by Jennifer Flood

Created on: January 08, 2009   Last Updated: August 03, 2010

Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars have become a staple in my house. My daughter, who doesn't like anything that has to do with fruit, loves the strawberry flavored Nutri-Grain bars. While these are not the best example of something she could eat made with fruit they are definitely a step in the right direction. My daughter eats these bars for a quick breakfast on-the-go or as an after school snack.

Kellogg's states that their Nutri-Grain bars are low in fat and are made with whole oats. One would expect that a bar made with fruit and grains would be low in fat. One would also expect that a bar made with fruit and grains would be low in sugar as well. Unfortunately that is not the case. While these bars only have three grams of fat they also have 13 grams of sugar in each 1.3 ounce bar.

Sugar aside, these bars are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and calcium. Since my daughter has an aversion to milk as well as fruit, I am grateful that each bar has 20% of a days worth of calcium added. That is the equivalent to two thirds of a cup of milk which makes my daughter grateful to not have to drink as much milk as she would otherwise.

Nutri-Grain bars come in 8 bar boxes of individual flavors and a 48 bar variety pack with 16 bars of apple cinnamon and 32 bars of strawberry. Each bar is individually wrapped in a shiny wrapper that has a specific color based on the flavor. Inside the wrappers these bars are moist and chewy. There is a thin layer of fruit puree ensconced in a cereal bar with a sprinkling of whole grains on the top. The bars can be a bit crumbly when eaten by younger children.

I have packed Nutri-Grain bars for my children to take to school as a part of their lunch and as snacks. They tell me that the bars work better when packed in their lunch box because they do not get as "smooshed" as they do on the bottom of their backpack where they end up when they take them for a snack. These bars are rather convenient to have on hand for after school snacks both at home and on the road. I keep a few in the glove box for when the kids have after school activities.

I would not want my children eating these bars everyday since they are so high in sugar. Luckily, they also are low in fat, are a great source of calcium, and are fortified with vitamins and minerals. Factor in their portability and Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars are definitely snack bars that have a place on the pantry shelf.

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