ALDI – MUESLI BARS CHEWY CHOC CHIP
15 min reading time
ReAL FOOD RATING
Price
$5.49/470g - 15 bars
Where to Buy
ALDI Grocery Store
MANDY'S TAKE
“With a 4-star Health Star Rating and over 50% wholegrains, this bar appears to be a healthy everyday option. And yes, it does contain oats and a decent fibre content (12.7g per 100g). But a closer look reveals a highly engineered product wrapped in a health halo.
The chocolate layer is made with hydrogenated palm oil rather than real cocoa butter, and the fibre is artificially inflated using synthetic polydextrose instead of natural sources like seeds or legumes. It also contains sulphites (220/223) — known to trigger respiratory and neurological reactions in sensitive individuals — and emulsifier 492, which raises concerns due to overexposure risks in children. Add in glucose syrup, invert sugar, humectants, and artificial flavourings, and this bar starts to look more like confectionery than real nourishment.
It’s a step above the worst offenders, but still not what I’d consider a real food snack. Not recommended for children, and best avoided by anyone trying to reduce their intake of industrial additives and ultra-processed ingredients.
This bar isn’t the worst on the shelf, but its use of sulphites places it firmly in the AVOID category for children.“
RATING BREAKDOWN
NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
- Contains 54% wholegrains from oats (and wholegrain cereal crips from rye and wheat - not sure if there are any other undisclosed ingredients in these crisps)
- Source of fibre - 3.9g per bar (but 2.33g from synthetic fibre)
- Only 3.5g of sugar per bar
- Glucose is listed as the second ingredient.
- Polydextrose is third ingredientt and used to boost fibre. It's a synthetic filler that may cause bloating and interfere with mineral absorption — not a substitute for real, food-based fibre.
- Three separate forms of sugar — glucose syrup, sugar and invert sugar plus glycerine (a sweetener and humectant)
- The emulsifier 492 (sorbitan tristearate) has been flagged as a risk, especially for children, who can easily exceed safe intake levels due to its presence in many processed foods.
- Contains sulphites (220 and 223), linked to asthma, behavioural changes, and neurological effects. EFSA data shows children consume up to 12 times the safe limit — a major concern for developing bodies.
- Contains hyrogenated oil and vegetable oil - both highly processed industrial seed oils
NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Natural colours (not artificial)
Limited whole food ingredients beyond oats
Contains glycerine additive
Fibre partly from extracted chicory root
Colours: Natural
No Artificial Colours: Win!
WHO'S IT FOR?
- Babies & Toddlers
- Kids
- Teens
- Adults (limit wherever possible)
- Contains wheat
- Contains soy
- Contains dairy
BETTER OPTIONS
- Wholefood bars with 5 ingredients or less
- Homemade chocolate oat bars with real cocoa, oats, nut butter, and dates
- Soft bliss balls or mini muffins for lunchboxes
MAKE IT YOURSELF
Want a healthier alternative? Try a homemade version!
“These use healthy and nutritious ingredients” – Mandy
Check out the Recipe
On-the-go Breakfast Bars
My delicious On-the-go Muesli Breakfast Bars provide a chewy and nutritious start to your day! Unlike store-bought muesli bars that are loaded with additives and sugar, these whole
Watch the Reel
THE VERDICT
Despite its 4-star Health Star Rating, this bar is built on ultra-processed ingredients like glucose syrup, synthetic fibre, vegetable oils, and sulphite preservatives. The fibre is artificially inflated, the chocolate isn’t real, and the “health halo” is misleading. A textbook example of how the Health Star Rating can be gamed — there is nothing ‘real food’ about this and the ingrdients resemble a confectionery bar more than they do a 4-star rated healthy snack.
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