10 Low FODMAP Granola Bars (+ Recipe)

Ever wonder which granola bars are low FODMAP? This post has everything you need to know – I’m sharing a list of popular, store-bought low FODMAP granola bars that are perfect for snacks. Plus, a recipe to make your own homemade low FODMAP granola bars!

As a registered dietitian who specializes in gut health and low FODMAP recipes, I have been getting a ton of questions about low FODMAP snack bars in my private practice.

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Table of Contents

1. Best Low FODMAP Certified Granola Bar Brands
2. Other Low FODMAP Bars from Popular Brands (not FODMAP-specific brands)
3. Bars that Almost Made the Cut and Why
4. Low FODMAP Label Reading Tips
5. Easy Homemade Low FODMAP Granola Bar Recipe
6. Frequently Asked Questions about low FODMAP Granola Bars

Eating out and travelling low FODMAP can be a challenge. Often times, clients end up finding a ‘safe meal’ and sticking to it, day in and day out. However, when you’re on the go, and needing a quick snack, it can often become a challenge. With packaged foods having 40-ingredient lists, all of which you’d like to skim through quickly and identify as low FODMAP, it’s not always that easy – you find yourself asking, is it carob, or cocoa I have to watch out for?

Most of the information on ingredients to avoid can be found in our beginners guide to the low FODMAP diet, but sometimes it’s just nice to know EXACTLY which products you can and can’t have. So I’ve gone through some really common granola bars to give you the lowdown on their ‘FODMAP ranking’.

Now. This is MY review of the label, what I likely believe to be within a low FODMAP range, and I’ve been pretty strict on what I allow into my Low FODMAP granola bar list. So if you’re past the elimination phase, and are looking to experiment, talk to your dietitian about what bars may suit you best!

For those of you new to reading ingredient lists, the ingredients are listed in order of most present, to least present in a product. So if honey is the LAST ingredient, maybe there isn’t too much honey used, and you can tolerate it ok. However, for the purpose of this list, I kept it as straightforward as possible.

This post has been updated April 2022 – because it is my MOST POPULAR post – and companies often change their product line-ups!

Best Low FODMAP Granola Bar Brands

GoMacro Granola Bars

GoMacro has a ton of delicious options now! The bars below are certified Low FODMAP and perfect for a snack. Flavors include:

• Peanut butter chocolate chip
• Coconut + almond butter + chocolate chips
• Sunflower butter + chocolate
• Peanut butter
• Banana + almond butter
• Maple sea salt
• Granola + coconut
• Coconut + almond butter
• Dark chocolate + almonds
• Mocha chocolate chip
• Double chocolate + peanut butter chips
• Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie kids bar
• Chocolate chip cookie dough kids bar
• Double chocolate brownie kids bar
• Peanut butter cup kids bar
• Cinnamon roll kids bar

Fody Foods Low FODMAP Granola Bars

These, of course are HANDS DOWN – one of my faves. Disclosure. I work with FODY on projects occasionally. However – I work with them because HELLO: Dark chocolate, nuts, and sea salt granola bars? There is no better way to this dietitians heart than dark chocolate that has been salted. They’re soft, delicious, AND for something that sounds so decadent, has only 7 grams of sugar, 6 grams of protein, AND 3 grams of fibre! Not to be outshone, Their Almond Coconut Bar is the perfect snack when you’re not looking for something so sweet. With only 5 grams of sugar, 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of fibre – these granola bars are such winners! Since this post aired, they’ve added two new flavours! Blueberry Almond, and PB chocolate Quinoa. My NEW fave is the blueberry which totally surprised me – but I LOVE it!

Rachel Pauls Food Happy Bars

Dr. Rachel Pauls has created these incredible low FODMAP certified Happy Bars to help keep digestive woes at bay, while making sure you have easy, grab-and-go snacks on hand! My favourite is the Oatmeal Raisin Bliss – but they also come in chocolate chip delight, orange chocolate ecstasy, peanut maple pleasure, & peanut chocolate euphoria. I recommend getting a variety pack to find your favourites!

