snack bars

by Jason Denney

Overall, the main takeaway is that the problem with cereal bars (and snacks in general) is the single use packaging. This packaging is usually plastic or foil and is not easily recyclable. If you need convincing that you should avoid purchasing plastic, watch this Netflix doc on Point Comfort. Pretty much all of the common cereal bar brands you know have non-recyclable packaging.

So, the best option is to purchase cereal bars that have compostable packaging, or not buy them at all in lieu of other snacks you can package yourself like trail mix (purchased in bulk) and fruits/veggies. I did find a few easy DIY cereal bar recipes, and the primary ingredients are typically peanut butter and melted honey or syrup that’s then mixed w/ grains then refrigerated. So, I guess I better research ethical peanut butter soon.

Compostable packaging isn’t easy, some companies like Regrained have had to revert to traditional packaging due to shipping damage issues, and FritoLay’s SunChip had to revert due to sales dropping from the compostable bag being too loud.

If you don’t want to give up your favorite snacks, another option is to purchase a TerraCycle Zero Waste Box.

Resources:

• https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/sustainable-organic-snacks

• https://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2019/03/12/Raising-the-bar-LivBar-throws-compostable-packaging-challenge-into-the-fray

• https://tipa-corp.com/