Processes are provided for preparing ready-to-eat health bars such as chocolate granola bars and chocolate confectioneries such as dark or milk chocolate chews. The bars and confectioneries contain sterol ester(s) and/or stanol esters and cocoa solids having a high cocoa procyanidin content. The cocoa solids are pretreated with the sterol/stanol ester(s) or other edible oils or fats during the preparation of the products to prevent the loss of cocoa procyanidins. Other particulate antioxidants can be pretreated with food grade fats and/or oils or emulsifiers such as lecithin to conserve their effectiveness.