sláinte
JournalSign in
Back to Journal

We Scored 20 Everyday Supermarket Foods in Ireland. Here's What 30 Days of Reading Labels Taught Us

Published · Updated  · Sláinte Editorial

An Irish supermarket trolley tells a story. Flahavan's oats for breakfast, a Glenisk yoghurt in the fridge, a protein bar in your bag, a jar of Nutella for the toast and a bag of Tayto for later.

Most of us know those products by their names and the promises on the front. Far fewer of us know how they compare with the next product on the shelf.

Illustration for We Scored 20 Everyday Supermarket Foods in Ireland. Here's What 30 Days of Reading Labels Taught Us

Over the past 29 Sláinte Journal articles we've looked at sugar, protein, E numbers, preservatives, ultra-processed foods and misleading packaging claims. For the final day, we're bringing those lessons into one shop.

We picked ten comparisons, twenty products in all. Every one has a complete label, and every score below is calculated live by the same food-scoring engine you reach when you scan a barcode.

Editorial note: Sláinte publishes this article and runs the scoring system used in it. Brands don't pay to change their scores. The numbers are ratings under Sláinte's published method, not medical diagnoses or EU health grades, and this is not a claim to have tested every product in Irish supermarkets.

What did we actually compare?

Ten sets of products a person could reasonably weigh up at a shelf, when planning breakfast, making a lunchbox or grabbing something on the way home. A couple of pairs are different foods for the same occasion rather than exact substitutes, and we say so where it matters.

ComparisonProduct AProduct BWhat we're testing
1. Breakfast cerealFlahavan's Organic Porridge OatsKellogg's Coco PopsPlain oats against a sweetened ready-to-eat cereal
2. Muesli and granolaFlahavan's Hi8 Original MuesliFlahavan's Original Fruit & Nut GranolaTwo oat-based breakfast mixes
3. Irish protein yoghurtGlenisk Fat Free Protein NaturalGlenisk Protein VanillaSame brand and protein pitch, different flavour
4. High-protein dairyFAGE Total 0%Lindahls Kvarg VanillaPlain against flavoured with sweeteners
5. Protein barsFulfil Chocolate Brownie 55gGrenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint 60gProtein claims, polyols and saturated fat
6. Irish crispsTayto Cheese & OnionKeogh's Crinkle Cut Sea Salt & Balsamic VinegarSalt, energy and the savoury snack ceiling
7. Toast spreadsNutellaWhole Earth Crunchy Peanut ButterDifferent spreads for the same slice, not like-for-like
8. Soft drinksCoca-Cola Original TasteCoca-Cola Zero SugarFree sugar against authorised sweeteners
9. Pasta saucesTesco BologneseDolmio Original BologneseOwn brand against the big brand on the same tomato base
10. Pour-on sweetenersTesco Clear HoneyTesco Finest Dark Maple SyrupSugars per 100 g and per 15 g

One change from our original list: Keogh's Sour Cream & Onion had no complete nutrition panel in our records, so we used Keogh's Crinkle Cut Atlantic Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar instead. Same brand, same aisle, a real label.

Before the results: what is a Sláinte Score?

Sláinte gives a food a score from 0 to 100. Higher means a more favourable profile under our published method. It is not a laboratory safety test or a prediction of what a food will do to a particular person.

ComponentWeightWhat it looks at
Nutrition quality55%Energy, sugars, salt and saturated fat, plus fibre, protein and fruit, veg and pulse content
Ingredients30%The declared recipe, recognised additives, sweeteners and other ingredient signals
Processing and quality15%Processing characteristics, including NOVA, and supporting quality signals

Additives are assessed inside the ingredients part, not as a fourth component. Some categories also have score ceilings, so a sugary cereal, a bag of crisps and a plain yoghurt aren't judged as if they were the same kind of food.

The bands are fixed: Excellent 75 to 100, Good 50 to 74, Poor 25 to 49, Bad 0 to 24. A result is only as good as the record behind it, which is why every card below names its source and barcode.

1. Porridge oats or Coco Pops: what makes a breakfast cereal better?

The cereal aisle isn't one nutritional category. Oats with nothing added and a chocolate-flavoured puffed rice cereal are both sold as breakfast, but their sugars, fibre and level of processing are very different.

