Do you guys have to send snacks with your kids to school? Meghan is in kindergarten this year and we are required to send two snacks with her every day in addition to her lunch. And somehow, when she gets home, she’s starving again. So let me just warn you that you may see an increase in snack recipes around here as that’s a lot of food. Creating new healthy snack recipes isn’t really a bad thing though, is it?
Of course I want the snacks I send with Meghan to be healthy. I think healthy snacks are nourishing and help sustain energy and focus throughout the school day. These easy, homemade granola bars are perfect for that. They nourish little bodies (or big bodies, these are for everyone!) with oats, almonds, two different kinds of seeds, dried fruit, and very little added sweetener.
I was brainstorming ways to make a traditional-style granola bar (not the date and nut Larabar type bar) without so much sweetener. The thing is that honey is sticky and really helps hold granola bars together. The secret ingredient here is something you might think only grandpas eat. Think again!
Even if you think you hate prunes, don’t disregard this recipe. The prunes add sweetness but their flavor doesn’t overpower the granola bars. They are sticky enough that by using them I was able to reduce the honey I used to 1/4 cup. That is half the amount I use in this peanut butter granola bar recipe.
The prunes also add some nutrition. Dried plums are a good source of vitamin A and also add some calcium, iron, and vitamin C to the granola bars. And everyone knows about prunes’ ability to help us, um, keep things moving.
These easy homemade granola bars also have some peanut butter which adds a great flavor with the honey, but again, not too much. There’s just 1/4 cup peanut butter, which is nice as organic peanut butter is expensive and I tend to use it in a lot of my recipes. The rest of the ingredients: oats, almonds, and seeds are all healthy, energizing foods. You can’t go wrong with this easy, healthy snack!
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Easy Homemade Fruit, Nut, and Seed Granola Bars
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 - 12 bars 1x
Description
A healthy and easy to make snack
Ingredients
- 1 cup prunes
- 1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey (for vegan option sub brown rice syrup)
- 1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8X8 or 9X9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the food processor, process the prunes until they are broken down and become a paste. Transfer the prune paste to a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix very well. Press the mixture down into the prepared baking pan. Using another sheet of parchment paper, use something heavy to press the mixture into the pan very well. I used the peanut butter jar, but large cans of tomatoes works well, too. This is important as it helps keep the bars from falling apart. Take off the top piece of parchment paper, but save it.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until the tops are just slightly browned. Take the pan out of the oven and carefully place the piece of parchment paper on top and again press it down firmly. Allow to cool in the fridge completely before cutting into bars. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar of 10
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 29.4mg
- Fat: 10.1g
- Carbohydrates: 28.2g
- Protein: 6.5g
Do you know the fiber content of these bars?
Hi. Can i use dried blueberries instead of prunes?
I don’t think they’d be as sweet, but if you’re okay with that, then it might work.
Thanks!
What are the nutritional facts for this recipe?
Hi
I have ground flaxseed to use up which I think I’ll add when I make these. Do you think I’ll need to add more prunes/peanut butter since ground flaxseed sucks up liquid?
Yes, I would add a bit more peanut butter. Let me know how it goes!
Oh wonderful! Will make these! The natures valley bars cost me a fortune!
I hope you love them Jessica!
I’m wondering what is the best way to store these for maximum shelf life. How long would they stay edible in the refrigerator? Are they freezeable? I’d like to make them to have on-hand for when we’re in a pinch for a breakfast or snack on-the-go.
Yes, you can store these in the refrigerator. They will last at least a week, probably longer. I haven’t tried freezing them, but I imagine they would be freezable, as well.
These were a hit today. Thanks! We used walnuts instead of sunflower seeds, because that’s what we had on hand.
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Thank you, I will try them out! But do you think there’s something else I could use instead of peanut butter? We have a no nut policy at school.
You could use soy nut butter (Wowbutter is one brand I believe) or sunflower seed butter (Sunbutter) or any nut butter (like almond butter) if it’s just peanuts that are not allowed. Any of those would work well!
Wait whaaaat?
You use prunes?? That’s supper cool! Are the cheaper? I haven’t seen that yet, but it sounds super cool! Thanks for the recipe, always looking for an awesome granola bar recipe!
I use prunes instead of dates in probably 90% of the date-based bars/balls/bites I make. Love how they turn out…and my husband and stepson have no idea. 🙂
Thank you for going to all this work to keep your family healthy – and then for sharing your hard work with us. You are a blessing to many! Thank you!!!!
So is it chewy, then? My kids won’t eat crunchy bars 🙁
Yes, these are chewy! There is a crunch from the almonds and seeds, but the overall texture is chewy. They aren’t crunchy like the Nature Valley granola bars.
Love that you added some nutrition-packed prunes to the mix to cut down on the honey! These would be the absolute perfect snack for those mid-afternoon hunger pangs. Yum!