Nutritional Equivalent of a Quaker Granola Bar?

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I'm wondering of some of you mamas can help me come up with a good nutritional equivalent to Quaker (type) granola bars. They are being suggested as a stable snack at DC's school and I have a feeling that's not such a great idea. I think that if I can go to school and say that they have the same amount of sugar as X treat or the same amount of calories as x treat or the same amount of preservatives as X treat and etc. I can drive the point home a little better.

I'm actually normally pretty lax about these things but snack is often given just before lunch and it drives me crazy that DC would have such a filling thing and then spoil her lunch!

Here is a list of ingredients:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 bar (28.0 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120
Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4.0g6%
Saturated Fat 1.5g8%
Sodium 60mg3%
Total Carbohydrates 20.0g7%
Dietary Fiber 1.0g4%
Sugars 9.0g
Protein 1.0g
Vitamin A 0%•Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 10%•Iron 4%
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet


Chocolate Chip Ingredients: granola (whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, crisp rice [rice flour, sugar, salt, malted barley extract], whole grain rolled wheat, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness and/or sunflower oil with natural tocopherol added to preserve freshness, dried coconut, whole wheat flour, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, caramel color, nonfat dry milk), semisweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), crisp rice (rice, sugar, salt, barley malt), high fructose corn syrup, sugar, corn syrup solids, glycerin, partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil, sorbitol, calcium carbonate, salt, water, soy lecithin, molasses, natural and artificial flavors, BHT (a preservative), citric acid.

[cristeen]

Honestly, the simple fact they contain partially hydrogenated fats would be all the info i would need. Google dangers transfats and you should get plenty. The HFCS would have me up in arms also, but if you're dealing w people who believe mainstream media, that probably wont get you very far.

And 20g of carbs with almost no fat or protein is a really good recipe for sugar crashes... Does the instructor really want to be dealing w both the sugar rush and the resulting crash in a room full of what - 20 or 30 kids? Thats just setting them up for failure in my book.

Of course, the matter of snack right before lunch is something else entirely, and should also be addressed.

Not sure if that's any help.

[cristeen]

What you could do is walk in w 3 dishes... One containing 11 carbs worth of rolled oats (not objectionable in and of itself), one with 9 carbs worth of corn syrup or sugar would probably have a better visual impact, and 4 fat grams worth of shortening or margerine. Along w the AMA's stance on sugar and transfat consumption.

[JudiAU]

You could compare it to a healthier product like the TLC Chocolate-Cherry bar: http://www.kashi.com/products/nutrit...dark_chocolate

No transfats. 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein

Also, if you live in an area with a trader joe's they make a similar bar to the Quaker with a better nutrtional profile. And I am sure they are cheaper than the Kashi.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Thanks for all your ideas. There is so much going on at DC's school right now that I think I may have to hold off on this for now. I think I'll wait and see how often the granola bars get served. For now, I've talked to DC and she's actually fine with just saying "no thanks" to snack if it's too close to lunch. I didn't really want to ask her to do that but she offered.

I actually don't oppose the occasional granola bar -- as a treat so I may offer to "make it up to her" for missing the sweet in school by having one after school or something like that.

Thanks for all your help!!

[staceychev]

How about the recommendations out from the American Heart Association that suggest no more than 12 grams of sugar per day for children?

http://www.rodale.com/recommended-sugar-intake

http://life.familyeducation.com/nutr...e=1&detoured=1

[stephienoodle]

I'd ask if they'd want to serve Rice Krispies Treats for snack. According to the Kellogg's website, one of the prepacked Rice Krispies Treats has less sugar (7g). I'd hope that it would make them think twice about the nutrition in one of the Quaker granola bars.

[germin8]

All of these are great ideas!!!

Sugar depresses the immune system for ~4 hours after consumption.
Contains chocolate which means caffeine & theobromine - stimulants.
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) depletes the B vitamins.