The point isn't that oats are natural and a colourful box is bad. It's whether the labels show real differences, and how the score handles them.

Flahavan's Organic Porridge Oats

Label verified · barcode 5099801003315

96

/100

Sláinte Score

Excellent

Short list, real food, nothing hiding.

  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • Low in salt
  • Fits a balanced diet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g370 1 g1 g0.1 g8.3 g11.3 g
40 g148 0.4 g0.4 g0.1 g3.3 g4.5 g

Ingredients: 100% Organic Wholegrain Rolled Oats.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5099801003315. Scored 26 October 2026.

Kellogg's Coco Pops

Label verified · barcode 5059319036779

65

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Breakfast with a dessert's sugar load.

  • Low in saturated fat
  • 1 additive

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g386 17 g0.9 g0.7 g3.8 g6.3 g
40 g154.4 6.8 g0.4 g0.3 g1.5 g2.5 g

Ingredients: Rice, sugar, glucose syrup, fat reduced cocoa powder, salt, cocoa mass, barley malt extract, flavourings, niacin, iron, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B12.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5059319036779. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Flahavan's Organic Porridge Oats scores 96/100 (Excellent), and Kellogg's Coco Pops scores 65/100 (Good). That's a 31-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 1 g against 17 g, and salt is 0.1 g against 0.7 g.

In your own bowl, compare per 100 g first, then the amount you'd actually eat. Milk and toppings change the meal too. This was the central lesson of our breakfast cereal guide.

2. Muesli or granola: can two oat-based foods earn different scores?

Both contain oats, fruit, seeds or nuts. But granola is usually toasted with oil and often sweetened with sugar or honey, while muesli leans on dried fruit. Two Flahavan's products keep the brand constant.

Flahavan's Hi8 Original Muesli

Label verified · barcode 02981444

69

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Breakfast with a dessert's sugar load.

  • Low in saturated fat
  • Low in salt
  • Good source of fibre
  • 1 additive

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g360 21 g1.4 g0 g5.3 g11 g
45 g162 9.5 g0.6 g0 g2.4 g5 g

Ingredients: Wholegrain Cereals (61%) (Wholegrain Rolled Oats, Wheat Flakes, Rye Flakes), Dried Fruit (32%) (Raisins (Raisins, Sunflower Oil), Apricots (Apricots, Rice Flour, Sulphur Dioxide), Chopped Dates (Dates, Rice Flour)), Seeds (5%) (Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds), Oat Flour.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 02981444. Scored 26 October 2026.

Flahavan's Original Fruit & Nut Granola

Label verified · barcode 5099801000772

63

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Breakfast with a dessert's sugar load.

  • Low in salt
  • No additives declared on this label
  • Good source of fibre
  • Too sweet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g483 24 g4.3 g0.1 g5.5 g13 g
45 g217.4 10.8 g1.9 g0 g2.5 g5.9 g

Ingredients: Wholegrain Oats, Dried Fruit (Raisins (raisins, sunflower oil), Sultanas (sultanas, sunflower oil), Cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil)), Nuts, Sugar, Rapeseed Oil, Coconut, Honey, Natural flavouring.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5099801000772. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Flahavan's Hi8 Original Muesli scores 69/100 (Good), and Flahavan's Original Fruit & Nut Granola scores 63/100 (Good). That's a 6-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 21 g against 24 g, and salt is 0 g against 0.1 g.

Nuts and seeds bring energy and unsaturated fats; dried fruit brings sugars and other nutrients. Our granola and muesli guide goes through the recipes in detail.

3. Glenisk Natural or Vanilla: does high protein tell you enough?

Same Irish brand, same protein pitch, one plain and one flavoured. Both can fit a balanced diet, but the labels aren't the same.

Glenisk Fat Free Protein Yoghurt Natural

Label verified

91

/100

Sláinte Score

Excellent

Short list, real food, nothing hiding.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • Fits a balanced diet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

Nothing significant.

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g60 3.5 g0 g0.1 gnot available10 g
150 g90 5.3 g0 g0.2 gnot available15 g

Ingredients: Pasteurised skimmed milk, live yoghurt cultures.

Source: Tesco Ireland retailer label, checked 20 October 2026. Scored 26 October 2026.

