Healthy Homemade Granola Bars {Meal Prep Friendly Recipe} (2024)

FAQs

Are homemade granola bars healthier? ›

Homemade granola bars are a great alternative to store-bought ones. Because they typically use minimally processed ingredients and very little added sugar or salt, they're often more nutritious than packaged versions.

Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavor in this recipe. Vanilla extract – It amps up the bars' warm flavor.

They save well (wrap and freeze them for up to two months), are more affordable than store-bought bars, and don't contain the long list of unpronounceable ingredients. Plus, your kitchen will smell like a bakery while these granola bars bake. Ahhhh.

Granola bars can be healthy, but added sugars, calories, and artificial flavors can diminish the health quality of some over others. Many people consider granola bars a convenient and healthy snack and enjoy their flavor and versatility.

Yes, it is possible to eat too much granola. While granola can be a healthy and nutritious food, it is often high in calories and sugar, especially if it contains added sweeteners or dried fruit. Eating too much granola on a regular basis can contribute to weight gain and other health problems.

The Bottom Line

Granola is healthy in small amounts, especially because oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit in granola provide some fiber that's good for heart and gut health. However, granola can also be a rich source of calories, saturated fat and sugar, depending on the brand you buy.

Chia seeds are often praised for their binding powers. In fact, they secure ingredients so well that they can even be used as an egg replacer. Adding just a spoonful of chia seeds to your favorite granola bar recipe will make a huge difference in its texture.

Fill the bowl up with water to completely cover the mixture – enough that you can stir to combine. This soaking process will help the oats and seeds digest better. After the oat/seed mixture has soaked 8-12 hours, add the rest of the ingredients and combine.

If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.

We've found that homemade granola bars stay fresh for about 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Any longer than that and they tend to become a little stale.

Which granola bars are healthy? ›

If you're looking for a classic granola bar with simple flavors, then this oats and honey variety from Cascadian Farm is for you. This pick is USDA organic and made in a peanut-free facility too. You'll find a good source of whole grains in each bar and they pack in three grams of fiber per serving as well.

It is great if the bar also has a good amount of healthy fats as well (If the bar has nuts in it, it will also have these healthy fats). The combination of fiber, protein, and fat will keep you full longer and help you not overeat at the next meal. These macronutrients also help manage blood sugars after eating them.

Eating peanut butter alongside other nutritious foods is perfectly healthy — as long as you don't exceed your calorie needs. Peanut butter is high in calories and could lead to excess calorie intake if not consumed in moderation. However, it is still a high-quality food that provides numerous nutrients.

Kodiak Cakes Peanut Butter Chewy Bars are crafted with 100% Whole Grains and offer 7 grams of protein per serving. These bars offer up a chewy, delicious, and balanced alternative when it comes to snacks for hungry folks of all ages.

Granola is calorie-dense, as well as rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients. In particular, it may provide iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, B vitamins, and vitamin E. However, its nutritional profile varies widely depending on the specific ingredients used.

Is granola processed? Technically, all granola is processed to some degree because it's a food made out of ingredients which you have combined and cooked. However, there are huge variations in the amount of processing used across different brands.

Once you try homemade granola, you won't go back to store-bought granola. It's so much better! This granola recipe is also a far more healthy granola option, since it's made with whole grains, unrefined oil and naturally sweetened.