Energy bars are a convenient, on-the-go snack to toss in your gym bag, but they can be full of added sugar and other not-so-desirable ingredients. Plus, they’re not exactly cheap. These recipes are healthy, quick (all it takes is a quick spin in the food processor) and mostly no-bake. Freeze your homemade creations — with a variety of nuts, seeds, fruit and grains — for a later date, or pack the freshly made bars in a Ziploc bag for a portable breakfast or mid-morning snack.
16 Homemade Energy Bar Recipes to Make Now
1. No-Bake Raspberry Chia Breakfast Bars
It may look like dessert, but guess what? This energy bar passes for breakfast, too. The 15-minute no-bake recipe pairs a nutty oatmeal base with a fruity chia seed-studded raspberry jam. Consider this your healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber and antioxidants. Photo and Recipe: Renee Blair / Life by Daily Burn
2. Apple Pie Granola Bars
Nothing’s sweeter than apple pie. So when it comes to healthy snacks, this take on the classic American dessert scales back the sweetness to just five grams of sugar per bar. You’ll still nail the flavor, though, thanks to chucks of dried apple, pecans, toasted oats and cinnamon. Photo and Recipe: Carmen Sturdy / Life by Daily Burn
Now tell us this doesn’t look like dessert. Dates and cashews make up the base of this bar, while cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut and vanilla add decadence (without all the guilt). If you have trouble finding moist, soft dates (oftentimes they’re pretty dry), soak them overnight in water before tossing in the food processer. And don’t forget to remove the pits if they’re still in there! Photo and Recipe: Angie / seasaltwithfood
4. 3-Ingredient Homemade Larabars
Not jazzed about spending $2-$3 for a store-bought bar? Make ’em yourself! These Larabar-inspired snacks require just three simple ingredients: nuts, medjool dates and dried fruit. Promise: This energy bar recipe is worth breaking out the food processor for! Photo and Recipe: Renee Blair / Life by Daily Burn
For a tropical treat, try these scrumptious bars made with apricots, cashews and unsweetened coconut. Rolled oats and hemp seeds, packed with omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids, hold all the ingredients together. If you don’t have agave syrup on hand, honey works too. Photo and Recipe: Christal / Nutritionist in the Kitch
The stars of these bars are dates, walnuts, sunflower seeds and goji berries. If you’ve never dabbled in goji territory, they are tiny red berries (usually sold dry) full of antioxidants, amino acids and…