Glenisk Protein Yoghurt Vanilla

Label verified · barcode 5099649003447

74

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Mostly good for you.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • 1 additive

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g81 8.8 g0 g0.1 g0.5 g9 g
150 g121.5 13.2 g0 g0.1 g0.8 g13.5 g

Ingredients: Organic Skimmed Milk, Organic Cane Sugar, Water, Organic Maize Starch, Natural Vanilla Flavouring, Gelling Agent (Pectin), Cultures (Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus), Organic Vanilla Pods (0.01%), Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, Organic Vanilla Extract (0.01%).

The catalogue label for this pot lists 8.8 g sugars per 100 g; our Day 27 retailer snapshot showed 10 g. Batches and listings can differ.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5099649003447. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Glenisk Fat Free Protein Yoghurt Natural scores 91/100 (Excellent), and Glenisk Protein Yoghurt Vanilla scores 74/100 (Good). That's a 17-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 3.5 g against 8.8 g, and salt is 0.1 g against 0.1 g.

Total sugars aren't the same as added sugars. Plain yoghurt contains lactose, the sugar naturally in milk. If a flavoured pot has added sugar, the ingredients list will name it, here as organic cane sugar.

4. FAGE 0% or Lindahls Vanilla: similar protein, very different recipes

Both deliver around 10 g of protein per 100 g. One is plain strained yoghurt; the other is a flavoured quark sweetened with acesulfame K and aspartame. Those sweeteners are authorised at permitted levels, and the score treats them as an ingredient signal, not a safety verdict.

FAGE Total 0% Greek Recipe Yoghurt

Label verified · barcode 5201054017517

96

/100

Sláinte Score

Excellent

Real protein, without the sugar.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • Fits a balanced diet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

Nothing significant.

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g54 3 g0 g0.1 gnot available10.3 g
150 g81 4.5 g0 g0.2 gnot available15.5 g

Ingredients: Pasteurised skimmed milk, live active yoghurt cultures (L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei).

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5201054017517. Scored 26 October 2026.

Lindahls Kvarg Vanilla

Label verified · barcode 3023290018415

60

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat

High-concern ingredient warning

The numbers look fine, but one ingredient here is worth avoiding.

Flagged: E1442

  • 5 additives

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g55 3.1 g0.1 g0.1 g0 g10 g
150 g82.5 4.7 g0.2 g0.2 g0 g15 g

Ingredients: Pasteurised skimmed milk, water, lactic cultures, natural vanilla flavouring, modified maize starch, colour (carotenes), sweeteners (acesulfame K, aspartame), acidity regulator (citric acid).

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 3023290018415. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: FAGE Total 0% Greek Recipe Yoghurt scores 96/100 (Excellent), and Lindahls Kvarg Vanilla scores 60/100 (Good). That's a 36-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 3 g against 3.1 g, and salt is 0.1 g against 0.1 g.

This is how a pot with a tidy nutrition table can still land a band lower: the ingredients part of the score sees starch, colour and two sweeteners where FAGE has milk and cultures.

5. Fulfil or Grenade: a protein bar is more than its protein number

Both bars are built to deliver plenty of protein in a handy format. Both also use polyols, sucralose, emulsifiers and a chocolate coating. One is 55 g and the other 60 g, so the cards show per 100 g and per whole bar.

Fulfil Chocolate Brownie Vitamin & Protein Bar 55g

Label verified · barcode 5391532124278

24

/100

Sláinte Score

Bad

A chocolate bar in protein clothing.

  • Low in sugars
  • Low in salt
  • Good source of protein
  • 5 additives
  • High in saturated fat

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g338 2 g5.9 g0.2 g4.6 g34.4 g
55 g185.9 1.1 g3.2 g0.1 g2.5 g18.9 g

Ingredients: Protein blend (milk protein, hydrolysed collagen), sweeteners (maltitol, maltitol syrup, sucralose), cream flavoured layer (soluble corn fibre, milk protein, cocoa mass, sweetener (maltitol), fat reduced cocoa, cocoa butter, flavourings, emulsifier (soya lecithin)), minerals (potassium chloride), humectant (glycerol), cocoa butter, no added sugar chocolate drops with sweetener (cocoa mass, sweetener (maltitol), emulsifier, fat reduced cocoa, natural vanilla flavouring), cocoa mass, fat reduced cocoa, soya oil, flavourings, emulsifiers (soya lecithin), vitamins.

