Office workers comparing fat as well as protein
If you pack a bar for work, the total-fat and saturated-fat figures matter more to a lower-fat choice than a low-sugar message on the front of the pack.
Who is this choice for?
Workers choosing a larger protein serving
A larger bar may provide more protein per serving, but check its fat and energy per bar before treating it as interchangeable with a smaller snack.
Plant-based or allergy-aware buyers
Check the ingredients and allergen statement for the exact flavour. Formulations across these ranges differ, so a brand name alone cannot establish suitability.
What should you compare?
Start with the per-100g nutrition panel to compare bars of different sizes, then use the per-bar figures to judge the portion you would pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Total fat | Compare total fat per 100g, then per bar. The NHS low-fat label guideline is 3g or less per 100g; a lower figure within a group does not necessarily meet it. | I want to compare formulations fairly, even when one bar is much smaller than another. |
| Protein per serving | Read protein alongside the stated bar weight and fat per bar. YuBi Bar lists 10.5g protein per 35g bar for its representative panel; Myprotein lists 20g per 60g Layered Protein Bar. | A smaller snack may be enough for me, or I may prefer the protein quantity in a larger bar. |
| Saturates and energy | Read saturated fat and energy on the exact flavour’s panel as separate figures. Do not use a low-sugar statement in place of either check. | I want to know what the bar I actually pack contributes, not just what its front-of-pack wording highlights. |
| Ingredients and storage | Check the flavour-specific allergens, sweeteners and any consumption warning. Follow the storage directions on the pack you buy. | Before leaving a bar at work or putting it in my lunch, I need one whose ingredients and storage instructions suit my circumstances. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading “low sugar” as “low fat”
They describe different parts of the nutrition panel. Tesco Groceries lists 14g total fat per 100g for Grenade Carb Killa Peanut Nutter, regardless of its sugar positioning.
Compare total fat and saturated fat directly, using the figures for the flavour you intend to buy.
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Comparing protein without checking bar size
YuBi Bar’s representative 35g bar lists 10.5g protein and 3.1g fat; Myprotein’s 60g Layered Protein Bar lists 20g protein and 6.2g fat. The servings answer different portion needs.
Compare fat per 100g for the formulation, then protein and fat per bar for your packed lunch.
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Assuming every flavour has the same ingredients
Allergen statements can differ between products and flavours, which matters when choosing a bar to take to work.
Read the current pack’s ingredient list, allergen statement and any sweetener warning rather than relying on another flavour’s details.
Brand and product-line references
These examples show why flavour and serving size matter; a brand’s wider range should not be treated as having one nutrition profile.
YuBi Bar
Its representative Peanut, Caramel and Speculoos nutrition covers a 35g plant-based bar.
- YuBi Bar lists 9g total fat per 100g, or 3.1g fat and 10.5g protein per 35g bar.
- That fat figure is above the NHS low-fat guideline of 3g or less per 100g. Check the exact flavour’s ingredients and allergy advice.
Myprotein
The Layered Protein Bar is a larger, 60g serving for buyers comparing protein per bar.
- Myprotein lists 20g protein and 6.2g fat per bar, with 10g fat per 100g.
- It does not meet the NHS low-fat guideline; check the flavour-specific ingredients and pack warnings.
FULFIL
The Chocolate Brownie bar provides a 55g point of comparison.
- FULFIL lists 19g protein and 6.6g fat per bar, with 12g fat per 100g.
- Compare its saturates and energy as well as total fat; the stated fat figure is not within the NHS low-fat guideline.
PhD
The Smart Protein Bar Chocolate Brownie is a 64g serving.
- PhD lists 21g protein per bar.
- It also lists 14g total fat per 100g and 9.2g per bar, so check fat separately from any low-sugar positioning.
Grenade
Carb Killa Peanut Nutter is a 60g example from Grenade’s protein-bar range.
- Tesco Groceries lists 21g protein per bar for Peanut Nutter.
- The same listing gives 14g fat per 100g and 8.4g per bar. Check allergens on the exact Grenade product rather than applying Peanut Nutter’s details across the range.
Quest
Quest Chocolate Brownie is listed in a 60g bar size by iHerb UK.
- The listing states 20g protein per bar.
- Check the current flavour’s total-fat figure before considering it for a lower-fat packed lunch.
Barebells
Barebells offers several protein-bar ranges and describes its bars as having no added sugar.
- The range offers different bar styles to compare by flavour and serving size.
- No added sugar is not a total-fat measure. Use the current product’s nutrition panel for a UK packed-lunch comparison.
Protein bars on Joybuy
These Grenade and KIND bars are options to assess against your packed-lunch needs. Check each flavour’s current fat-per-100g figure before choosing one for a lower-fat goal; low-sugar wording or a nut-based recipe does not settle that question.
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Grenade Oreo Flavour Protein Bar, 4 x 60g
The 60g bar size may suit a packed-lunch protein top-up. Its low-sugar wording is not a lower-fat claim; compare fat per 100g on the Oreo Flavour pack and check its allergens.
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Grenade Soft Core Double Chocolate, 12 x 50g
Each stated bar is 50g. If that portion suits your workday snack, compare its per-bar protein with its fat per 100g, and read the Double Chocolate allergen statement.
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Grenade Soft Core Golden Caramel, 12 x 50g
This Golden Caramel variant is supplied as 12 x 50g. For a lower-fat comparison, use its own nutrition panel rather than assuming it matches another Soft Core flavour; check the ingredient list too.
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Grenade Soft Core Peanut Butter, 12 x 50g
The stated serving is a 50g Peanut Butter bar. Check its fat and protein figures for that serving, and read the flavour-specific peanut and other allergen information before packing it for work.
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KIND Protein Dark Chocolate Nut Bars, 3 x 42g x 6pcs
This is a nut-based bar with a stated 42g bar size. If reducing fat is your priority, compare its fat per 100g with other options and check the current nut and other allergen statements.
Questions about packed-lunch protein bars
Does low sugar mean a protein bar is lower in fat?
No. Sugar and fat are separate nutrition figures. For example, Tesco Groceries lists 14g fat per 100g for Grenade Carb Killa Peanut Nutter; check total fat and saturates on the exact bar rather than using its sugar positioning as a substitute.
Should I compare fat per bar or per 100g?
Use fat per 100g to compare different bar sizes, then fat per bar to understand your portion. The NHS low-fat label guideline is 3g total fat or less per 100g; a smaller bar is not automatically a low-fat formulation.
What if I want a smaller office snack?
YuBi Bar’s representative Peanut, Caramel and Speculoos panel lists 3.1g fat and 10.5g protein per 35g bar. That may suit a smaller portion, while Myprotein’s 60g Layered Protein Bar lists 20g protein and 6.2g fat per bar if the larger protein serving matters more to you.
Which allergen information should I check?
Read the current ingredient and allergen statement for the exact flavour, including any precautionary wording. Do not assume that another flavour—or another bar from the same brand—has the same ingredients.
Can I keep a protein bar in an office drawer?
Follow the storage instructions on the exact pack before leaving it at work. Check them again when changing brand or flavour rather than assuming all bars have identical directions.