Are Nature Valley Bars Healthy?

Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats 'N Honey: 11g added sugar per 1 pouch (2 bars, 42g). Sugar Tier E.

Short answer: Nature Valley bars differ by formula. The US Crunchy Oats ’n Honey label has 11g added sugar per 2-bar pouch; the US Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate 15-count label has 5g per bar. Whole grains and protein are useful comparison points, but neither makes all Nature Valley bars low in sugar.

The verdict

Crunchy Oats ’n Honey provides 11g added sugar, 3g protein and 2g fiber per 2-bar pouch (42g). Whole-grain oats are the first ingredient, followed by sugar. Compare that with the US Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate 15-count formula: 5g added sugar, 10g protein and 6g fiber per bar. These are label servings, not equal-weight portions or a verdict on every Nature Valley product. The crunchy pouch contributes 44% of the AHA’s 25g daily added-sugar recommendation for ages 2–18; that daily limit is not a snack allowance.

What to watch on the label

Crunchy Oats ’n Honey: 11g total sugar and 11g added sugar per 2-bar pouch; the added value is declared, not estimated from ingredients.
Whole-grain oats come first; sugar, honey and brown sugar syrup are also listed.
The crunchy formula contains soy and may contain peanut, almond and pecan. The selected protein formula contains peanut, soy and milk.
The US Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate 15-count panel has 5g added sugar, not 2g. Do not transfer figures between markets, sizes or similarly named formulas.

Better alternatives, ranked

Alternative products to Nature Valley Granola Bars, ranked by added sugar per serving.
Brand	Product	Added Sugar	Note
RXBAR Kids	Apple Cinnamon Raisin	0g	Date-sweetened, 0g added sugar
Skout Organic	Blueberry Blast Kids Bar	0g	0g added sugar in the catalog record; check the exact package
That's It	Apple + Strawberry Fruit Bar	0g	Just fruit, 0g added sugar

See the full ranked list: Best Low-Sugar Protein Bars for Kids

Frequently asked questions

Are Nature Valley granola bars healthy for kids?: Crunchy Oats ’n Honey provides 11g added sugar, 3g protein and 2g fiber per 2-bar pouch (42g). Whole-grain oats are the first ingredient, followed by sugar. Compare that with the US Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate 15-count formula: 5g added sugar, 10g protein and 6g fiber per bar. These are label servings, not equal-weight portions or a verdict on every Nature Valley product. The crunchy pouch contributes 44% of the AHA’s 25g daily added-sugar recommendation for ages 2–18; that daily limit is not a snack allowance.
How much sugar is in Nature Valley granola bars?: Nature Valley Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats 'N Honey contains 11g of added sugar per 1 pouch (2 bars, 42g) — about 44% of a child’s daily 25 g American Heart Association added-sugar limit.
What is a healthier alternative to Nature Valley?: RXBAR Kids Apple Cinnamon Raisin (0g added sugar), Skout Organic Blueberry Blast Kids Bar (0g added sugar), That's It Apple + Strawberry Fruit Bar (0g added sugar). See our full ranked list at /best/low-sugar-protein-bars-for-kids.
What tier does Nature Valley get in the Sugar Tier System?: Nature Valley Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats 'N Honey is Tier E in our ranking. Tier A = sugar-free (under 0.5g total sugar), Tier B = 0g added sugar confirmed on label, Tier C = more than 0g up to 3g added sugar, Tier D = more than 3g up to 5g, Tier E = more than 5g. These are sugar categories, not an overall nutrition or medical rating.
Are Nature Valley crunchy bars actually healthy?: The US Crunchy Oats ’n Honey pouch has whole-grain oats first, but also 11g added sugar per 2 bars (42g), placing it in Tier E. It provides 3g protein and 2g fiber. That makes it a higher-added-sugar choice than the 5g protein bar checked here; the whole-grain claim does not remove that difference.
What are the healthiest Nature Valley bars?: For the two US labels checked here, Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate (15-count box) is lower in added sugar: 5g per bar versus 11g per Crunchy Oats ’n Honey 2-bar pouch. It also has 10g protein versus 3g. This does not establish the lowest-sugar product in the entire brand; compare Kids, Crunchy and Protein formulas individually on our Nature Valley bars page. The protein bar contains peanut, soy and milk.

Are Nature Valley Bars Healthy?

Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats 'N Honey: 11g added sugar per 1 pouch (2 bars, 42g). Sugar Tier E.

The verdict

What to watch on the label

Crunchy Oats ’n Honey: 11g total sugar and 11g added sugar per 2-bar pouch; the added value is declared, not estimated from ingredients.

Whole-grain oats come first; sugar, honey and brown sugar syrup are also listed.

The crunchy formula contains soy and may contain peanut, almond and pecan. The selected protein formula contains peanut, soy and milk.

The US Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate 15-count panel has 5g added sugar, not 2g. Do not transfer figures between markets, sizes or similarly named formulas.

Better alternatives, ranked

Brand

Product

Added Sugar

Note

RXBAR Kids

Apple Cinnamon Raisin

Date-sweetened, 0g added sugar

Skout Organic

Blueberry Blast Kids Bar

0g added sugar in the catalog record; check the exact package

That's It

Apple + Strawberry Fruit Bar

Just fruit, 0g added sugar

Frequently asked questions

Are Nature Valley granola bars healthy for kids?

How much sugar is in Nature Valley granola bars?

Nature Valley Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats 'N Honey contains 11g of added sugar per 1 pouch (2 bars, 42g) — about 44% of a child’s daily 25 g American Heart Association added-sugar limit.

What is a healthier alternative to Nature Valley?

RXBAR Kids Apple Cinnamon Raisin (0g added sugar), Skout Organic Blueberry Blast Kids Bar (0g added sugar), That's It Apple + Strawberry Fruit Bar (0g added sugar). See our full ranked list at /best/low-sugar-protein-bars-for-kids.

What tier does Nature Valley get in the Sugar Tier System?

Nature Valley Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats 'N Honey is Tier E in our ranking. Tier A = sugar-free (under 0.5g total sugar), Tier B = 0g added sugar confirmed on label, Tier C = more than 0g up to 3g added sugar, Tier D = more than 3g up to 5g, Tier E = more than 5g. These are sugar categories, not an overall nutrition or medical rating.

Are Nature Valley crunchy bars actually healthy?

The US Crunchy Oats ’n Honey pouch has whole-grain oats first, but also 11g added sugar per 2 bars (42g), placing it in Tier E. It provides 3g protein and 2g fiber. That makes it a higher-added-sugar choice than the 5g protein bar checked here; the whole-grain claim does not remove that difference.

What are the healthiest Nature Valley bars?

For the two US labels checked here, Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate (15-count box) is lower in added sugar: 5g per bar versus 11g per Crunchy Oats ’n Honey 2-bar pouch. It also has 10g protein versus 3g. This does not establish the lowest-sugar product in the entire brand; compare Kids, Crunchy and Protein formulas individually on our Nature Valley bars page. The protein bar contains peanut, soy and milk.