Get ready to crunch into some granola goodness! We're diving into the world of supermarket granola, where sweet and savory clusters await. But here's the catch: not all granolas are created equal. Some are indulgent treats, while others are healthy wholefood options. So, let's uncover the best of the bunch and find your perfect crunchy companion.
Granola: A Sweet and Nutty Adventure
Granola, a delightful blend of baked oats, nuts, and a touch of sweetness, is a breakfast favorite. But what sets it apart from muesli? Well, granola's secret ingredient is a sugar syrup, be it maple, honey, or golden syrup. This simple addition transforms it into a sweet and crunchy delight. However, for those with a sweet tooth like me, granola can be a rare treat due to its addictive nature.
The ideal granola, in my opinion, boasts golden clusters. It should strike a perfect balance between sweet and savory, with a hint of salt and a variety of whole grains, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. And an extra special mention goes to those with toasted coconut, adding a unique flavor without breaking the bank.
Our taste test revealed a diverse range of granolas, from nutty bargains to luxurious, sugar-packed indulgences, and even some surprisingly healthy, low-sugar options. Now, let's uncover the best supermarket granolas and find your new breakfast favorite.
The Best Supermarket Granola
Best Overall:
- Eat Natural Low-Sugar Granola: A true winner with its medium-roast oat clusters and a generous helping of toasted coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. Flavored with buckwheat and sweetened with just 4.4% sugar, it's a perfect balance. The use of coconut blossom nectar and prebiotic chicory root fiber adds a unique twist.
Best Bargain:
- Tesco Finest Super Nutty Granola: This granola offers generous clusters of dark-roasted oats, spelt, and barley, along with a generous 15% nuts, including almonds. With 12% sugar, it's not overly sweet, but the added flavoring seems unnecessary. Nonetheless, it's a brilliant value for a classic, tasty granola.
And the Rest...
Scrumshus The Premium Granola: Large clusters of dark-roast oats sweetened with honey and maple syrup create a floral and aromatic granola. Packed with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, it's super sweet (31.6% sugar) but incredibly indulgent. Perfect for a dessert granola, not an everyday breakfast.
Bio&Me Super Seedy & Nutty Granola: A healthy, almost savory wholefood granola with small, dark-roasted clusters of oats, puffed brown rice, buckwheat, and quinoa. Made with extra-virgin olive oil and no added sugars (9.7% overall), it's a nutritious option with a range of nuts and seeds, and even contains dates and dried carrots.
Nibs Etc Rye, Hazelnut & Cacao Granola: Small-batch, UK-made, and cacao-rich, this granola is sweetened with upcycled British apple pulp and maple syrup. Fortified with sunflower seeds and hazelnuts, it's quite savory (11% sugar) and a great choice for health-conscious eco-warriors.
Morrisons The Best Nuts & Seed Granola: A classic granola with small clusters of oats, seeds, and nuts, including pecans. With almost 20% nuts and seeds, it's a great value, but lacks dried fruit. The coconut stands out, and it contains uncertified palm oil and 13% sugar.
Spoon x Manilife Peanut Butter Granola: Small dark clusters of peanut-coated granola with raisins and peanuts, and a generous 13% peanut butter. Sweetened with date syrup (16% sugar), it has a low to moderate GI. Plus, Spoon donates 1% of turnover to planetary charities.
Gail's Toasted Coconut Rye & Maple Granola: Small, well-roasted clusters of oats, rye, and millet with lots of coconut and a hint of vanilla. Very sweet with muscovado sugar and maple syrup (17% sugar), but lacking nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
Dorset Cereals Nutty Granola: Small, medium-roast oat and rye clusters sweetened with golden syrup (13.1% sugar). Lacking dried fruit and with only 7.5% nuts (almond, hazelnut, and cashew), it's naturally flavored with desiccated coconut.
Fuel10K Chocolate Chunks Granola: Big, firm, crunchy oat clusters with pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate. Fortified with wheat protein and vitamins, it contains glucose and 17.5% sugar, which seems contradictory to its health claims.
And there you have it, a comprehensive guide to the best supermarket granolas. But here's where it gets controversial: which one will you choose? Do you prefer the sweet indulgence or the healthy, savory option? Let's discuss in the comments and share our granola preferences!
