Healthy Homemade Granola Bars {Meal Prep Friendly Recipe} (2024)

FAQs

Are homemade granola bars healthier? ›

Granola bars are a convenient, flavorful, and portable snack. Still, many prepackaged varieties are high in sugar, calories, and ingredients that may harm your health. Studying ingredient lists carefully or choosing to make your own granola bars can ensure that your snack is both nutritious and delicious.

Store them in the fridge or freezer.

They'll keep for up to a week in the fridge, but you can also freeze them for up to 2 months. I like to eat these granola bars straight out of the fridge, but if they're frozen, let them thaw at room temperature for 20 minutes before you eat.

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.

On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy. Choosing the right type of granola, controlling serving sizes, and homemade options can make granola a part of a healthy diet.

Often touted for their whole grain goodness, most granola bars are sticky-sweet junk food in disguise. Don't let a few oats fool you — especially when you also see marshmallows and chocolate chips. Instead: If granola bars are a must-have, choose one with 6 grams of sugar or less per bar, and hopefully some fibre.

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.

Ensure any nuts you use are very small as larger nuts will make your bar fall apart when you cut into your granola bars. Use a binding ingredient such as a flax seed egg! Make sure bars are compacted into the pan – use either the granola bar press OR a piece of wax paper to firmly press down on the bars.

To keep your granola bars fresh, you must allow the least amount of air possible to reach the bars. Because air (and warmth) can easily cause spoilage, sealing your granola bars in an airtight container or wrapping them in wax paper is a great way to keep them fresh for longer.

Bake low and slow.

Cook at 300 degrees F slowly for about 30 minutes or until it is golden brown and toasty. Cooking at too high of a temperature will likely burn the honey coating, the oats, and the nuts. A lower temperature ensures even baking for crispy, crunchy granola.

Honestly, a lot of Nature Valley's granola bar products are packed with added sugar, which is totally OK to enjoy once in a while, but be sure to check the nutrition label if you're looking for something less sugary to enjoy on the daily.

Why are granola bars so sweet? ›

Granola bars typically rely on honey, maple syrup or agave nectar – or sometimes just a mix of sugar and water – to moisten and flavor them. The problem is that by the time you add enough honey to adequately bind your dry ingredients, your granola bars will be way too sweet.

The Bottom Line. So, is granola good for losing weight? Yes, it can aid in weight loss. However, you need to control your portion size to make sure you get all the nutrients, and it keeps you full for a longer time.

High Fiber, Nutritious Oats Keep Your Gut Happy

Things like oatmeal and granola provide that signature contrast of fiber and crunch when it comes to choosing the perfect pairing for yogurt. Fiber helps to slow everything down in the body during digestion, preventing a blood sugar spike after eating.

“For active people, granola is best known for being a source of carbohydrate to fuel the muscles and provide energy for a busy day,” Clark says.

High-fiber foods, like the oats and whole grains found in granola, fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer. Dietary studies have found eating a high-fiber diet can help you lose weight. Dried fruit and nuts also contain antioxidants, like vitamin E, which can lower inflammation in the body.

Adding milk or natural yogurt and fresh fruit may help create a more balanced breakfast, and add protein as well as vitamins and minerals. Granola may form part of a varied and balanced diet, but it's best to keep to the recommended portion size because granola is high in calories, carbs and sugar.

Granola is a significant source of important vitamins and minerals. It is typically made from oats, which contain micronutrients like Vitamin E, folates, zinc, iron, selenium, copper, manganese, choline and more. These all play crucial roles in the human body. Vitamin E is vital for immune function and skin health.