With so many snack bar options on the market, shopping with multiple food allergies can be challenging. We’ve searched grocery stores and brought together the allergen-friendly snack bar brands available to make your shopping easier.
What are priority allergens?
Priority allergens are the most common foods that cause food allergies. There are eleven priority allergens in Canada :
- Eggs
- Milk
- Mustard
- Peanuts
- Crustaceans and Molluscs
- Fish
- Sesame seeds
- Soy
- Sulphites
- Tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts)
- Wheats and triticale
Allergen Labelling
In Canada, priority allergens must be declared on food labels. There are two allergen statements that you may see on food labels: Contains and May Contain.
The Contains statement is mandatory and lists the priority allergens that are present in the product. These ingredients must also be listed as the common name, for example, milk instead of casein.
The labeling of priority allergens is regulated in Canada. According to labeling guidelines, if a company fails to disclose an allergenic ingredient, that food product “would be subject to enforcement measures which would include a food recall”.
Unlike the Contains statement, the May Contain statement is not mandatory in food labeling. Food companies may choose to add a May Contain statement to their product if there is a risk of contamination of an allergen not included in the ingredients.
Despite clear food labeling guidelines, finding products free of allergens remains a challenge. With so many food products available on the market, reviewing each label to find food products that meet your nutritional needs can be overwhelming.
We’ve searched the grocery store, so you don’t have to! Continue reading for the allergen-friendly snack bar brands available to you at the grocery store.
For a list of nut-free granola bars, check out our list of the Best Nut-Free Granola Bars (School Safe)
Allergen-Free Snack Bar Brands
Important note: food products change often. We do our best to keep our information up to date, but always check the label or with the manufacturer for the most up-to-date ingredient information before consuming a product.
The following snack bar brands are free from ALL priority allergens:
Made Good
Made Good bars are oat-based bars free from priority allergens. They are available in seven flavours: apple cinnamon, chocolate banana, chocolate chip, cookies and creme, mixed berry, strawberry, and sweet & salty.
Enjoy Life
Enjoy Life Chewy bars are a gluten-free flour-based bar free from priority allergens. They are available in five flavours: caramel apple, caramel blondie, carrot cake, cocoa loco, and lemon blueberry poppyseed.
Free Yumm
FreeYumm soft baked bars are an oat-based bar free from all priority allergens. They are available in three flavours: blueberry, honey apple, and chocolate chip.
Healthy Crunch School-Approved Granola Bars
Healthy Crunch School-Approved Granola Bars are free from all priority allergens and are available in four flavours: berry, chocolate banana, apple cinnamon, and double chocolate.
Allergen-Friendly Snack Bar Brands
The following snack bar brands are free from at least THREE priority allergens:
Autumn’s Gold Grain-Free Granola Bars
Autumn’s Gold Grain-Free Granola Bars are a nut and seed-based bar. They are free from gluten, dairy, and soy. They contain tree nuts.
Good To Go Bars
Good To Go Bars are almond flour-based snack bars available in seven flavours: blueberry cashew, cocoa coconut, strawberry macadamia, raspberry lemon, double chocolate, vanilla almond, chocolate mint, and cinnamon pecan. They are free from dairy, soy, and gluten. They contain tree nuts.
Honey Bar
Honey Bars are a nut-based bar available in five flavours: peanut butter & jam, sweet & salty, trail mix, roasted lemon sesame, almond salted caramel, and quinoa cranberry. They are free from dairy, soy, and gluten. They contain peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame.
Lara Bars
Lara Bars are date and nut-based bars available in ten flavours: peanut butter chocolate chip, cashew, peanut butter, coconut cream, mint chocolate chip, chocolate brownie, chocolate chip, cocoa coconut cashew, apple, and blueberry. They are free from dairy, soy, and gluten. They contain peanuts and tree nuts.
Vel Bars
Vel bars are a nut and seed-based bar available in six flavours: flax cranberry, fruit & nut, almond berry, nut & seed, brazil nut & dates, macadamia & coconut. They are free from dairy, soy, and gluten. They contain peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame.
Natures Bakery Gluten-Free Fig Bars
Natures Bakery Gluten-Free Fig Bars are jam-filled bars that are free from gluten, dairy, and nuts. They are available in four flavours: blueberry, raspberry, pomegranate, and original fig.