One bar is 55 g.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5391532124278. Scored 26 October 2026.

Grenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint 60g

Label verified · barcode 5060221201858

24

/100

Sláinte Score

Bad

A chocolate bar in protein clothing.

  • Low in sugars
  • Low in salt
  • Good source of fibre
  • 6 additives
  • High in saturated fat

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g337 0.7 g5.7 g0.4 g5.1 g36.7 g
60 g202.2 0.4 g3.4 g0.2 g3.1 g22 g

Ingredients: Protein blend (milk protein, calcium caseinate (milk), whey protein (milk)), dark chocolate with sweetener (21%) (cocoa mass, sweetener: maltitol, cocoa butter, milk fats, emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural flavouring), sweeteners (maltitol, sucralose), bovine collagen hydrolysate, humectant: glycerol, bulking agent: polydextrose, soya crispies (soya protein, tapioca starch, salt), soya oil, reduced fat cocoa powder, flavourings, colour: calcium carbonate.

One bar is 60 g.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5060221201858. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Fulfil Chocolate Brownie Vitamin & Protein Bar 55g scores 24/100 (Bad), and Grenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint 60g scores 24/100 (Bad). That's a tie, so neither one wins this round. Per 100 g, sugars are 2 g against 0.7 g, and salt is 0.2 g against 0.4 g.

Low sugar doesn't mean no carbohydrate. Polyols such as maltitol sweeten differently from sugar, and larger amounts can cause bloating or a laxative effect in some people. That's worth knowing, not worth panicking over.

6. Tayto or Keogh's: two bags of Irish crisps

Few things feel more Irish than a bag of Tayto or Keogh's, and Sláinte shouldn't be shy about scoring an everyday snack honestly.

Salt and energy are the numbers to watch. Our method also has a score ceiling for fried savoury snacks. That's a deliberate rule, not a vague verdict on the ingredients.

We swapped Keogh's Sour Cream & Onion for Keogh's Atlantic Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar, because the sour cream bag had no complete nutrition panel in our records.

Tayto Cheese & Onion Crisps

Label verified · barcode 5011096011059

49

/100

Sláinte Score

Poor

Tastes great and hits the spot, but it's a salty processed spud at the end of the day.

  • Low in sugars
  • 3 additives
  • Too caloric

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g523 2.1 g2.7 g1.4 gnot available6.3 g
25 g130.8 0.5 g0.7 g0.4 gnot available1.6 g

Ingredients: Potato, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed in varying proportions), Cheese & Onion Flavour (Onion Powder, Yeast Powder, Natural Flavourings, Salt, Dextrose, Starch, Cheese Powder (Contains Whey Powder) (MILK), Sugar, Yeast Extract, Colours (Paprika Extract, Curcumin), Antioxidant (Rosemary Extract)).

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5011096011059. Scored 26 October 2026.

Keogh's Crinkle Cut Atlantic Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar

Label verified · barcode 5391527730316

43

/100

Sláinte Score

Poor

Tastes great and hits the spot, but it's a salty processed spud at the end of the day.

  • Low in sugars
  • 1 additive
  • Too caloric
  • Too salty

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g520 3.2 g2.6 g2.1 g3.6 g5.8 g
25 g130 0.8 g0.7 g0.5 g0.9 g1.5 g

Ingredients: Potatoes (62%), Sunflower Oil, Dried Balsamic Vinegar, Sea Salt, Rice Flour, Sugar, Dried Apple Balsamic Vinegar, Acidity Regulator: Citric Acid, Dried Spirit Vinegar, Yeast Extract.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5391527730316. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Tayto Cheese & Onion Crisps scores 49/100 (Poor), and Keogh's Crinkle Cut Atlantic Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar scores 43/100 (Poor). That's a 6-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 2.1 g against 3.2 g, and salt is 1.4 g against 2.1 g.

The colours in Tayto come from paprika extract and curcumin, both authorised. Flagging an additive for attention isn't the same as calling it unsafe.

7. Nutella or Whole Earth peanut butter: are these actually substitutes?

Both are jars you might reach for at toast time. Nutella is a sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread; Whole Earth is 97% peanuts. Some people can't eat peanuts or hazelnuts at all, which rules out a simple swap.

