Easy No Bake Granola Bars Recipe

These No Bake Granola Bars are the perfect snack for both kids and adults. Ditch the store bought variety and satisfy your sweet tooth with a snack you feel good about eating.

I have been on a mission to have good snacks on hand, with as much time as we’re spending at home. By “good” I mean snacks that aren’t loaded with preservatives and added sugar. We have made a few batches of Snack Bites, which always fly out of our fridge quickly.

Now we’re onto experimenting with no bake granola bars. The most recent batch we made was so delicious I couldn’t keep my hands off them! Good thing they were packed with healthy ingredients.

One of the things I love about this easy recipe is that so many of the ingredients can easily be substituted with something else. Do a little digging in your pantry and you’re sure to find the perfect combination of ingredients to use for these irresistible bars.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS

STEP 1

Line an 8×8 square pan with parchment paper and set aside. Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:

• Oatmeal
• Nut butter
• Dried fruit
• Chocolate chips
• Flaxseed (optional)
• Nuts
• Honey

Mix well. Pour into prepared dish.

STEP 2

Using a spatula, press down evenly in pan, being sure to press into the corners. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

STEP 3

Holding onto parchment paper, remove from pan and place onto a flat work surface. Cut into bars and serve! Store refrigerated in a sealed container.

POSSIBLE INGREDIENT OPTIONS/SUBSTITUTIONS

• 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal (any variety)
• 1 cup any nut butter (peanut butter, nutella or almond butter)
• Mixins (use any combination, but do not exceed 1 cup): any variety chocolate chips, dried fruit (coconut flakes, raisins, cherries, apricots, cranberries), chopped nuts or seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts)
• Use 1/2 cup sticky sweetener (honey, maple syrup or agave syrup)
• Power mixins (use any combination, but do not exceed 1/4 cup): ground flaxseed, wheat germ or chia seeds, protein powder
• For a little extra indulgence, consider adding granulated or brown sugar (no more than 1-2 tbsp) or 1/2 cup Rice Krispies cereal

HOW TO STORE GRANOLA BARS

No Bake Granola Bars are super easy to make, so make an additional batch and freeze them. They freeze really well! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for up to 3 months.

HEALTHY FOODS FOR PICKY KIDS

Knowing you can help your kids get the nutrients they need in more than one form is what we want to help you accomplish! We’ve put together a list of delicious foods that our kids don’t see as healthy but allow them to enjoy eating their fruits and/or vegetables in a snack or breakfast item. You’ll be happy they’re eating better choices and they are happy to be blissfully unaware.

• Healthy Breakfast Cookies – These cookies aren’t just for breakfast and they are deceptively delicious. Kids will never know how healthy they are!
• These Healthy Snack Bites take less than 10 minutes to make and you probably have all of the ingredients sitting in your pantry. Kids adore them! Great after school or anytime snack with no preservatives or unknown ingredients.
• Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups – Eliminate artificial and unknown ingredients by making your own homemade fruit roll-ups! This is the ultimate snack food for kids. Great for lunch boxes, too!
• Healthy Breakfast Muffins – Enjoy breakfast the healthy way! Whip up a batch of these muffins as a perfect on-the-go meal or a snack to stay on track with healthy eating. These breakfast muffins are beyond delicious plus they’re packed with good stuff.
• Raspberry Honey Yogurt – Fresh raspberries, honey and Greek yogurt join forces to create the most delicious, fruity and filling snack! Eat immediately or freeze for a cold treat.
• Instant Pot Applesauce – Make your next batch of applesauce in your Instant Pot for an added touch of delicious flavor! This recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and takes just a few minutes to make. It is a great way to use up apples, it is the perfect snack for kids and it never lasts long in my house.