Energy bars, also known as granola bars, are sold in all grocery stores and are a great source of nutrition that will give you a little bit of an extra boost to get you going through long days. Whether you use them for a pre-workout snack, to aid in your weight loss mission, or to just provide a dose of complete protein, these healthy energy bars will keep you full. Personally, if I have a long day ahead of me, I definitely want to fill up on something other than multiple cups of coffee!
Most store-bought bars are packed with ingredients that are good for you like: dried fruits, seeds, nuts, grains, and nut & seed butter. Even though store-bought bars make a delicious and convenient mid-morning snack or post workout treat, they can be costly and some have as much sugar as a candy bar. So, why not make them yourself? It's really easy to do and hey, food usually tastes better when it's homemade, right? Here's a list of healthy energy bar recipes that will keep you refreshed and energized during 2018 with tons of healthy snacks.
1. Cherry Hazelnut Energy Bars
This sweet and nutty energy bars are filled with flavors and ingredients like : hazelnuts, dried cherries, dates, oats, and cocoa powder and might just be your next go-to snack! These no-bake bars are so simple to make and all you need is your handy food processor. If you cannot find hazelnuts, almonds or cashews would also be a great substitute. You could add chocolate chips, but that would be unnecessary added sugar.
Stock up on these bars and pack them up in baggies or a snack pouch for a portable breakfast when you're on the go! Find the recipe here.
2. Coconut, Almond and Goji Berry Bars
These homemade chewy bars are filled with ingredients that are good for you and will give you an extra kick to get that long day of yours started! This recipe has some of my favorite ingredients in it: quinoa and goji berries. They're filling enough to act as a meal replacement, but should be treated as a snack food.
I'm sure you've heard a lot about quinoa as it has grown to become popular over time, but have you ever tried goji berries? Most stores carry goji berries or you can find them on Amazon because they're a super fruit. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals, low in calories and high in fiber along with many other benefits. You might even feel an increase in energy after eating these tasty berries.
You have to give these bars a try and be sure to try out goji berries! Here's the recipe.
3. No-Bake PB & J Energy Bites
Peanut butter and jelly. What's not to love? These easy-to-make energy bites will make you feel good while satisfying your inner childhood craving of a PB & J sandwich! They're filled with healthy fats, protein and fiber and make the perfect snack for kids, too.
All you need is one bowl and about 15 minutes to make these healthy bites that will also store in the freezer for up to a month. To make them even healthier, add in some flaxseed. Here's the recipe.
4. No-Bake Raspberry Chia Breakfast Bars
When hunger strikes, make sure you have these pretty looking, nutritious bars on hand! The base for this recipe is made using the food processor with ingredients like walnuts, rolled oats, Medjool dates, vanilla extract and sea salt. Most of it is pressed into a pan, while a small amount is reserved for the crumb topping.
The best part about this recipe is the raspberry chia jam. And yes, it's homemade! Sounds difficult, but it's not. You can find chia seeds in most grocery stores or on Amazon and there's no doubt you'll want to include these little nutrient-dense seeds into your diet. They're great to sprinkle over oatmeal, yogurt, pudding and they can even be used as an egg replacement for baked goods.
Chia means "strength" and Aztec warriors would eat chia seeds to give them high energy and endurance (don't we all need that these days?!). Along with these benefits comes others like being rich in antioxidants and nutrients, supporting healthy digestion, promoting healthy skin along with so many other things. Don't be fooled by their size, you'll definitely want them in your diet!
Here's the recipe.
5. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Energy Bars
These bars are super healthy however, they will taste like a real decadent treat because they're naturally sweet and a take on the classic combination that everyone loves-chocolate and peanut butter.
They also require only four ingredients and zero baking time. For a firmer texture, be sure to refrigerate these bars. If you prefer a softer texture, you can keep them unrefrigerated for up to a week. Here is the recipe.
