Do you struggle to find healthy snacks for your family? This is one of the toughest hurdles when it comes to clean eating. Many so-called “healthy snacks” on the market are filled with toxic fillers and ingredients we don’t love.
Here is a list of ingredients we try to keep off our plate when we’re buying store-bought snacks:
- Sugar
- Seed oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean oil
- Gums like xanthan Gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan
- Natural flavors
- Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin
- Dyes
- Preservatives like sulfites, BHA, BHT, and benzoates
- GMOs
We like to avoid those ingredients for ourselves and kiddos because they affect our mood, behavior, and cognitive function.
While we’re lucky enough to find healthier options on the market these days, we like to make our own snacks—it’s cheaper and keeps snacking fun.
That’s where our Sunflower Oat Bars come in! These bars have plenty of protein, fiber, and sweetness to satisfy your hunger AND cravings (especially if you’re craving chocolate!). They’re also a kid-friendly snack that’s perfect for after school or tossing into a packed lunch.
Making your own snacks can sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. If you use simple recipes that require little preparation, it can be a breeze! Our Sunflower Oat Bars have only 6 ingredients, don’t require baking, and freeze well. You can make a big batch of these and freeze them so they’re ready whenever you need them.
Note that if you’re buying oats, make sure that they are certified organic, gluten-free and glyphosate-free.
We hope you enjoy this tasty homemade snack! Give them a try and let us know what you think.
With snack love,
The Conscious Cleanse Team
Sunflower Oat Bars
Yield: 12 bars
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups gluten-free oats (we love One Degree Organics)
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (We love Hu Baking Gems)
- ⅔ cup nut or seed butter of choice
- ½ cup honey, add more if needed to help mixture stick together
Instructions:
In a large bowl mix oats, sunflower seeds, cranberries, collagen powder (if using) and chocolate chips (or cacao nibs). In a small bowl whisk together nut butter and honey. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and mix well until everything is sticky and combined. If mixture is too dry, add more honey (up to 2/3 cup) until it sticks together well.
Line a shallow glass baking dish with plastic wrap. Press in mixture evenly and cover with more plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Cut into bar shapes, wrap, and keep refrigerated ready to eat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
If you liked this healthy snack, we invite you to join our online community! When you sign up you’ll receive regular healthy lifestyle tips and new recipes. As a welcome-gift, we’ll send you our FREE Family Clean Eating Guide for more family-friendly healthy recipes and a 5-day meal plan.
Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.
