I Tried 8 Popular Chocolate Chip Granola Bars & There's Only One I'd Buy Again

It's back-to-school time and parents everywhere are desperate to find healthy snacks that are portable and palatable enough that their kids will actually eat them. (We've all seen that "traveling banana" that's made multiple round trips in the backpack!)

When it comes to a snack that toes the line between health food and junk food, a chocolate chip granola bar fits the bill. The rolled oats, seeds, and other ingredients provide a good dose of fiber and energy, while the chocolate chips make it something any kid would be happy to pull out of their lunchbox (and other kids will want to trade their carrot sticks for it). But not all chocolate chip granola bars are created equal.

As a mom who sometimes wants a healthy snack, I tried out 8 different popular brands of chocolate chip granola bars in the hopes of finding one that I could feel good about giving my kids and also maybe enjoy myself. Some of the bars were overly sticky and sweet, and a few of them were just blah. But there was one that was so good that I'm making it part of the regular snack rotation in my household.

Before you invest in a full box of granola bars, read on to see how each of these fared. These chocolate chip granola bars are ranked from worst to first, each judged on appearance and taste. May the best granola bar win!

Junkless Chewy Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip

Junkless bars are touted as being made with "real, simple ingredients" and "less sugar," which is any parent's dream. A box of six cost me $4.53.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: This bar looked and felt like a wet, sticky mess—so much so that I could barely get it out of the wrapper. If you buy these, send a package of baby wipes with your child! Right away, I wanted to toss this in the trash, but I soldiered on in the name of our taste test.

The taste: The Junkless bar had a syrupy, overly sweet taste. The chocolate chips were the only saving grace. I'll also note that at 6 grams of sugar, this bar wasn't even the lowest in sugar of the ones I tried.

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Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip

This is the go-to chocolate chip granola bar for many families, and we've had it many times in my household. According to Quaker, each bar contains nine grams of whole grains, with no artificial preservatives or artificial flavors. A box of eight cost me $2.69.

The look: Fairly standard in size, just under an ounce, with a good amount of chocolate chips peeking out from the oat, rice, and wheat granola mixture.

The taste: Biting into this bar, the first thing you taste is sugar. This very sweet snack is probably a hit with kids, but as a mom, I think you can do better. Anyone with a palate more sophisticated than a seven-year-old's would probably want a less sweet, more nuanced snack.

Cascadian Farm Organic Chewy Dark Chocolate Chip

I'd never heard of this better-for-you brand, which touted its fair trade chocolate on the box. Cascadian Farm's chewy chocolaty granola bar is also made with organic and non-GMO ingredients. I picked up a box of 10 bars at Target for $6.99.

The look: A bit bigger than the Quaker bar at 1.2 ounces. The chocolate chips looked a little old and sooty, even though the printed expiration date had not passed. This was a big snack time turn-off.

The taste: The bars had a nice chewy texture and were not overly sweet, but the old looking chips and slight stickiness had me tossing the rest of mine in the trash.

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Made Good Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip

Made Good's bars contain nutrients from vegetable extracts, which are "perfectly concealed by all the amazing ingredients. So your kids will never know," according to the manufacturer. The bars are touted as a good source of vitamins C & D. A box of six cost me $5.10.

The look: This granola bar had a darker color than many of the others. It looked a little skinnier, too, though it's about the same weight as the Quaker bar. It also showed an abundance of chocolate chips.

The taste: This bar had a strong molasses-like taste, though the listed sweeteners are agave syrup and invert cane syrup. I wasn't a fan and couldn't see my kids loving it. It also seemed like a small bite for 100 calories.

Kind Chewy Chocolate Chip

I already love Kind granola (it's great paired with Greek yogurt for breakfast), so I had high hopes for the brand's chocolate chip granola bar. It also had one of the lowest amounts of sugar of all the bars at just five grams. This one was priced at $6.39 for a box of 10.

The look: Compared to the other bars I tried, this one was very thin and flat. It didn't look that substantial and opening it up, it was super sticky coming out of the wrapper, which made me wonder how you'd eat it on the go. There were way fewer chips in this bar than in the picture on the box.

The taste: The Kind granola bar was sweet, but not overly so, and had a nice flavor that wasn't overwhelming. Still, there weren't enough chocolate chips, and the stickiness would prevent me from buying this one again.

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Annie's Organic Chewy Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip

Annie's is a family favorite—my kids like the mac and cheese, I love the salad dressing—so I was eager to try its chocolate chip granola bar. It's made with USDA-certified organic ingredients and contains eight grams of whole grains, according to the brand. It's also made without high fructose corn syrup. Listed sweeteners include cane sugar and tapioca syrup. A box of 6 was priced at $5.32.

The look: This bar had an appealing, light color, and was slightly bigger than the Quaker and Made Good bars. There were a good amount of chips, and it was not overly sticky (which was quickly becoming a main consideration the more bars I tried).

The taste: With an appealing texture and a nice, light sweetness that wasn't overly sugary, this bar was a winner. It was chewy without being sticky and I'd feel good tucking this into a lunchbox (or my purse) on any given school day. Still, there were two bars I liked even better.

Blake's Seed-Based Chewy Chocolate Chip

This brand was created by Blake Sorensen for people like him who have a nut allergy. It's made with seeds instead of nuts and is free of numerous other allergens, too. There's no milk, no eggs, no wheat, no soy, and no sesame. A five-count box of these school-friendly snacks cost me $3.99.

The look: I was a little wary of a bar being "sprinkled with seeds," as it sounded like bird food. But opening up this thin bar, I was enticed by the layer of chocolate along the bottom.

The taste: Biting in, I was really surprised that this granola bar had such a great flavor! It had the lowest amount of sugar of any brand in this survey, offering just the right amount of sweetness, and the seeds gave it a nice texture.

Kodiak Chewy Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip

My family loves the flapjack and waffle mix from Utah-based Kodiak Cakes, so I had high expectations for this granola bar. Like the waffle mix, the Kodiak granola bar is made with 100% whole grains and packed with protein. Each bar delivers 7 grams—far and away the most of any brand in this survey. At the same time, it also leads the pack in most calories and sugar. A box of five bars regularly costs around $5.29 but I found it on sale for $4.49.

The look: This was a thick, substantial-looking bar with lots of visible chocolate chips. I wanted to bite right in (and I knew my kids would, too!)

The taste: Light and airy, with a natural, sweet flavor and just the right amount of chocolaty bits. This was the only bar that made me really want to take a second bite. If you are looking for a chocolate chip granola bar that parents and kids can come to the table for, Kodiak is your brand.