How to make healthy granola bars

Homemade granola bars are perfect as a quick go to if you’re out and about, putting together a recipe with specific dietary needs or whether you fancy a quick, healthy treat.

How Can Granola Bars Be Healthy?

Granola bars are peddled as a healthy snack to keep you full between meals however, when shop-bought these can be packed with refined sugar or processed ingredients¹. The good news is that there’s a wealth of recipes out there to make healthy granola bars that fit specific cravings, dietary requirements and health goals. And if you’re struggling to find any ingredients or want to keep the sugar content down there are many alternatives to sugar and sweeteners for all your home baking needs.

Different Granola Bar Recipes

Sweet Recipes

If you have a sweet tooth, there are lots of alternative recipes out there. For instance, you could try making Choco-Cherry Supercarb Bars² mixing together oats, quinoa and chia seeds with sliced almonds and dried cherries, and dark chocolate and honey for a healthy sugar kick. Other great options for a sweet fix without the calories is using natural peanut butter like in the recipe for Peanut Butter Granola Blondie Bars³

Savoury Recipes

If savoury is more your style then the following recipes are sure to get your interest. Paprika Parmesan Granola Bars⁴ mix oats, chia seeds and almonds with parmesan for a satisfying  savoury treat that’s perfect as an accompaniment with a salad. Other healthy options include adding dried rosemary and a myriad of seeds like in the Savoury Rosemary Granola Bars⁵ to give you an energy-packed healthy option.

Intolerance Variations

As you’ll be making your own granola bars, you can find several recipes that cater to allergies and intolerances, letting you create the perfect bar for you.

Vegan

A great option for vegans is to use coconut oil, vegan butter, and oil as alternatives. Instead of using honey as a natural sweetener opt for agave syrup instead like with the recipe for Vegan Coconut Bars.⁶ Another option is using nut or seed butter such as those used to create Vegan Chewy Granola Bars⁷ keeping the same taste as a childhood favourite but with much more wholesome ingredients.

Nut Free

If you have a nut allergy you can use ingredients that are still jam-packed with energy yielding vitamins and provide a great flavour. Recipes such as the No-Bake Apricot Chia Energy Bars⁸ mix dates and apricots with chia and pumpkin seeds keeping them sweet and tangy with a crunch included.

Gluten-Free

Gluten-free options offer a flourless alternative that still provides a tasty treat. A great recipe to try out is Gluten-Free Blueberry Breakfast Oat Bars.⁹ This recipe uses gluten free oats and flour and gives a great dose of antioxidants through frozen blueberries whilst removing any need for refined sugar by using ripe bananas and maple syrup instead. Last updated: 29 April 2020 Sources 1 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-granola-bars 2 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a40525/choco-cherry-supercarb-bars-recipe/ 3 https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a45989/peanut-butter-granola-blondie-bars-recipe/ 4 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/easy/a34115/paprika-parmesan-granola-bars/ 5 https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/rosemary-granola-bars-recipe 6 https://topwithcinnamon.com/short-and-sweet-1/ 7 https://frommybowl.com/vegan-chewy-granola-bars/ 8 https://cupcakesandkalechips.com/apricot-chia-energy-bars/ 9 https://petiteallergytreats.com/gluten-free-blueberry-breakfast-oat-bars/