Nutella Hazelnut Spread

Label verified · barcode 3017620422003

24

/100

Sláinte Score

Bad

Sugar is doing all the damage.

  • Low in salt
  • 1 additive
  • Too caloric
  • Too sweet
  • High in saturated fat

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g539 56.3 g10.6 g0.1 gnot available6.3 g
15 g80.9 8.4 g1.6 g0 gnot available0.9 g

Ingredients: Sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts 13%, fat-reduced cocoa 7.4%, skimmed milk powder 6.6%, whey powder, emulsifier: lecithins (soya), vanillin.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 3017620422003. Scored 26 October 2026.

Whole Earth Crunchy Peanut Butter

Label verified · barcode 5013665113133

68

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Saturated fat is the main thing holding this back.

  • Low in sugars
  • No additives declared on this label
  • Good source of fibre
  • Too caloric
  • High in saturated fat

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g643 3.8 g7.9 g1.1 g6.7 g27.7 g
15 g96.5 0.6 g1.2 g0.2 g1 g4.2 g

Ingredients: Roasted peanuts (97%), sustainable palm oil, sea salt.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5013665113133. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Nutella Hazelnut Spread scores 24/100 (Bad), and Whole Earth Crunchy Peanut Butter scores 68/100 (Good). That's a 44-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 56.3 g against 3.8 g, and salt is 0.1 g against 1.1 g. These are different foods for the same slice of toast, not like-for-like swaps.

Read this as two different spreads for the same occasion. Peanut butter is the more energy-dense jar per 100 g, and a higher score doesn't erase calories. Its advantage is where the energy comes from: far less sugar, more protein and fibre.

8. Coca-Cola or Coke Zero: when taking out sugar changes the question

The most familiar swap there is. Regular Coca-Cola has 10.6 g of sugars per 100 ml, about 35 g in a 330 ml can. That's more than the NHS daily maximum of 30 g of free sugars for an adult, and it's all added sugar, with nothing else in the can to balance it. That's why it lands in Bad: any soft drink with added sugar at 8 g per 100 ml or more, the top band of Ireland's sugar tax, is capped there. Zero Sugar replaces the sugar with aspartame and acesulfame K.

Coca-Cola Original Taste

Label verified · barcode 5449000051547

24

/100

Sláinte Score

Bad

About 9 teaspoons of sugar in a can, and nothing else in there to show for it.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in saturated fat
  • Low in salt
  • 2 additives

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 ml42 10.6 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
330 ml138.6 35 g0 g0 g0 g0 g

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Sugar, Colour (Caramel E150d), Acid (Phosphoric Acid), Natural Flavourings including Caffeine.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5449000051547. Scored 26 October 2026.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

Label verified · barcode 5449000669902

69

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

The sugar left, the sweeteners moved in.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • 5 additives

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 ml0 0 g0 g0 gnot available0 g
330 ml0 0 g0 g0.1 gnot available0 g

Ingredients: Carbonated water, colour (caramel E150d), phosphoric acid, sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K), natural flavourings including caffeine, acidity regulator (sodium citrate).

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5449000669902. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Coca-Cola Original Taste scores 24/100 (Bad), and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar scores 69/100 (Good). That's a 45-point gap. Per 100 ml, sugars are 10.6 g against 0 g, and salt is 0 g against 0 g.

Three questions get mixed up here: how much sugar is in the can, whether authorised sweeteners are safe at permitted levels, and what overall score a private rating system gives. They're different questions. Neither can is a hydration plan; water still does that job best.

9. Tesco or Dolmio bolognese: closer than the price gap

In our Day 25 comparison, the Tesco and Dolmio jars had the same sugars per 100 g, with small differences in salt and fibre. With both full ingredient lists in, they finish level. Both are mostly tomato with a little added sugar. Dolmio thickens with modified maize starch and adds citric acid; Tesco uses cornflour and lemon juice. Neither is a bad jar, so buy on price and taste.

Tesco Bolognese Pasta Sauce 500g

Label verified · barcode 5000462162617

71

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Mostly good for you.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • Fits a balanced diet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g39 5.4 g0.1 g0.6 g1.7 g1.5 g
125 g48.8 6.8 g0.1 g0.8 g2.1 g1.9 g

Ingredients: Tomato (67%), Tomato Purée (24%), Sugar, Onion, Cornflour, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Onion Powder, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Herbs, Garlic Purée.