Marigold Bars – Cinnabahn Bar

Marigold bars have crafted a high protein, low fodmap snack bar that is CINNAMON BUN flavoured! The con? They don’t ship to Canada. So while I’d LOVE to try these, I’m more listing them for my American fodmappers. If you try ‘em, you’ll have to tell me how wonderful they are.

Enjoy Life Protein Balls

Ok so. These aren’t a bar per say – but they’re certified FODMAP friendly! In flavours like dipped banana, dark raspberry, and sunseed butter– they’re also top 8 allergen free so great for kids lunches or for people who also have allergies! They also have ‘breakfast ovals’ and cookies – see Enjoy Life’s full line up here!

Other Low FODMAP Bars from Popular Brands

Note: these bars are from brands that also make products that are NOT low FODMAP, so be sure to pick up the specific types recommended below to be sure you’re getting the low FODMAP varieties!

Nature Valley Peanut Butter Crunch

Here is a bar that you can get at any grocery store that is a great ‘emergency’ bar for when you need a low FODMAP snack because they’re SO accessible! You can find the Nature Valley Peanut Butter Crunch bars at gas stations, grocery stores, golf courses, etc.

General mills also has their’ Crunchy Bars’ line up – however I’d avoid the apple and honey flavoured ones, as well a few of the bars now contain honey! The ones that currently don’t are the roasted almond, pecan and cinnamon bars. Always check the label, because things can change!

Made with Local Granola Bar Mix

I LOVE Made with Local Granola Bar Mix. For those of you that don’t know, Made with Local is a Canadian Company that is B-Corp certified – meaning they focus on purpose, community, and are socially conscious in how they operate their business – a company that gives back to the community is a company I feel confident in supporting.

They have 3 granola bar mixes, all Low FODMAP at a serving size for 1 bar:

• Original Goodness Mix
• Cranberry Choco-chunk Mix
• Coconut Dark Chocolate Mix

For mix-ins – use maple syrup and either peanut butter, pumpkin seed butter, or sunflower butter for a filling Low FODMAP and plant-based snack!

Kashi Chewy Granola Bars

Good news! Kashi recently went through a rebrand, where they simplified their granola bar recipes. Because of this, many of their granola bars that used to be high FODMAP are now low FODMAP! This includes their Dark Mocha Almond and their Chocolate Almond Sea Salt. Many of their other bars are still high due to the inulin – so be sure to stick to the Low FODMAP ones!

88 Acres

So these aren’t in Canada, but I know we have a ton of American readers on the blog. I haven’t tried them, but I know a few of my dietitian colleagues in the States love them! Certain flavours of 88 Acres are Low FODMAP, including: cinnamon maple seed + oat, double dark chocolate seed + oat, dark chocolate sea salt seed + oat. Their protein bars are Low FODMAP, too!

Epic Bars

I’m not gonna lie. I’m super pumped about a savoury bar. My only ‘beef’ with epic is that the majority of them have onion and garlic! However, it’s QUITE low down on the ingredient list – so it might be one of those bars you trial after the elimination & reintroduction phase, and see how you tolerate.

The ones I give the green light to during all phases of the low FODMAP diet are the Beef Apple Bacon – I know what you’re saying- but ANDREA, it has apple in it! The bar has less than 2 grams total sugar and only 4 grams carb total – so I give it a pass. Also, the Bison Bacon Cranberry Bar and the Uncured Bacon + Pork Bar are great low FODMAP choices.

Bars that didn’t make the cut (trial for tolerance)

Here are some popular granola bars that didn’t stack up, and why:

Clif Bars – for a quick snack, I think Clif bars are far too high in sugar. 20 plus grams per bar? It’s just too much! With brown rice syrup listed as the first ingredient in most of these bars, I really think they’re lacking in high-quality nutritional value for a snack – but may be great if looking to fuel for activity!

