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How many of you have kiddos that are eating you out of house and home right now?! At least during the summer (when kids are home during the day), they have warm weather to keep them preoccupied, which means they either A) don’t think about snacks or B) grab a Popsicle and keep going! Combine the cool Spring temperatures and social distancing guidelines and we’ve got kiddos (ok, let’s be honest…adults too) that are not only stuck inside but maybe even turning to comfort food to help boost their mood!
I’m sure many of you encourage your kiddos (and yourself) to find some healthy snacks when hunger arises. However, we all know that sometimes we just need to find something that hits the spot when your sweet tooth strikes. So, instead of finding some processed snack in the pantry to give to your kiddo, try looking for protein packed sources with natural sugars. Not only can you feel good about your choice, but you won’t have to be handing out snacks again in five minutes!
I’ve found a few delicious snacks that I whipped up, specifically for Kaylie to munch on during the day, and just in case you’re wondering, she has given her blessing on all of them. The best part about all three of these recipes is that there is NO BAKING involved and requires only ten ingredients!
Let’s start with the shopping list, but before you head to the store, check out your pantry, because I’m sure you’ll find a few of these products already sitting in there.
- Peanut Butter
- Honey
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- Vanilla
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Dark Chocolate Chips
- Coconut Flour
- Cheerios
Just a few notes about the shopping list…
- Be sure to pick up the natural version of peanut butter, as you don’t want all of the added sugar. Check the ingredients list and it should only say “Peanuts” or maybe even “Peanuts, Sea Salt”, but nothing more than that.
- The coconut flour can NOT be substituted for any other “flour”. Coconut flour is actually from dried coconut meat, so it has a natural sweetness to it and has a relatively low glycemic index (which means it’s good for those that have to watch blood glucose levels because it won’t cause a quick spike in levels). Check out Amazon for the brand I used.
- You can use any type of Cheerios, and I’m sure you could really pick up a variety of cereals that would work well with the recipe.
- Choosing the dark chocolate chips over milk chocolate will provide you with higher levels of antioxidants, which protect us against free radical damage in our bodies and contribute to a better heart health profile.
Let’s get started, but first, I share this from Ratatouille…
“This much I know. If you are what you eat, then I only wanna eat the good stuff.”
Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
Materials
- 3 cups Cheerios
- 3/4 cup Peanut Butter Natural Version
- 1/2 cup Honey
Instructions
- Line a square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium sauce pan, combine the peanut butter and honey and heat over medium heat until melted and well combined.
- Remove from heat and gently fold in Cheerios.
- Place the mixture into your prepared square baking dish and press the cereal mixture into place.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can get the original directions and step by step photos at The Lazy Dish.
Greek Yogurt Chocolate Berry Bark
Greek Yogurt Chocolate Berry Bark
Materials
- 3 cups Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/3 cup Honey
- 1 cup Sliced Strawberries
- 1 cup Blueberries
- 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
- 2 tbsp Honey Optional: for drizzling on top
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, honey, and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- Spread the yogurt mixture out in a thick layer on to the parchment paper lined baking sheet. If you spread it out too thin, the yogurt will be too thin and fall apart.
- Lay strawberries on top of the yogurt mixture and sprinkle blueberries and chocolate chips.
- Drizzle with the extra honey if desired.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
- Once the bark has set, peel away from parchment paper and break into pieces.
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer and only remove when ready to eat, as the yogurt will melt fast.
You can get the original directions and step by step photos at Graceful Little Honey Bee.
Chocolate Chip Blondies
No Bake Healthy Chocolate Chip Blondies
Materials
- 1 cup + 4 tbsp Coconut Flour Sifted
- 2 Mashed Bananas
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter Natural Version
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 4 tbsp Dark Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Line a 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas and add in peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Once the mixture is creamy, add in the coconut flour and combine well.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the mixture into your lined loaf pan, using your hands to press it down so it's even and about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Once set, remove from pan and peel the parchment paper. Cut into small bite sized squares.
- Store the squares in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can get the original directions and step by step photos at Laura Fuentes. I modified the recipe above (doubled it), as I found the single batch didn’t provide a thick enough bar.
See how simple those three no bake snacks are?! Enjoy and tag me on IG @kalettehittle if you make any of these!