Easy, healthy bites and bars recipes that are perfect for spring break (or ‘just because’) snacking!
These snack recipes are perfect for inviting your kids to explore new foods while having fun in the kitchen when you’re at home for spring break! Note: any recipe that calls for nut butter, feel free to substitute with a nut-free seed butter if allergies are a concern.
I’ve been on a mission lately to find healthy and tasty snack recipes to add some variety to my son’s lunchbox. Enter these double chocolate chia protein bites! They’re kid-approved and school safe.
My kids love these sweet and salty chocolate lentil granola bars. Think of these as your store bought granola bars…but way more delicious and healthy! Plus, five surprising facts about lentils you need to know!
Finding healthy snacks I feel good about serving, and that my kids love to eat, is no easy feat. And this is why I’ve fallen into the not-so-great habit of sending store-bought granola bars with my son to school in the past; the thought of making homemade granola bars seemed daunting and way too time-consuming. Until I finally decided to start making them that is.
This recipe for blueberry bars is a product of vacation time. I love them. The kids love them. The family loves them. I originally made them as a breakfast bar, and they’re wonderful that way, but they work for a healthy snack or after dinner treat too.
These 5-ingredient cookie dough protein balls are as easy to make as they are delicious and nutritious. Gluten-free and vegan, they’re a perfect healthy snack for everyone!
These cocoa-coconut bliss balls make a perfect lunchbox treat—both for your kids and you. They are dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and aside from the coconut, nut-free, making them very allergy-friendly.
Apple Cinnamon Oat Bars are ready in just 30 minutes and make the perfect breakfast, snack or lunch addition! They are chewy, filling and nutritious.
We used our favourite bar mix by Made With Local (their original goodness granola bar mix, which is now 100% gluten-free!). This mix is perfect for homemade bars, bites, cookies and muffins. Purchase on the Made With Local shop and use Sarah20 for 20% off your entire online order!
Want an easy and fun meal or snack idea that both parents and kids alike are guaranteed to love? Try making these nutritious snack boards!
Slightly crunchy on the outside and reminiscent of creamy hummus on the inside, these broccoli bites are much more exciting than the traditional veggies and hummus snack. And, they are super simple to make! A food processor does all the work for you!
These easy Vegan S'mores Bars are made with oats, graham crackers, and cashew butter for a healthier spin on the classic! Gluten-free option.
These homemade nut free protein bars are a wholesome, on-the-go option that provide a filling combination of protein and fiber and are great allergy free protein bars for those allergic to nuts, gluten or dairy. Homemade vegan protein bars have never been easier!
These Carrot Cake Energy Bites are the perfect mid-day treat. They are:
- Filled with fibre
- Naturally sweetened
- High in antioxidants
This mix and dump granola bar recipe contains all the superb nutritious ingredients like quinoa, honey, pumpkin puree, tahini, & cocoa powder. These are naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and can be adapted to make vegans (and non-vegans) happy.
These are a great nut-free snack to send to school with your children or to eat for an after exercise pick-me-up. They are also a fun way to get your children in the kitchen helping.
15 Bars & Bites Recipes for Spring Break: Lentil Granola Bars & More
With ingredients already in my kitchen I created these super tasty and nutrient-packed lentil granola bars. Because I like to make the most of my time in the kitchen, I made a big batch (they freeze really well!).
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils (cooked)
- 2 cups water
- 3 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup flour (I used whole grain)
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- 2/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine water and lentils in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer (uncovered) for 20-25 minutes. Drain excess liquid and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Combine oats, flour, flax, coconut, almonds, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until well blended.
- In a separate large bowl, combine lentils, peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla. Blend with a hand blender or manually with a whisk.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Add chocolate chips and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture into a greased 9" X 13" baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top
- Allow to cool, cut into bars and serve as a snack on their own, or pair with fruit for healthy on-the-go breakfast.
Notes
Inspired by: Two Saucy Sister's Grab And Go Chocolate Chip Lentil Granola Bars
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![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
![👇[AD] Dietitian-approved “snack lunches” that my kids love, in partnership with my friends at @naturesbakery 💜
Make sure to comment “snack lunch” and I’ll send you a free school-lunch cheat sheet 🙌🏻
Let’s be honest, the items kids get most excited about in their school lunches are the... snacks! So, why not build a meal-worthy “snack lunch” that your kids can be excited about opening and enjoying?
We do this often, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy for me (yay!), and my kids love helping pack them. Plus, these lunches can be just as nourishing as a “traditional” lunch. Bonus: the most often get eaten!
Here’s my “rule of 4” for building these lunches, ensuring they’re packed with the nutrients my kids need for the day:
1️⃣ Whole grains/starches
2️⃣ Protein-rich foods
3️⃣ Fruit
4️⃣ Veggies
As a dietitian Mom, I’m a huge fan of including @naturesbakery Fig Bars in my kids’ lunches. Not only do they always get eaten (aka my kids love them), but I love that they contain a simple ingredients list with whole grains and real fruit. They’re also plant-based, dairy-free and nut-free (making them perfect for school lunches!).
A typical “snack lunch” might look like this:
Charcuterie-Style
* Meats, cheese and crackers; for plant-based families, you could swap the meat and cheese with smoked tofu slices, tempeh strips or plant-based deli slices, plant-based cheeses, and hummus, roasted chickpeas or edamame.
* Cut up fruit
* Chia pudding
* A Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar (plant-based, dairy-free, and nut-free!)
Mediterranean-focused:
* mini naan bread/pita
* Hummus
* mini caprese salad skewers
* Nature’s Bakery Blueberry Fig Bar
* Fruit
* Dried chickpeas
Fun Finger Foods:
* energy bites
* edamame beans
* Seed and banana roll-ups
* string cheese (or dairy-free alternative)
* Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar
* Mini carrots
If you think your kids will love snack lunches, comment “snack lunch” below for a free school lunch cheat sheet ❤️
#Ad #Partner #NaturesBakery #SnackLunch #SchoolLunchIdeas #DietitianApproved #PlantBasedSnacks](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/458372728_522285503507501_4269903014098073865_nfull.webp)
Comments
veronika says
HI, Being a food lover and traveler I love to try this recipe once. Thanks for sharing keep it up.
Stacey Mattinson says
Oo these look so amazing! Saving this for later!
STEPHANIE VAN'T ZELFDEN says
I really needed this list! Great recipes!
Erica @ Functional Nutrition Answers says
Mmmm those lunchbox bars look divine! Thanks for all the bar/bite inspo 🙂
Heidi Moretti says
I love all the creative and tasty ways to make healthy energy bars. Thanks so much!
Lacy says
My kids would love these! Pinning this to use later!
Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian says
Love this roundup! Good job!
Lindsey Pine says
Who needs kids to be able to eat all of these delicious looking bars! lol! I don’t even know which one to try first!
Sarah Remmer says
Haha. So true! Thanks!