CARMAN’S MUESLI BARS CLASSIC FRUIT AND NUT
ReAL FOOD RATING
Price
7.50/6 bars - 270g
Where to Buy
Major supermarkets
MANDY'S TAKE
“This bar is built on a base of whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit (making up around 67%), a welcome shift from the syrup-laden, ultra-processed bars that dominate supermarket shelves. While it contains a solid amount of real food, it still relies on added sweetness from golden syrup and glucose, and contains vegetable and sunflower oil – refined industrial seed oils. That said, it’s refreshing to see a bar that avoids the usual suspects like emulsifiers, anti-caking agents, and humectants — a rare win in this category. With over 16g of sugar per 100g, it’s on the higher side, though some of that naturally comes from the fruit. It’s a far better option than most, but still one to enjoy in moderation and not as an everyday lunchbox staple. “
RATING BREAKDOWN
NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
- Strong wholefood base (oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit)
- Minimal additives
- Ultra-processed sugars - glucose, golden syrup
- Refined vegetable and sunflower oil
- Natural flavour (which some people choose to avoid)
- Nearly 2 tsp of sugar (7.2g) per bar (but sme of that comes from real fruit)
NUTRITION SNAPSHOT
Processed sugars: brown rice syrup and sugar
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</b
- Contains Pecan
- Contains Sesame
- Contains Gluten
- Contains Almond
BETTER OPTIONS
- Homemade fruit and oat bars using rolled oats, dried fruit, and nut butter as the base, with no added syrups or refined oils.
- Energy balls made from dates, seeds, coconut, and a touch of cinnamon — naturally sweet and nutrient-dense.
- Baked oat slices with mashed banana or apple as the binder, and a mix of nuts and seeds for crunch.
- Mini nut and seed clusters bound with tahini or nut butter — no syrups or emulsifiers needed.
- Unsweetened trail mix with raw nuts, seeds, and a small amount of sulphite-free dried fruit.
MAKE IT YOURSELF
Want a healthier alternative? Try a homemade version!
“These use healthy and nutritious ingredients” – Mandy
Check out the Recipe
Iron-Rich Muesli Bars
If you are looking for a quick and convenient kid-friendly muesli bar without the nasties, this is the bar for you! Prepare them beforehand, and you will have a fast, grab-and-go b
Watch the Reel
THE VERDICT
This bar has a solid foundation of whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, with minimal additives — a step above most supermarket snack bars. But it still relies on added sugars like glucose and golden syrup, and includes vegetable oil in the dried fruit. With over 16g of sugar per 100g, it edges into the territory of sweetened energy bars rather than true wholefood snacks. While far better than the average bar, it’s still one to enjoy occasionally, not daily — especially if you’re aiming to reduce processed sugars and industrial seed oils in your family’s diet.
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