Bar (food)

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A bar, also called a snack bar or a food bar, is a food made of processed ingredients formed into the shape of bar. Bars typically have a long shelf life and contain high energy ingredients. There are several popular types of bar, including confectionery bar s, protein bars, energy bars, granola bars and fruit bars. [1] They are one of the most popular forms of snack food. Typical ingredients in a bar are cereal grain, dehydrated fruits or vegetables, seeds, chocolate and dairy. [2]

Contents

Types of bar

The majority of food bars are sweet, rather than savory. [3] [4] Different types of bar may be marketed for specific purposes, like replacing breakfast or providing protein, or may be marketed to specific demographics like women. Some bars are made to adhere to dietary restrictions like the paleolithic diet or the gluten-free diet. [5]

A chocolate bar filled with wafers and caramel. Tunnocks-Caramel-Wafer-Split.jpg
A chocolate bar filled with wafers and caramel.

Chocolate bars

The first chocolate bars were developed after Joseph Fry, John Cadbury, and Benjamin Cadbury developed a technique for producing solid chocolate. [6] Combination bars, including additional ingredients such as nuts or dried fruit, were developed in the 1910s. One of the most successful was the Clark Bar, introduced in 1917. [7] Chocolate bars became popular in the 20th-century as palatable and inexpensive high-energy snack items. [8]

Energy bars

Energy bars, also called power bars, are typically high in sugar and carbohydrates to provide quick energy. The primary ingredient in energy bars is often corn syrup, fructose or dextrose. They may contain ingredients such as breakfast cereal, caramel or chocolate. [9]

Food ration bars

Food ration bars are commonly produced as field rations for armed services. [10] Ration bars are more convenient and more nutritious than canned food. [11] They vary in type between cereal-type bars and confectionery bars, [12] and may include various freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients, such as meat, fruits, vegetables, and grain. [11]

Fruit bars

Fruit bars are made of compressed dried fruit. Common additives include vegetable oil, sweeteners, and binders such as wheat or oat flour. [13]

Granola bar with nuts and dried fruit. 2020-08-24 22 59 25 A Fruit and Nut flavor Nature Valley Trail Mix Chewy Granola Bar with almonds, raisins, peanuts and cranberries in the Dulles section of Sterling, Loudoun County, Virginia.jpg
Granola bar with nuts and dried fruit.

Granola bars

Granola bars are made of granola, typically including oat flakes, vegetable fats or oils, and some type of sweetener. Many granola bars contain additional ingredients such as nuts, dried fruits, and seeds. [4] They become popular in the 1960s as part of the counterculture Hippie movement. [14]

Protein bars

Protein bars are commonly consumed by athletes due to their nutritional density and high protein content, which provides energy quickly and assists in growing and repairing connective tissues. [15] Weightlifter Bob Hoffman marketed Hi-Proteen Honey Fudge bars in the 1950s. Space Food Sticks were marketed by Pillsbury in 1969, based on the ration bars provided to astronauts in the American Space Program. [16] They were popularized among amateur fitness enthusiasts after the introduction of the PowerBar in 1986. [17]

Notes

  1. Booth 2012, p. 291-295.
  2. Serna-Salvidar 2022, pp. 8–9.
  3. "Bar category's rapid growth thrives on generational preferences". SupplySide Food and Beverage Journal. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  4. 1 2 Booth 2012, p. 291.
  5. Peruzzi, Marc (2019-02-04). "How Energy Bars Became America's Favorite Snack". Outside Online. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  6. Morganelli 2006, p. 19.
  7. Richardson 2008, p. 230.
  8. Goldstein 2015, pp. 105–106.
  9. Smith 2011, pp. 575–576.
  10. Koehler 1958, p. 286.
  11. 1 2 Morris 1965, p. 4.
  12. QFCI 1951, p. 52.
  13. Booth 2012, p. 295.
  14. "Granola Bars Going Against Grain of the '80s". Los Angeles Times. 1987-08-07. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  15. AlJaloudi, Rawan; Al-Dabbas, Maher M.; Hamad, Hani J.; Amara, Rawan A.; Al-Bashabsheh, Zaher; Abughoush, Mahmoud; Choudhury, Imranul H.; Al-Nawasrah, Bha'a Aldin; Iqbal, Sehar (2024-01-13). "Development and Characterization of High-Energy Protein Bars with Enhanced Antioxidant, Chemical, Nutritional, Physical, and Sensory Properties". Foods (Basel, Switzerland). 13 (2): 259. doi: 10.3390/foods13020259 . ISSN   2304-8158. PMC   10814707 . PMID   38254560.
  16. Goldfield, Hannah (2025-04-21). "The Quest to Build a Perfect Protein Bar". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  17. "Raising the (Nutrition) Bar". NC Food Innovation Lab. 2023-12-08. Archived from the original on 2025-07-19. Retrieved 2025-10-07.

Bibliography

Booth, R. Gordon (2012-12-06). Snack Food. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   978-1-4613-1477-6.

Koehler, Franz A. (1958). Special Rations for the Armed Forces. Historical Branch, Office of the Quartermaster General.Goldstein, Darra (2015-04-01). The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-931361-7.Morganelli, Adrianna (2006). The Biography of Chocolate. Crabtree Publishing Company. ISBN   978-0-7787-2481-0.Morris, E. R. (1965). Technical Report. U.S. Army Natick Development Center, Food Engineering Laboratory.

QFCI (1951). Activities Report of the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute for the Armed Forces. Quartermaster Food and Container Institute for the Armed Forces (U.S.).

Richardson, Tim (2008-12-05). Sweets: A History of Candy. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN   978-1-59691-890-0.

Serna-Saldivar, Sergio O. (2022-04-20). Snack Foods: Processing, Innovation, and Nutritional Aspects. CRC Press. ISBN   978-1-000-54335-3.

Smith, Andrew F. (2011-12-02). Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of What We Love to Eat [2 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN   978-0-313-39394-5.

See also