KELLOGG’S SPECIAL K PROTEIN BARS - FAR FROM HOMEMADE

Information updated October 2024

There are so many bars and protein bars, it gets confusing.

KELLOGG'S SPECIAL K PROTEIN MEAL BARS: This is a quick snapshot of Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Chip Protein Meal Bars, and then a comparison to a Closest To Homemade® brand.

THE SPECIAL K BRAND: Special K is a cereal brand that has extended its equity into multiple other categories in which Kellogg has development + production capabilities including bars.

THEN

Decades ago, Special K was just a cereal whose message was all about Protein . . .

As time passed, the Brand evolved into dieting and female-focused body imagery . . .

NOW

Today, Kellogg's Special K is a big brand with multiple product offerings for multiple usage occasions. Many Special K products contain multiple ingredients which are banned at Whole Foods >> these are ingredients which Whole Foods cite as “Unacceptable in food”. (Source for Special K ingredients: Kellogg's Kellanova Special K Web site 10/24; Source for banned ingredients: Amazon Whole Foods Web site 10/24)

NOT IN KITCHEN™ INGREDIENTS: Let's look at the ingredients in Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough Protein Meal Bars. Reminder that ingredients are always listed in descending order of amount.

Not In Kitchen ingredients are seen below in these Special K bars include Polydextrose which is banned at Whole Foods plus Palm Kernel Oil, Fructose, Soybean Oil, Palm Oil, Sugar, Sorbitol, Pectin and commercial Natural Flavors and added vitamin and mineral fortification. Although many of us have vitamin + mineral supplements in our homes, we don't use them in homemade recipes. 

THERE IS NOT REAL CHOCOLATE IN THESE KELLOGG'S PROTEIN BARS: The Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough Protein Meal Bars are not made with real chocolate >> this is why the flavor designator is spelled with a "y" on the end. If these bars were made with real chocolate, it would say "chocolate".

SPECIAL K vs. CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE® PROTEIN BAR COMPARISON: Here's a comparison of Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough Protein Meal Bars to one of the Closest To Homemade® brands, Non-GMO Project Verified Square Organics Chocolate Coated Cookie Dough Protein Bar which is Certified Organic and Certified Gluten-free. (Source: Square Organics on Amazon Whole Foods Web site 10/24)

PROTEIN SOURCE COMPARISON: The protein sources for Kellogg's Special K Bars include Soy Protein Isolate, and the Non-GMO Project Verified protein source for Square Organics includes USDA Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice Protein.

SUGAR COMPARISON: One bar of Kellogg's Special K Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough Protein Meal Bars has 9 grams of added sugar from sources including Sugar, Corn Syrup and Fructose. There are 11 grams of Organic Sugar in the Square Organics Chocolate Coated Cookie Dough Protein Bar from sources including Organic Dried Cane Syrup and Organic Maple Syrup. 

Discover more food + beverages whose ingredients are Closest To Homemade in 275+ categories. Neither money nor products are ever accepted to appear on the Closest To Homemade list.

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