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.

While there are several different sticky ingredients that you can use, we've found that the binding agent that works the best is honey! When added to your homemade granola bars, honey acts as glue that sticks all the pieces together.

Yes. "Granola does contain important nutrients, and if you enjoy it, eating some every day is probably fine as part of a balanced diet," says Harris-Pincus.

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.

Yes, granola can be eaten daily. As part of a balanced diet and if the portions are checked. Go for healthier options with less added sugars and saturated fats to get the most out of it.

Because granola contains carbohydrates, it can spike blood sugar levels in some people with diabetes. However, whether or not granola spikes your blood sugar levels, and how quickly it may cause a blood sugar spike, will vary depending on what type of granola you eat and what you pair it with.

Natural peanut or cashew butter – It helps bind the bars together, and it adds protein, healthy fats, and irresistible nutty flavor.

Honey. Sweetens the granola bars and helps bind the dry ingredients together.

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.

You can frequently enjoy this combination as a healthy and nutritious breakfast option or a tiered, parfait-like snack. Yogurt and granola both have several possible nutritional benefits, and eating them together or separately can become a healthful addition to your daily diet.

How many granola bars can I eat a day? ›

For most people, a granola bar in your lunch or for snack every day is not going to be an issue. If we're having 2-3 a day, maybe it's time to find some more variety in your snacks, but that could vary by the person based on their specific needs.

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.

A shockingly long time, if you choose wisely, but it's going to get ugly. Assuming you have an unlimited supply, you'll have no problem obtaining enough the macronutrients water, carbohydrates, and fat. Protein is going to be a huge stumbling block, because the ingredients of most granola bars are carb-heavy.

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.

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.

Possible downsides. Granola bars are often considered a healthy snack, but despite these marketing claims, many are loaded with added sugar, calories, and artificial ingredients. For example, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Harvest granola bars can contain up to 15 grams of sugar per serving — mostly from added sugar.

Eating one Nature Valley Granola Bar every day as a snack can be a healthy choice as part of a balanced diet, as long as it is consumed in moderation and not in addition to other high calorie snacks.

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.