Kudos Bars
Kudos bars were chewy granola bars coated in a thin shell of milk chocolate, made by Hershey's and sold from 1986 until the company discontinued the U.S. line in 2016. The original lineup included Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter versions built on an oat-and-corn-syrup granola base, while spinoff flavors like M&M's, Snickers, and Milky Way replaced some of the granola with actual candy bar pieces under the chocolate coating. They were marketed as a portable, slightly-better-for-you alternative to a candy bar, though the sugar content was close to one.
Varieties
The original Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Kudos were granola-forward with a thin chocolate coating. Later tie-in flavors (M&M's, Snickers, Milky Way, Nutty Fudge) swapped in actual candy pieces and thicker chocolate, making them noticeably sweeter and less like a traditional granola bar.
Buying tips
Hershey discontinued Kudos in the U.S. in 2016, so they aren't available new at domestic grocery stores. Some import or retro-candy shops occasionally stock old international packaging (Kudos was sold longer in parts of Europe and Canada under license), but treat any listing claiming 'new' U.S. stock with skepticism given the discontinuation date.
Substitutes
Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip granola bar, dipped in melted chocolate — 1:1
Closest homemade match; regular Chewy bars lack the chocolate shell, so dip and re-chill them to get the same snap.
Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Peanut bar — 1:1
Similar chewy-bar format and peanut flavor, but the coating is a yogurt-style peanut butter layer rather than milk chocolate.
Homemade granola bar (oats, honey, peanut butter) coated in melted chocolate chips — 1 bar recipe : 1 batch
Lets you control sweetness and thickness of the coating; press granola mixture into a pan, chill, cut into bars, then dip.
KIND Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter bar — 1:1
Denser and nuttier than Kudos, with less granola-style chew, but the closest current supermarket product in flavor profile.
Storage
Store unopened bars in a cool, dry pantry away from direct heat, the same as any chocolate-coated snack; the coating softens and can bloom (turn dull gray-white) above about 75°F. Once opened, rewrap tightly in foil or a resealable bag to keep the granola from drying out.
How to use
Eaten straight from the wrapper as a snack or quick breakfast, but also crumbled over yogurt or ice cream, crushed and stirred into blondie or cookie batter for texture, or chopped and pressed into a no-bake pie crust in place of graham crackers.
What it pairs with
Works the way any chocolate-and-oat snack does: alongside coffee or milk for breakfast, or crushed into a bowl of vanilla yogurt with fresh berries for added crunch and sweetness.
Nutrition
A single bar ran roughly 120 to 130 calories with 9 to 11 grams of sugar, similar to a standard granola bar but with the added sugar and fat of a chocolate coating. It was marketed alongside cereal and granola products but nutritionally sat closer to a candy bar than a health snack.
FAQ
Are Kudos bars still made?
Hershey discontinued Kudos in the United States in 2016 after decades on shelves. Some international markets carried licensed versions longer, but there is no current U.S. production.
Why did Kudos bars get discontinued?
Hershey didn't give a single public reason, but the granola bar category had shifted toward higher-protein and lower-sugar products by the mid-2010s, and Kudos hadn't been updated to compete with newer brands like KIND or RXBAR.
What's the best substitute if a recipe calls for crushed Kudos bars?
A chewy chocolate chip granola bar (like Quaker Chewy) dipped in melted chocolate and chilled gives nearly the same texture and flavor for crumbling into a crust or batter.
Were Kudos bars considered a healthy snack?
Not particularly. Despite the granola-and-cereal marketing, a bar had sugar and calorie counts close to a standard candy bar, just with oats added for texture.
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