Premade granola bars are loaded with unnecessary ingredients: fillers, stabilizers sugars, and preservatives. They are one of those foods that masquerades as a healthy snack to feed your kids - but in reality, are an Unclean nightmare!
Check out the ingredient list for Quaker Peanut Butter and Chocolate granola bars:
Granola, crisp rice, corn syrup, inulin, invert sugar, peanut butter (peanuts, sugar, palm oil, salt), semisweet chocolate chunks, rolled oats, milled flaxseed, sugar, glycerin, peanut flavored chips (sugar, palm kernel and palm oil, partially defatted peanut flour, lactose, whey powder, dextrose, corn syrup solids, soy lecithin, salt, artificial flavor), bran strands (wheat bran, oat hull fiber, evaporated cane juice, oat bran, malted barley extract, sea salt, sodium bicarbonate, color), sunflower oil, hydrogenated palm kernel and palm oils, water, rolled whole wheat, brown sugar, cocoa, natural and artificial flavors, soybean oils, whole wheat flour, buttermilk, salt, molasses, soy lecithin, milk-fat, sodium bicarbonate, sorbitan monostearate, caramel color, polysorbate 60, BHT, skim milk powder.
Holy Mackarel! Look at all the sugar and sugar sources!!!
Real granola bars are a simple mix of oatmeal, peanut butter, granola, nuts, and ( if you like ) chocolate chips. While a premade bar is hands down more convenient to grab & go...if you like granola bars or would like to include a healthy one as your mid morning / early afternoon "mini meal", try your hand at this no bake version which couldn't be easier. The ingredients are easily adaptable, and you can change or add ingredients as you like.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw oatmeal
- 2 cups granola or trail mix ( check ingredient list to ensure it is clean!!! )
- 1/2 cup ground walnuts or almonds
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips ( organic if possible )
- 2 cups natural unsalted peanut butter (chunky type)
- Oil a 9x11 baking sheet.
- Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients and form into a firm paste. You may need to add more peanut butter or honey if the mixture is too dry.
- Press the mixture into the oiled container.
- Cover the pressed mixture with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Cut into 36 bars and serve.
- Store extras in an airtight container or wrap individually in plastic and store in the refrigerator.