?
Do not assume so: look for an explicit vegan suitability statement and check the full ingredients. PhD describes Smart Plant as suitable for vegans and vegetarians, but its Salted Caramel product includes soya and peanut ingredients that still matter for allergy checks.
Why might a protein bar carry a laxative-effect warning?
Some bars contain sweeteners or polyols, and a particular pack may warn about excessive consumption. Barebells Cookies & Cream carries that warning. If those ingredients matter to you, read the label before buying a multipack.