This post is sponsored by Uncle Toby's
I'm sure most mums will agree that school lunch boxes are the bane of their existence! It's an ongoing struggle between packing heathy food and packing food that the kids will actually eat! It's a battle that I fight every day with my teenagers- I've said before that they basically live on a white food diet and the same goes for their school lunch.
They pretty much only eat processed food plus some sort of a sandwich or roll for lunch (although my 16 year old son has now dismissed even that and is having cold pizza instead). They are well past the age where I can dictate what they eat so I have to try and find something that they will eat that has a least some nutritional value.
Muesli bars are something they eat but I've never been hugely keen on them because I didn't think there was anything really that good in them. I thought of them as highly processed sugar treats disguised with some oats- so when I was invited to come along to Uncle Toby's to hear about how they have changed their muesli bars to comply with the government's new 5 star food rating system I was interested in hearing what they had to say.
The Government has introduced the new Health Star food ratings so that shoppers can see at a glance which is the healthier option. It's a voluntary program for companies and Nestle/ Uncle Toby's is getting on board and taking on the challenge to improve the nutrition of their products. We learned that the current muesli bars such as the standard choc chip or apricot ones, as well as the yogurt covered ones only sit at a health star rating of 2.5 because they are too high in sugar and salt and not high enough in whole grains and fibre.
With this in mind Uncle Toby's has invested $7m in its reformulation and new machinery to bringing it's products up to scratch. It's new muesli bar recipes have reduced the sugar and salt and increased the whole grains and fibre- which now brings their bars to a 4 star rating!
I thought this was all great news and that I can finally stop feeling guilty for buying muesli bars for lunch but the part of the day I enjoyed the most was actually seeing the choc chip muesli bars being made. I don't know about you but when I read the back of the box of packaged foods I don't even know what half the stuff is! So when the Food Technologist lay the ingredients out in front of us and then mixed the muesli bars up, right in front of us on a little Kitchen Aid just like the one I have at home I felt like I finally knew just what it was made from- and almost everything in it I just have at home in my kitchen so now I don't feel like they are completely manufactured with fake food just because they are made in a processing factory rather than in my kitchen.
You can get the brand new Uncle Toby's Muesli Bars in your local supermarket- just look out for the shiny new packaging with the 4 stars on it!
For more information visit www.uncletobys.com.au
Katy Linsao
I LOVE Uncle Toby's! The different flavors are so much fun, and the bars actually taste good. Healthy and yummy is a great combination. I bought a few boxes for my dorm a while ago, and I'd just pop them while studying.
Cathie
Uncle Toby's Meusli Bars are the best! They are a sentimental favorite from my school days, and are still a perfect lunch-box item for my kids. We eat them every day, so I'm excited by the new, healthier recipe. I'm off to Coles to find them now!
Kirsty
Sometimes it's the crunch, other times its the chewiness.
There's a surprise in every bite, from mouthwatering choc chips to delicious berry bits, we thrive on the taste of every bite!
We need quick and healthy snacks because we are always on the go and these guys are perfect for it, they’re already wrapped to go!
From lunch box fillers, to hand bag hunger tamers, they’re suitable for the whole family and no mess left behind wherever we go! I love that 🙂
It’s Uncle Toby’s muesli bars we toss in our trolley on every shop, sometimes healthy, other times a little naughty, but always there to satisfy and attack when craving a yummy snack!
Lynnette bull
I love the flavours. They all appeal to me AND my kids. Meaning we can buy the bigger packs and save money. And knowing that Uncle Toby's is willing to up the health star rating it is a win win situation. Now they can be used as a snack or part of lunch or a quick breakfast running out the door
Sarah Phillips
I love Uncle Toby's muesli bars,
The tastiest snack by far.
Nutritious and lunchbox friendly,
The kids love them, the wrappers always come home empty.
Linda
We all love Uncle Toby's museli bars!!!
They are a great addition to the workbag for hubby, the lunchbox for the kids, handbag and nappy bag for me on the go!
Perfect serving size and taste, great range of flavours, great value for money, taste amazing!
Love that they have a four star health rating, are a source of fibre and no artificial colours or flavours and now they've reduced the amount in of sugar.. Woo hoo! Might have one now... 🙂
Claire
I love how excited my child is to see them in the pantry. She seems to even find them when they are hidden. Strawberry yogurt top is her favourite.
Bianca moore
To be honest what i like about Uncle Toby's Muesli Bars is that you can have a few boxes in the pantry and all you have to do is throw a yummy bar into the lunch box on a busy morning.
Taryn Menzies
I love how versatile the uncle Toby's muesli bars are, for breakfast, snack, I'm the go and easy to keep one in my handbag for the emergency hunger attack! The variety of flavours and textures means something for everyone in our house of 6!
Hollie
I love the new taste to them! and how they are the perfect portion size
Dannielle
I used to only buy them as a treat as they are so high in sugar, but now that the recipe has been reformulated I will make them a regular part of my shopping list! My son is going to love me when he sees them in the cupboard every week!
Jennifer
I love that they have halved the sugar contenr but they still taste great!!
Leeanne
I don't know what muesli bars all these reviewers have been eating. But the new choc chip chewy bar recipe tastes like straw, and my kids will no longer eat them (neither will I for that matter). My mothers group all agree the new ones taste awful. So I can only assume this page is sponsored by Uncle Tobys? I wish they would bring the old recipe back, and give consumers the choice.
Maraya
yes as you can see this post is sponsored by Uncle Toby's- we have the disclaimer at the top. However, I really like the new ones! My daughter is obsessed. But in saying that she never had the old ones because I always thought they had too much sugar.