The Myth Behind Protein Bars

Now that school is back on the calendar, many parents struggle with finding healthy snacks for their kids to have when they are on the go.  A popular option is a protein bar, but all protein bars are not created equal. 

Many protein bars are actually candy bars that are made to seem healthy, but if you look at the label, you will see that they contain high amounts of sugar, some as high as 30 grams per bar!  That is way too much sugar. 

The best bars are the ones that have whole ingredients, such as nuts, dried fruit, brown rice, and oats.  The best bars have only four or five ingredients and the first ingredients should never be sugar or corn syrup.  Also, if the ingredients are made of words that sound as though they came from a laboratory, then it is not the best option for your family.

The downside of healthy protein bars is that they are usually more expensive than the less nutritious ones, but one way to keep the cost down is to make them at home.  It can be a great family activity and you will have control over what goes into your bars.  The kids will be more likely to eat a healthier bar if they helped to create them.  Here is a recipe that is nutritious and won’t break the bank:

Snack Bars:

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup chopped nuts * nuts sold in pieces as opposed to whole nuts, are usually less expensive.  Raw nuts are usually less expensive than roasted, so if you buy raw, unsalted nut pieces, that will most likely keep the cost down

4 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup dried fruit, such as dried cranberries * buying only a few pieces of dried fruit from the bulk bins can help you to save money because you can choose dried fruits that are on sale or cost less per pound and you will also be able to buy only the amount you need. 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly grease a 9x9 baking pan with canola oil