Cereal bars are a great way to start the day – or are they? We’re told that such a small piece of food can wake your tired mind up and you’re away within minutes. Many of us also eat cereal bars as snacks during the day instead of reaching for the chips or candy bar. The fact is however, that you should be looking for alternatives to cereal bars as they are one of the unhealthiest things you can have for breakfast, or any other time – despite what the advertisers have been telling us all this time. Of course, each brand differs, and some will be ok, but generally, they tend to have more sugar in them than a glass of cola and also, an exceptionally high rate of saturated fats. But there are plenty of alternatives to cereal bars you can consider instead. By using this guide to cereal bar alternatives you can find a substitute to those heart-straining breakfast bars and all of them under 100 calories!
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Strawberries and Chocolate
Or more specifically, strawberries covered in chocolate. You think I’m kidding right? How can chocolate count as one of the alternatives to cereal bars? When you know that just 2 squares of dark chocolate can cover 5 plump strawberries, you’ll understand. So, if you are going to have a snack, why not indulge? With choccie dipped strawberries you’re not only getting a chocolate fix, but also the deliciously nutritious benefits of strawberries - a red fruit packed with anti-oxidants like lycopene.
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Pistachios
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, how about these little green nuggets of goodness? Otherwise known as the healthy version of junk food, these handy little cereal bar alternatives enable you to throw a bag in your purse and then get straight to work. They satisfy the salt cravings you might have on a morning whilst still maintaining the cereal bar advantage of portability. 25 Pistachios will account for less than 100 calories. What more could you ask for?
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Blue Cheese Apricots
Lovely dried apricots stuffed with blue cheese? It sounds mad, right? Well, actually it couldn’t be more convenient since it allows you to get the nutrients you need without resorting to unhealthy snacks. Apricots are sweet so they can allow you to get that injection of sugar without increasing your chances of diabetes. Remember, the sugar in fruits is natural and the sugars in cereal bars are refined.
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Berries and Yoghurt
Get up a few minutes early and opt for a good old-fashioned bowl of berries and low-fat yoghurt. You have a lot of benefits here. Firstly, the amount of protein you are going to be getting from your yoghurt is going to far outweigh that from your cereal bar. Secondly, berries are a super food. These foods are heavy in anti-oxidants and boost your immune system to successfully stave off some of the most deadly diseases in existence; including heart disease.
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Banana and Vanilla Smoothie
The smoothie is one of the best alternatives to cereal bars out there as it provides that feeling of fullness without putting the pounds on. Again, instead of refined sugars it uses healthy natural sugars in the form of half a cup of sliced banana with a quarter of a cup of non-fat vanilla yoghurt. Add some ice and blend. It’s that easy!
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Chocolate Trail Mix
A stressful lifestyle isn’t easy. Breakfast is always the first thing to go when you’re in a hurry, and if it doesn’t it usually leads to you grabbing for the unhealthy breakfast bars on the run. Well some tempting, tasty cereal bar alternatives come in the form of chocolate trail mix. Make your own by mixing 8 almonds, 4 chocolate chips and a tablespoon of raisins – there’s your 100 calories. Almonds and raisins are bursting with nutrients that are going to fill a hole. The chocolate is just there to beat your sugar cravings without having to buy that frying pan-sized slab of chocolate at the store.
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Fruit and Vegetable Snack Bag
It only takes a few minutes to organize yourself to have a whole range of alternatives to cereal bars throughout the week. Carrot batons with hummus, 2 handfuls of microwave popcorn, half an apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter … and so many more. The key is speed and portability. Have some handy sealable bags in the kitchen and each day just fill it with whatever takes your fancy - carrot sticks, apple slices, pear slices, almonds, Brazil nuts, sticks of celery, or whatever other healthy snack you can think of in there. Get some variety for breakfast and snack time without ruining your figure!
Breakfast bars are not as healthy as people tend to think. Cereal bar alternatives are much better for you, and mean you can also indulge in some of your favorite things. Check out some of the above alternatives to cereal bars and you might even rediscover some tasty forgotten foods. What other alternatives to cereal bars can you come up with?
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