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These healthy and easy to put together protein bars are the perfect snack to start the year off right! It’s so simple and delicious, you will never buy them from the store again!
Some other healthy snacks for the new year that you should try are these protein poppers, protein waffles, and this delicious green smoothie. They are all some that you MUST TRY this new year!
The Best Protein Bars
I know that you can just go out and buy protein bars at the store but trust me when I say that these are SO MUCH BETTER. Plus, they aren’t filled with all of the ingredients that you can’t pronounce! These are filled with healthy ingredients like flaxseed and oats. And then you bring in the flavor with your protein powder, honey, peanut butter, and a few mini chocolate chips.
The great thing about these protein bars is that once you have all of these ingredients on hand then you can just make these whenever! Make them ahead of time and use them all week long. They are a great source of protein and actually taste super delicious. You will never go back to your store-bought ones again! You can use these as a midday snack or pair them with a delicious smoothie or oatmeal for breakfast. They only take a few minutes to put together so there shouldn’t be anything stopping you!
Ingredients to Make Protein Bars
Just buy all of these ingredients in bulk so that you always have the stuff on hand to make this. Once you try them, you won’t be able to quit! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
- Peanut butter: This gives these protein bars a great flavor.
- Honey: The honey acts as a natural sweetener.
- Flaxseed: I like to use ground flaxseed. It’s healthy and easy to find.
- Rolled oats: You can use slightly ground oats or oat flour will work too.
- Protein powder: I used vanilla but chocolate tastes amazing too!
- Salt: This enhances all of the flavors of the ingredients.
- Vanilla extract: Adding a little more sweet flavor.
- Mini chocolate chips: These are optional but I always like to add them in for extra taste and texture.
Let’s Make Some Protein Bars!
These are done and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Make an entire batch or even double it so that you are set for the entire week!
- Prep: Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine everything except chocolate chips: In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips. Stir and mix ingredients until combined. The mixture should resemble cookie dough.
- Fold: Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Press into pan: Using your hands, press the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Chill: Place in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes to make cutting easier. You can speed up this process by placing the bars in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Cut: Once the bars are chilled and hold its form, use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Evenly cut into 10 bars. Enjoy!
Variations
These protein bars are great as is but you can totally switch a few things up to make a variety. Here are a few ideas to try!
- Protein powder: I used vanilla in this recipe but feel free to change it up to whatever your favorite flavor is! Chocolate, strawberry, cake batter…I mean the options for flavors of protein pwder are endless!
- Mix-in: I used mini chocolate chips to mix into these but make them fun by adding in mini m&m’s, reeses pieces, sprinkles, or whatever you love! Mix in whatever you enjoy so that you love these even more.
How to Store Protein Bars
Cook up a few batches of these at once. They last a long time (over a month) and so it’s nice to make a lot of them to last!
- Refrigerator: Once you have made a batch (or two!) of these protein bars, you will want to store them in an airtight container and put them in your fridge. This will keep them nice and chewy. They will last about a month in your fridge.
- Freezer: You can totally freeze some of these protein bars for later. Wrap each bar in some parchment paper and then place them in a ziplock bag that is labeled with the date. They will last about 3 months. When you are ready to eat them just set it out on the counter until it is thawed and then enjoy!
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Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside.
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In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips. Stir and mix ingredients until combined. The mixture should resemble cookie dough.
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Fold in the chocolate chips.
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Using your hands, press the mixture into the prepared pan.
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Place in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes to make cutting easier. You can speed up this process by placing the bars in the freezer for 10 minutes.
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Once the bars are chilled and hold their form, use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Evenly cut into 10 bars. Enjoy!
Serves: 10
Calories345kcal (17%)Carbohydrates28g (9%)Protein12g (24%)Fat23g (35%)Saturated Fat5g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat7gMonounsaturated Fat10gTrans Fat1gCholesterol1mgSodium183mg (8%)Potassium327mg (9%)Fiber5g (20%)Sugar16g (18%)Vitamin A10IUVitamin C1mg (1%)Calcium38mg (4%)Iron1mg (6%)
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
