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The Best Kid-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

We all know how important it is to feed our kids healthy foods, but between school and sports and playdates, it can be tough to find healthy snacks that they actually want to eat.

Kid Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

The fix?

Kid-Friendly Granola bars!

This simple recipe can be made with just a few ingredients and in a total of 30 minutes.

You can also get your kids involved in the process—to make it even more fun, let them decide what flavors to add.

My Favorite Kid-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

Granola Bar

Granola bars are a great way to give your kid some extra energy between meals.

Why not try making these healthy, kid-friendly granola bars yourself?

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 cups rice crisp cereal
  • 3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans (or a combination)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for pan

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Butter 8×8-inch baking pan.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together oats, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. Add honey and stir until evenly coated.
  5. Fold in rice cereal, almonds, and melted butter.
  6. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 30 minutes.
  7. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
  8. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

A Fruity Kid-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

kid friendly Granola Bar recipe

We know that no matter how old our kids get, we’re always going to want them to have a healthy snack in their bag.

This is a recipe we love because it’s easy to make, delicious, and you can pack it full of all kinds of good stuff your kids will love.

For these bars, you’ll need:

  • 1 cup of oats
  • 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup of dried cherries
  • 3 tablespoons of honey
  • 3 tablespoons of melted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

So, let’s get started with this one:

  1. First thing you’ll want to do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Then, place your oats, almonds, and dried cherries in a bowl.
  3. Mix them up with a spoon until they are evenly distributed.
  4. Then add the honey, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt.
  5. Next—and this is the fun part—mix everything together with your hands until it becomes a sticky dough.
  6. Once it’s combined well enough for you (some people prefer it stickier than others), press it into a greased 8-by-8 inch pan with wax paper so the bars come out cleanly when they cool down.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes and try not to eat the whole batch before it cools off!

A Toddler-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

Toddler-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

There’s nothing better than seeing your toddlers eat healthy and be happy!

But it can be hard cooking for them because they don’t always like what you make.

This recipe is sure to make your toddler get excited about eating a granola bar!

Gather the ingredients:

  • 1 cup of oats
  • 1/2 cup of peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup of raisins

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Try to get your little one to help you! Kids love to help with cooking.
  3. They might even surprise you with their skills, they might mix too much or not enough but encourage them. This is a great activity to do with your toddler.
  4. Now spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and pop it into the refrigerator for two hours.
  5. When it’s ready cut it into small pieces and enjoy!

Your toddler will love this recipe and so will you!

5 Tips for Making Kid-Friendly Granola Bars

Tips for Making Kid-Friendly Granola Bars

When you have kids, you have to be prepared to make some pretty weird food.

And granola bars are no exception.

But making kid-friendly granola bars is actually super easy.

You just need the right ingredients and a little bit of imagination!

Here are our favorite tips for making granola bars your kids will love:

  1. Use an ice cube tray to divide the mixture into smaller portions: This will make it easier for your kids to eat and also give them a fun way to help out in the kitchen!
  2. Add sprinkles for extra color and fun: You can also use other candies like chocolate chips or colorful M&M’s—just make sure you add them after the granola bars come out of the oven so they don’t melt all over everything else in there (we’ve been there).
  3. Use cookie cutters to make shapes out of the mixture that are more visually appealing than simple squares or rectangles (although those are great too): There are tons of different shapes available at most grocery stores these days, so you can get as creative as possible with this one!
  4. Make sure that whatever toppings or decorations you’re using are unsweetened: A lot of granola bars on the market these days come loaded with chocolate chips and other sweet treats. But there’s no need to add more sugar to your granola bars if you’re looking to make them kid-friendly. Instead, try incorporating unsweetened dried cranberries, coconut flakes, or even edible flowers into your mix!
  5. Let the kids decorate the bars themselves: it’s a great way to help them learn how to work with food and make it more fun for them! Just make sure they wash their hands first, then let them go to town. They’ll love it!

Why You Should Be Making Kid Friendly Granola Bars

Granola Bars

So you love granola bars.

But your kids aren’t into them.

Does that mean you have to give up on your favorite snack?

Of course not!

You just need to make a kid-friendly version, and you’re done.

Making granola bars is easy and fun, so here are our top reasons why it’s worth it to whip up some of these delicious, kid-friendly snacks for your kid’s next lunchbox or after-school snack.

1. It’s Easy!

You only need a few ingredients to make granola bars at home, and most of them are things you probably already have in your pantry right now.

Plus, they don’t take long to bake, so you can easily whip up a batch while the kids are in school and they be ready by the time they get home.

That’s all there is to it!

2. Save Money By Making Your Own

Buying prepackaged granola bars can be expensive—especially if you’re buying them regularly for your kids.

Why not save money—and stop worrying about all those pesky food additives—by making them yourself?

You’ll save money and know exactly what went into them with every batch.

3. You Know What They’re Eating

When you’re making your own granola bars, you know exactly what kind of ingredients are going into them.

You don’t have to worry about hidden preservatives or artificial flavors or unwanted sugars and fats.

You know EXACTLY what your kids are eating throughout the day.

4. They’re a Healthy Snack

Granola bars are something that, as a parent, you can feel good about giving your kids.

No matter how many times you tell your little ones that soggy cereal and milk is not a great snack, sometimes it’s hard to escape the fact that kids love cereal and milk!

You can give them granola bars so they know that you want them to have a snack (because they’re always hungry).

But you also want them to have something healthy, and granola bars are a great way to do that.

5. They’re a Great, Healthy Snack for Busy Moms and Kids on The Go

Granola bars are an easy, on-the-go snack that are perfect for busy moms and active kids.

You can make them at home with ingredients you probably already have lying around your pantry, store them in the fridge, and grab one when you need it!

Granola Bar

The Best Kid-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe

I love making granola bars for my kid. They're easy to throw in a lunch box and a great source of protein—especially when you add nuts! Unfortunately, the store-bought varieties are expensive and filled with unnecessary sugars.
I've experimented with different recipes, trying to find something that's easy to make, doesn't cost too much, and most importantly is healthy. I think I've finally found one that satisfies all those criteria.
The best part about this recipe is that it's so versatile. You can add or subtract ingredients depending on what you have on hand.
You can use less sugar or honey if you want to make them sugar-free. And if your kid has allergies, substitute the peanut butter for almond butter and omit the nuts—that way they'll still be nut-free but they'll still get their protein from the peanut butter.
This recipe makes around 20 bars depending on how big you cut them—but if you double it, it keeps really well in the freezer too!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 425 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 cups rice crisp cereal
  • 3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans (or a combination)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for pan

Instructions
 

  • First thing you’ll want to do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Then, place your oats, almonds, and dried cherries in a bowl.
  • Mix them up with a spoon until they are evenly distributed.
  • Then add the honey, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt.
  • Next—and this is the fun part—mix everything together with your hands until it becomes a sticky dough.
  • Once it’s combined well enough for you (some people prefer it stickier than others), press it into a greased 8-by-8 inch pan with wax paper so the bars come out cleanly when they cool down.
  • Bake for 20 minutes and try not to eat the whole batch before it cools off!
Keyword Kid-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe, Toddler-Friendly Granola Bar Recipe
CEO at Happy Muncher | benjamin@happymuncher.com | Website | + posts

Hi, I'm Benjamin. I love cooking, long walks, and my girlfriend! Here you’ll find simple and delicious recipes that you can make in 30 minutes or less.