Healthy Snacks, Healthy Lifestyle – Fun Snack Ideas for You and Your Family

Staying at home has never been better. Yes, I miss those trips to the supermarket to replenish our groceries and occasionally eating out or lounging in a coffee shop. However, just thinking of how the virus is spreading now compels me to stay at home. Good thing the kids understand how serious this is and they don’t make a fuss. Well, the only problem is that we keep on eating! Occasionally, boredom strikes and we turn to food. When this is all over, there will be a lot of obese people, and that’s what I’m avoiding. Okay, sorry for the negative thoughts there. Anyway, I did my best to serve healthy snacks to avoid loading up on carbs and sugar. Good thing We have a lot of fresh fruits so I decided to make use of them.

Ideas for Healthy Snacks

One of the healthy snacks I came up with is sliced apples with peanut butter. Just slice them up, spread some peanut butter (or Nutella!) and top it off with some dried fruits (such as raisins) and nuts. Apples are rich in fiber, Vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants which makes them perfect for boosting the immune system. Remember? An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Another healthy snack that you can make at home are granola bars. Granola bars are made of oats, dried fruits and nuts and are usually eaten for breakfast. However, I learned that they are also great for snacks, especially if you need a quick pick-me-up. In these times when we’re mostly at home with little physical activity, granola bars give you that energy and boost. Granola bars are a great source of protein and fiber, helps increase mental activity and helps reduce cholesterol.

I know that people can get tired of eating the same kind of food all over again so I decided to be creative with the ingredients. I made one batch with peanut butter, another batch with maple syrup, and so on. I also put different dried fruits for variety.

Anyway, I’d like to share with you this easy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars recipe. Hope you’ll like them! Feel free to share with your friends and family, too!

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5-Ingredient Granola Bars

Running out of ideas for healthy snacks? Make nutritious and delicious snacks for you and your family with these healthy snack ideas.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy snacks

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Servings 10

Equipment

• baking pan
• parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried fruits such as dates, raisins, apples, or peaches
• 1/4 cup sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, agave nectar
• 1/4 cup peanut butter, almond butter, or chocolate spread
• 1 cup roasted and unsalted almonds or walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Instructions

• Process the dried fruits in a food processor until you achieve the desired consistency.
• If you want to toast the oats, cook them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• Combine the dates, oats and almonds in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
• In a small saucepan, heat the honey and peanut butter/ chocolate spread over low heat. Pour over oats mixture and mix well to combine.
• Line your baking pan with parchment paper and evenly spread the mixture. Make sure you press them down firmly with a rolling pin or glass. Use a spatula to create squares.
• Cover with parchment paper and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Keep them in airtight containers for a week or keep them in the freezer so they last longer. To thaw, just bring them out of the freezer and let them thaw in room temperature. Reheat in the microwave as needed.