Kind Bars – (the original kind) contain chicory. This oligosaccharide can contribute to GI distress, so avoid it during the elimination phase.

There are a few Kind Bars that almost passed the test that I feel worth a mention – since they’re SO close! The Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Berry, Vanilla Blueberry, and Oats & Honey bars all have honey in them – however, I believe that honey is used fairly sparingly given how low down it is on the ingredient list, as well as the total amount of sugar in these bars. I would recommend avoiding these during the elimination phase. Once you have re-introduced, and know what you tolerate best and in what amounts, these are definitely worth a try– as the sugar content is quite low (between 6-8 g) – likely meaning the fructose content is also low! Out of all granola bars these taste the best, and are good for reintroduction/maintenance phases of the low FODMAP diet.

Luna Bars – an off-shoot of Clif Bars – again, quite high in sugar. On top of that, they often contain chicory root to boost up the fibre content, which is a high FODMAP ingredient. Avoid this bar.

Lara Bars – I love Lara bars concept. Simple ingredients. Whole foods. However – it just doesn’t stack up on the low FODMAP diet. The bars are made with dates, so the sugar is not ADDED sugars, it’s naturally occurring – which I give a pass to. However, these just won’t do on the elimination phase. They may be something you could add in after elimination and re-introduction, if you tolerate GOS/fructans. For reference, there is approximately 3 dates in each bar. I would recommend choosing a Lara Bar with no other high FODMAP ingredients, like the Peanut Butter kind.

Low FODMAP Label Reading – My Pro Tips

So you have a granola bar that isn’t on the Low FODMAP granola bar list and you want to check the label. Keep in mind – granola bars are small! If you make a mistake, don’t panic. Just take note of how you feel so you know for next time!

There are many granola bar ingredients that can be high FODMAP, and many that haven’t been tested. Watch for these top 5 high FODMAP culprits:

• honey
• inulin/chicory
• dried apple, prunes, or dates (a few dried cranberries is fine!)
• Bars with cashews
• Wheat-based ‘baked’ style bars may be high FODMAP

So, now you have it. My list of low FODMAP granola bars. Any on here I’m missing, that are your go-to’s? I’d love to hear from you!

Want to Make Your Own FODMAP Friendly Granola Bars?

Love this low FODMAP recipe as much as we do? Check out more of our low FODMAP recipes. Aren’t sure what other swaps can be made to make your favourite dishes low FODMAP? We have a free low FODMAP E-book for you!

If you are implementing the low FODMAP diet on your own and feeling overwhelmed here at Ignite Nutrition we offer one-on-one nutrition counselling to help you start the low FODMAP diet with guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions – We Have Answers!

1. Is peanut butter low FODMAP?
   Yes, both peanuts and peanut butter are low FODMAP. Many granola bars that are ‘peanut butter’ flavoured are low FODMAP, but always check the label for other high FODMAP ingredients like honey, wheat, or chicory.
2. Can I eat granola bars with IBS?
   Absolutely! Although you do need to watch out for hidden sources of FODMAPs when it comes to granola bars and other packaged snack foods as well – see the ingredients to look out for in the label reading section of this post.
3. Are Clif bars low FODMAP?
   Clif bars have some high FODMAP ingredients including soy flour and roasted soybeans. They aren’t a great option for the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet. They are also very high in sugar with more than 20 grams per bar, so they are likely lacking high quality nutrition in general.
4. Are Lara bars low FODMAP?
   No, Lara bars are not low in FODMAPs, as the base ingredient is dates, a high FODMAP fruit. They are not appropriate for the elimination phase, but may be tolerated by someone who can have fructans/GOS after reintroduction.
5. Is quinoa good for IBS sufferers?
   Yes, quinoa is a low FODMAP ingredient so should be tolerated by most people with IBS. It also provides a good source of fibre and protein, which makes it a great addition to meals and snacks like granola bars.

Since this is our MOST popular post the last update was: April 2022.