Source: Tesco.com label for Tesco Bolognese Pasta Sauce Jar 500g, checked 26 October 2026. Scored 26 October 2026.

Dolmio Original Sauce for Bolognese

Label verified · barcode 4002359019999

64

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Mostly good for you.

  • Light in calories
  • Low in sugars
  • Low in saturated fat
  • 1 additive

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g45 5.4 g0.1 g0.7 g1.1 g1.3 g
125 g56.3 6.8 g0.1 g0.8 g1.4 g1.6 g

Ingredients: Tomatoes (83%), Double Concentrated Tomato Paste (7.0%), Onion, Modified Maize Starch, Sugar, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Basil, Garlic, Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid), Parsley, Spice, Natural Flavouring, Herb.

Dolmio's own label lists 1.1 g fibre and 0.67 g salt per 100 g; the Day 25 retailer snapshot showed 1.3 g and 0.69 g.

Source: Dolmio UK label for Dolmio Original Sauce for Bolognese, checked 26 October 2026. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Tesco Bolognese Pasta Sauce 500g scores 71/100 (Good), and Dolmio Original Sauce for Bolognese scores 64/100 (Good). That's a 7-point gap. Per 100 g, sugars are 5.4 g against 5.4 g, and salt is 0.6 g against 0.7 g.

Both full ingredient lists were checked against the Tesco and Dolmio labels on 26 October 2026. The label comparison guide shows how to do the same with any two jars.

10. Honey or maple syrup: natural doesn't mean sugar-free

Honey sounds natural. Pure maple syrup sounds natural. Both are, and both count as free sugars under WHO guidance.

Tesco Clear Honey

Label verified · barcode 5000119004475

55

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Sugar is doing all the damage.

  • Low in saturated fat
  • Low in salt
  • No additives declared on this label
  • Too sweet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g327 81 g0 g0 g0.5 g0.5 g
15 g49.1 12.2 g0 g0 g0.1 g0.1 g

Ingredients: Honey.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5000119004475. Scored 26 October 2026.

Tesco Finest Grade A Dark Maple Syrup

Label verified · barcode 5059697731846

55

/100

Sláinte Score

Good

Sugar is doing all the damage.

  • Low in saturated fat
  • Low in salt
  • No additives declared on this label
  • Too sweet

What's inside (per 100 g)

The Good Stuff

Watch out for

AdditivesNo additives declared on this label0
PerkcalSugarsSat fatSaltFibreProtein
100 g261 61 g0 g0 g0 g0.2 g
15 g39.2 9.2 g0 g0 g0 g0 g

Ingredients: Maple syrup.

Source: Sláinte catalogue record, barcode 5059697731846. Scored 26 October 2026.

What the scans actually found: Tesco Clear Honey scores 55/100 (Good), and Tesco Finest Grade A Dark Maple Syrup scores 55/100 (Good). That's a tie, so neither one wins this round. Per 100 g, sugars are 81 g against 61 g, and salt is 0 g against 0 g.

Maple syrup has less sugar per 15 g mostly because it contains more water. That's useful to know, but it isn't a free pass, and trace minerals don't make either one a health food.

What did the scores teach us?

The biggest gap was in soft drinks

Coca-Cola Original Taste scores 24/100 (Bad), and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar scores 69/100 (Good). That's a 45-point gap. Per 100 ml, sugars are 10.6 g against 0 g, and salt is 0 g against 0 g.

The closest comparison was protein bars

Fulfil Chocolate Brownie Vitamin & Protein Bar 55g and Grenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint 60g both scored 24/100. A tie is a tie. Flavour, price and what you need from the food matter more here than the number.

Highest score in this test

Flahavan's Organic Porridge Oats and FAGE Total 0% Greek Recipe Yoghurt at 96/100 (Excellent). That's the top of our 20 products, not a claim about the healthiest food in Ireland.

Lowest score in this test

Fulfil Chocolate Brownie Vitamin & Protein Bar 55g and Grenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint 60g and Nutella Hazelnut Spread and Coca-Cola Original Taste at 24/100 (Bad). A score describes the product under our method. It says nothing about the person who enjoys it now and again.