6. Blueberry Vanilla Greek Yogurt Granola Bars
These granola bars are a great snack to pack in the kid's lunch bag or in your workout bag because they're loaded with good ingredients. You'll love all the flavors from the dried blueberries, chia seeds, rolled oats, coconut and especially the Greek yogurt topping. The topping is a sweet touch that you can drizzle over the top of these bars or you can dip half of it in. If you can't get enough of the topping, easily double the recipe and double dip each bar!
It's also recommended that after you coat the bars, make sure to allow them sit and dry overnight. You'll wake up to the perfect snack! Find the recipe here.
7. No-Bake Apricot Chia Energy Bars
Can't get enough of those chia seeds! This superfood should be in everyone's pantry!
In addition to chia seeds, these bars are filled with dates, dried apricots, pumpkin seeds and white chocolate. They're chewy and it is so easy to whip up a batch of these. I'm sure they won't last long around the house. And get this- these bars are gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free and vegan. You don't want to mis this recipe.
8. Apple Cinnamon Energy Bars
These gluten-free, vegan bars are naturally sweet from the dates, nutty from the pecans and are balanced out by the tart flavor from the Granny Smith apples. To get the best flavor from the pecans and oats (gluten-free rolled oats will work for this), it's recommended to toast them in the oven until fragrant.
Simply process the ingredients together until it clumps together and spread into a pan. This recipe does require some baking time, so be sure to keep your oven heated after toasted the nuts and oats!
Find the recipe here.
9. Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites
I personally love foods and drinks that taste like pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice, so these energy bites are pretty much perfection! For those of you who also like pumpkin spice, you'll definitely enjoy these portable snacks for those long, never ending days!
On top of being refined sugar free, gluten-free and vegan, they're rich and filled with ingredients like pumpkin purée, almond butter and quinoa. To get consistent bites, try using a small ice cream scooper. Here's the recipe.
10. Chia, Quinoa and Banana Granola Bars
If you want to keep yourself on track with eating a healthy breakfast or snack, these bars will have you covered! These homemade energy bars will make you feel good and fill you up with nourishing ingredients.
They're flavored with banana as well as chia seeds, quinoa, oats, and your preference of nuts and dried fruit. Maybe you could mix in pistachios and dried cherries or cashews and dried cranberries. You can get creative with this! Here's the simple recipe.
11. Nutty Superfood Breakfast Bites
These are the kind of breakfast bars that you want to start your day with. Nuts, seeds and dried fruit are packed into this recipe and are held together by using a mixture of brown rice syrup and honey. Again, feel free to use whatever nuts a dried fruit you like. You really can't go wrong with the ingredients you choose!
However, if you are following the recipe and not swapping out anything, you'll love the nutritious ingredients in this like: almonds, pistachios, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), goji berries, dried blueberries and quinoa. And don't forget the decadent drizzling of dark chocolate that really takes these bars to the next level!
Find the recipe here.
12. Cranberry Almond Protein Bars
Aren't these protein-packed bars just gorgeous?! They're crunchy and tasty with almonds, dried cranberries, shredded coconut and puffed rice cereal. I also love the glossiness that the brown rice syrup and honey mixture gives these bars-they almost resemble store bought protein bars. You'll get your extra boost of protein from the hemp seeds (you can substitute flax or chia seeds), which is always a good thing, especially in the morning or post workout.
If you haven't tried hemp seeds before, I highly recommend buying some. Very much like chia seeds, hemp seeds are full of nutrients, healthy fats and are also know to benefit skin and hair. They have more of a nutty flavor. I love throwing them in smoothies or sprinkling over cereal and oatmeal.
Here's the recipe.
13. No-Bake Protein Bars
These no-bake bars kind of look like dessert bars, right? Well, you'll be happy to know that you can have these homemade bars as a satisfying breakfast or snack, which make a convenient snack on the go. They store well in the freezer for when hunger suddenly strikes or when you need that extra boost of energy.
The recipe does call for peanut butter, but if you or someone your serving them to has an allergy, sunflower seed butter will work just fine. Love that dark chocolate drizzle on top!
Here's the recipe.
