Grain-Free Granola Bars – A Favorite for School Lunches

Guess What?

I’ve found it! I think it’s the one… after all these months of searching…I found a favorite recipe for grain-free granola bars!

This recipe was originally found and posted on The Seasonal Family blog and then introduced to me on Facebook through Just Eat Real Food (love so many of their recipes). And now, I must share it with YOU!

Each time I walk down that aisle in the grocery store (you know, the one with all those glorified cookies that your kids think they need), my head spins.

I don’t want to feed my children processed foods. And if I do give in to their pleas, I feel kind of ridiculous paying $1.69 for the one organic, non-GMO bar they’ve got on the shelves. It’s ludicrous!

The Solution:

Make your own! With a few healthy ingredients, you will be amazed how easy these granola bars are to make and they taste absolutely amazing!

Your Child’s School Lunch

My son will be starting school in the Fall and I know he’ll be asking for similar items as his friend’s for lunch.

I know how commonplace granola bars have become in student’s lunches, too. I spent 4 years teaching preschoolers and it wasn’t uncommon for 75% of them to have a granola bar of some sort in their Dora the Explorer lunch box.

As a result of my wanting to make preparations for the upcoming school year, a search for recipes that not only tasted good to my kids but were healthful and relatively easy began a few months ago. “What will I pack in his lunchbox?” and “How will I avoid buying pre-packaged foods?” I’ve asked myself countless times.

And here it is folks, a recipe for every parent’s kitchen! A granola bar you can feel good about sending your kid to school with!

Wondering why I LOVE this particular recipe so much? I’ll tell ya!

• It’s delicious! (my kids scarf eat them)

• It’s quick! (Seriously, 10 minutes of actual ‘work’)

• It yields a lot.

• It’s flexible. (you decide which nuts, seeds, nut butter and dried fruit to add.)

• No baking. (that’s ideal for us desert dwellers, especially – too hot to bake!)

Grain-Free Granola Bars – A Favorite for School Lunches

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★★★★★ 4.8 from 4 reviews

• Author: Halle Cottis
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 20 square bars 1x
• Category: snacks
• Method: food processor
• Cuisine: american

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Description

Grain Free Granola Bars – A favorite For School Lunches

 

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Ingredients

• 2.5 cups mixed nuts and seeds (add about 1/2 cup of each variety of nut/seed)
• 1/2–1 cup dried fruits
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 tablespoons cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup almond butter (or other nut butter)
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg

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Instructions

1. Begin by pouring the nut/seed ingredients into a food processor. If using large pieces of dried fruit you can also add them to the processor at this time or chop them by hand.
2. Pulse ingredients for a short time. You aren’t trying to get them super tiny – larger chunks are okay.
3. Add the coconut, chopped dried fruit, coconut and chocolate chips to the mixture.
4. In a saucepan, warm and mix together the remaining ingredients.
5. Turn off the heat and pour the nut mixture into the saucepan to combine all ingredients together.
6. Pour the mixture into an 8×8 silicone pan or similar size container lined with parchment paper.
7. Press firmly and evenly to make a square.
8. Place in the freezer for two hours.
9. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from Seasonal Family

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar

So please share with us; which homemade snack do you pack in your child’s lunch?

About Jenna Reich

Jenna Reich is a photographer based in Tucson, AZ. Her favorite subjects include maternity, birth, newborns and families. She loves photographing families in comfortable surroundings; or exploring new places in a candid and unaltered way. With a background in elementary education, Jenna has found a way to marry her passion for watching children grow and capturing their beauty with her photography business. When she isn’t photographing clients, she enjoys making healthy, organic snacks and meals, hosting play dates, making home-made cleaners and bath products, and going on adventures with her two young children. Her loving and thoughtful husband keeps her life full of laughter and balance. You can view her portfolio and keep up with her latest adventures on her blogsite.

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