Sláinte Scores for every product in the Day 30 comparison
ComparisonProductScore
1. Breakfast cerealFlahavan's Organic Porridge Oats96/100 Excellent
1. Breakfast cerealKellogg's Coco Pops65/100 Good
2. Muesli and granolaFlahavan's Hi8 Original Muesli69/100 Good
2. Muesli and granolaFlahavan's Original Fruit & Nut Granola63/100 Good
3. Irish protein yoghurtGlenisk Fat Free Protein Yoghurt Natural91/100 Excellent
3. Irish protein yoghurtGlenisk Protein Yoghurt Vanilla74/100 Good
4. High-protein dairyFAGE Total 0% Greek Recipe Yoghurt96/100 Excellent
4. High-protein dairyLindahls Kvarg Vanilla60/100 Good
5. Protein barsFulfil Chocolate Brownie Vitamin & Protein Bar 55g24/100 Bad
5. Protein barsGrenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint 60g24/100 Bad
6. Irish crispsTayto Cheese & Onion Crisps49/100 Poor
6. Irish crispsKeogh's Crinkle Cut Atlantic Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar43/100 Poor
7. Toast spreadsNutella Hazelnut Spread24/100 Bad
7. Toast spreadsWhole Earth Crunchy Peanut Butter68/100 Good
8. Soft drinksCoca-Cola Original Taste24/100 Bad
8. Soft drinksCoca-Cola Zero Sugar69/100 Good
9. Pasta saucesTesco Bolognese Pasta Sauce 500g71/100 Good
9. Pasta saucesDolmio Original Sauce for Bolognese64/100 Good
10. Pour-on sweetenersTesco Clear Honey55/100 Good
10. Pour-on sweetenersTesco Finest Grade A Dark Maple Syrup55/100 Good

Scores calculated 26 October 2026 with the same rules as a barcode scan. How the food score works

Practical swaps from this test, with the caveats: porridge oats instead of Coco Pops gives you more fibre and far less sugar, though you'll need to cook it. Plain FAGE or Glenisk Natural instead of a flavoured pot cuts sugar or sweeteners; add your own fruit. Peanut butter instead of Nutella swaps sugar for protein, but only if peanuts are safe for you. Coke Zero instead of regular Coke removes the sugar, but water is still the everyday drink.

The seven lessons we'll keep using after Day 30

1. Read per 100 g before you read per serving

Serving sizes vary between brands. EU rules require nutrition per 100 g or 100 ml on most packs, which makes that the fair first comparison. Then look at what you actually eat.

2. Total, added and free sugars aren't the same thing

The line marked 'of which sugars' is total sugars. Milk has lactose, dried fruit has its own sugars, and honey and syrups count as free sugars even with nothing added. WHO advises keeping free sugars below 10% of energy.

3. Protein is helpful, not a health certificate

A chocolate-coated protein bar and a plain yoghurt can carry similar protein while having very different profiles. 'High protein' is a legal claim about the share of energy from protein, nothing more.

4. An E number tells you something specific, not everything

An E number identifies an authorised additive with a job to do. Authorisation doesn't make every recipe ideal, and an additive's presence doesn't make a food dangerous.

5. Processed isn't the same as ultra-processed

Milk is pasteurised and oats are rolled. NOVA separates that kind of processing from elaborate industrial formulations, and a simple food can still be high in salt or sugar.

6. Front-of-pack language has limits

Natural, organic, source of protein, no added sugar: these can be true and still incomplete. Organic is about how food is produced, not how many calories it has.

7. A scanner should help you understand, not frighten you

The goal isn't a perfect 100 on every trip. It's knowing what's in the pack, why it scored that way and whether the record is complete. That's why we held back scores on two jars in this article until we had their full ingredient lists, rather than putting a guessed number on them.

What we'd do on a real shop

  • Start with the meal, not the score. Compare products that do the same job.
  • Match the exact product: brand, flavour, size and barcode.
  • Check the label per 100 g or 100 ml, then the ingredients, then a realistic portion.
  • Read why a product scored the way it did. The reason matters more than the number.
  • Choose what fits you. Allergies, intolerances and medical needs come before any score.

After 30 days, the biggest lesson for us is that a label claim can be true and still incomplete. The whole product deserves context.

