The image of cereal bars as a healthy snack is a "myth", according to a Which? study that found many contain high levels of fat and sugar. Of 30 bars studied all but one were found to conatin high in sugar, with 16 containin more than 30% sugar, the consumer group found.
One bar, Nutri-Grain Elevenses, contained nearly four teaspoons of sugar (18g)- more than in a small 150ml can of cola (15.9g). Others were found to be high in fat.
There appears to be an issue with how these bars are perceived. If they are seen as a healthy breakfast from the high sugar and fat content you can see that some come close to a chocolate bar or biscuits, in fact Kellogs mention theirs is more like a cake or muffin.
As with all, read the labels ingredient list and you'll soon see if they are highly sweetened products. There is a range of those which are more like a chocolate bar and those that are more cereal. Some the sugar and fat may come from the added fruit and nuts, and in actual weights of sugar, the totals may only be a teaspoon or so for the smaller size bars – so not all bad.
But you need to know why you are using them and for what part of the day. Think of them as a sweet snack – and then they have their place in the same way cakes and biscuits do.
Having breakfast is still the priority and having something is better than nothing, add these to a glass of milk and a piece of fruit and there’s some balance, and don't have them all the time.
However if you want to have a healthy breakfast, there are much healthier options clearly than these. Get a handful of low sugar cereal like standard oats, add a handful of almonds and pumpkin seeds, pour on some cold milk or plain yogurt and scatter on some fresh berries.
If you want breakfast on the go - grab some wholegrain bread, add in a slice of cheese or other protein, a piece of fruit, glass of milk and off you run.
Watch this video on Sky News here