Layered cereal bars containing inulin and their methods of manufacture

A method of making a non-cooked cereal bar comprising:

• providing two cereal layers having a cereal composition made from identifiable ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal pieces;
• combining the two cereal layers with rice, a protein source and a carbohydrate binder, wherein at least one of the cereal pieces is a whole cereal piece, the rice is a quantity of high-protein rice pieces having a protein content of at least about 50%, and the protein source is texturized vegetable protein having a protein content of at least about 50%, wherein the cereal bar is a non-cooked cereal bar containing inulin and having a total calcium, vitamin, mineral and protein level equal to or greater than the calcium, vitamin, mineral and protein level of a single serving of ready-to-eat cereal and milk, and a protein content of about six (6) g;
• adding a visible milk-based filling layer having a variable thickness in between each of the two cereal layers, wherein the visible milk filling layer is comprised of milk powder, sweeteners and fat;
• and
• bonding the visible milk-based filling layer to each of the two cereal layers.

A method for making cereal bars, comprising:

• mixing a carbohydrate-gelatin binder containing less than 30% by weight of fat with a cereal composition having identifiable cereal pieces to form an amorphous mass, the carbohydrate-gelatin binder produced by a batch binder process comprising:
• combining soy protein and fat to form a slurry;
• mixing the slurry with a heated sugar solution containing inulin and with substantially translucent hydrated gelatin, the heated sugar solution containing syrups, glycerin and sugar;
• compressing the amorphous mass into a first layer and a second layer, each layer having identifiable cereal pieces and a bulk density about 1.5 to 2 times higher than the amorphous mass;
• applying a filling layer on the first layer at a temperature sufficient to bond the filling layer to the first layer wherein the filling layer is a visible milk filling layer having a water activity of between about 0.25 and 0.35, the filling layer made by combining milk powder, sweeteners and fat;
• combining the first layer and filling layer with the second layer at a temperature sufficient to bond the second layer to the filling layer;
• and
• pressing the first layer, filling layer and second layer together to form pressed layers, wherein the pressed layers are cut into individual cereal bars having identifiable cereal pieces, each cereal bar having a total nutrient level equal to or greater than the nutrient level of a single serving of ready-to-eat cereal and milk.