Try the same comparisons with your own shopping

Your usual shop might look completely different: another flavour, a supermarket own label, a plant-based yoghurt or a local Irish producer. That's where scanning your exact pack beats any fixed list.

Scan a product with Sláinte

The full 30-day reading list

DayArticle
1Best Food Scanner Apps in Ireland
2Ultra-Processed Foods in Ireland
3What Are E Numbers?
4Artificial Sweeteners Explained
5Are Protein Bars Actually Healthy?
6How to Read an Ingredients List in Ireland
7Emulsifiers in Food
8High Protein Doesn't Always Mean Healthy
9Preservatives in Food
1010 Common Food Additives on Irish Labels
11Aspartame (E951)
12Sucralose (E955)
13Acesulfame K (E950)
14Is MSG Actually Bad for You?
15Sodium Nitrite (E250)
16Maltodextrin
17Seed Oils
18Protein Yoghurt
19Breakfast Cereal: What Makes One Better?
20Granola vs Muesli
21How Much Sugar Is Too Much?
22Honey vs Sugar vs Maple Syrup
23How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
24Natural, Organic, Healthy: What Claims Mean
25How to Compare Two Foods Using the Label
26Best Protein Bars in Ireland
27Best High-Protein Yoghurts in Ireland
28NOVA Food Classification: 12 Irish Examples
29Yuka vs Sláinte: How Food Scores Are Calculated
30This article

Every one of them is in the Journal, newest first.

Frequently asked questions

Which of the foods scored highest?

In this test, Flahavan's Organic Porridge Oats and FAGE Total 0% both scored 96/100, Excellent, calculated on 26 October 2026. That's the top of our sample of 20, not a claim about the healthiest food in Ireland.

Which product had the lowest Sláinte Score?

Three products tied on 24/100, Bad: Fulfil Chocolate Brownie, Grenade Carb Killa Dark Chocolate Mint and regular Coca-Cola. For the bars, it's saturated fat from the chocolate coating, polyols and sucralose, and a highly processed recipe. For the Coke, it's about 35 g of added sugar in a can. None of that makes having one now and again dangerous.

Are own-brand products healthier than famous brands?

Not automatically. Products need to be compared one by one, using the nutrition label, the ingredients and the serving size.

Does a higher Sláinte Score mean fewer calories?

No. Peanut butter outscored Nutella while carrying more calories per 100 g. Energy is one part of nutrition quality, alongside ingredients and processing.

Can a high-protein bar have a low score?

Yes. Both bars in this test have over 34 g of protein per 100 g and still scored 24/100. Protein is only one part of the food.

Are foods with E numbers unsafe?

An E number alone doesn't make a food unsafe. Additives are authorised under EU rules with conditions of use. The specific additive, the amount and the whole product all matter.

Why does regular Coca-Cola score so low?

A 330 ml can holds about 35 g of sugar, more than the NHS daily maximum of 30 g of free sugars for an adult, and nothing in the drink offsets it. Sláinte caps any soft drink with 8 g or more of added sugar per 100 ml in Bad, the same line as the top band of Ireland's sugar tax.

Is NOVA the same as the Sláinte Score?

No. NOVA describes how processed a food is. Sláinte weighs processing alongside nutrition and ingredients, with extra category rules.

Can I use these scores to manage a medical condition?

A food score is general product information, not medical advice. For coeliac disease, allergies, diabetes or other dietary needs, follow the label and guidance from a qualified professional.

Are these paid product placements?

No. The products are editorial examples. Sláinte publishes the article and runs the scores, and no brand can pay to change a score.

What if a product's recipe changes?

A reformulation can change the score. Every card shows its source and the date it was scored. The pack in your hand is always the final reference.

The short version

  • We compared ten pairs of everyday supermarket foods in Ireland.
  • All 20 products have complete labels and were scored live by the same engine as a barcode scan.
  • Plain oats and FAGE Total 0% scored highest at 96/100.
  • Both protein bars scored 24/100 despite more than 34 g of protein per 100 g.
  • Peanut butter outscored Nutella while carrying more calories, so a score isn't a calorie ranking.
  • Compare per 100 g or 100 ml first, then a realistic portion.
  • A label claim can be true and still incomplete.

Keep reading

Sources

Last reviewed: 26 October 2026