Image: indywriter @ Flickr
Energy bars are a terrific option for athletes - or anyone - looking for a quick source of protein, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins & minerals. Conveniently packaged and easy to throw in a gym or golf bag - or briefcase, for that matter - they’re a quick source of energy for athletes, students, or harried, on-the-go executives. Homemade energy bars offer all these benefits plus will save you money, and they are surprisingly easy to make!!
Before we get to the actual recipe, a few general comments on energy bars:
Most commercially available energy bars - Clif Bars, Power Bars, and the like - cost around a dollar each. Our local Wal-Mart sells Clif Bars for $.89 each, and based on my experience, that’s a really good price. If you make your own you’ll not only enjoy great tasting bars & know exactly what went into them, you’ll enjoy substantial savings versus these prices!
Most energy bars contain around 220 calories. If you maintain an active lifestyle or are an athlete, eating an energy bar is perfectly fine because you need to maintain your caloric intake given your high level of physical activity.
For anyone who is less active, energy bars are a good option especially if the alternative is junk food, a candy bar, or the fatty, cholesterol-laden hot breakfast buffet at your hotel. Just bear in mind that the calories will add up if you eat several per day! I’ll provide a concise nutritional breakdown for the bars you can make yourself in just a moment.
That disclaimer issued, let’s look at how you can create tasty energy bars with little effort and less than 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3-1/2 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 cup light syrup
- 2 scoops (each scoop is about 4 tbsp.) protein powder - I used vanilla flavored; any flavor will work
- 1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 cup juice - I use orange/banana/pineapple juice; orange juice is fine
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped dates (you can use dried cranberries, raisins, and chopped nuts, if you prefer)
- 1-1/2 bananas, mashed
Here’s a photo of the ingredients I typically use:
Other
- cookie sheets
- waxed paper
- large mixing bowl
- non-stick spray (optional)
Extremely complicated directions:
- Thoroughly mix all the ingredients in a bowl (mix the dry ingredients together before adding liquid ingredients, then mix everything)
- Put spoonfuls on the waxed paper (use some non-stick spray on the paper if you prefer) and form into bars (I use a plain table knife for doing this.) Spreading the spoonfuls out a bit as you put them on the paper makes this much easier
- Bake at 325°F for approximately 15 minutes or until the bottoms of your bars are golden brown
When they’re done, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Here’s a picture of the bars before going into the oven:
…and after:
As you can see, this recipe made 11 fairly large bars. I certainly could have opted to make them smaller. Total cost per bar (I’ll spare you the detailed calculations) works out to about $ .66 each, primarily because I used a relatively small (read: expensive per scoop) container of protein powder. If I were to buy a 5 lb. container, the cost per bar drops to about $ .45 - half the cost of the best price I’ve seen for Clif bars!
Nutritional Breakdown:
- 280 calories
- total fat: 1.9g
- saturated fat: .5g
- cholesterol: 10.2mg
- protein: 13g
- carbohydrates: 53.2g
Note that this is approximate as the size of the bars can (obviously) vary a bit, and is based on the recipe yielding only 12 bars. At that yield, the bars are akin to a supersized Clif bar.
How does this nutritional profile compare to commercially available energy bars?
| Homemade | Clif Bar | Power Bar | Gatorade Bar | 4 Fig Newtons | |
| Calories | 280 | 240 | 230 | 260 | 220 |
| Protein | 13g | 10g | 10g | 8g | 2g |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 44g | 45g | 46g | 44g |
As you can see, the homemade bars compare very favorably to the commercially available alternatives… and they taste great and are less expensive! Also, keep in mind that these bars are considerably larger than the store bought bars, so it’s a bit of an apples and oranges comparison… keep reading for a more relevant comparison.
If the recipe yielded 16 bars, the nutritional breakdown is:
- 210 calories
- total fat: 1.4
- saturated fat: .3g
- cholesterol: 7.6mg
- protein: 9.7g
- carbohydrates: 40g
This is certainly a fairer comparison. At this (16 per batch) yield, the homemade bars offer lower calories, more protein, and lower carbs than the commercially available bars! (All nutritional information is based on the data on product packages and where that isn’t available, from nutritiondata.com)
Try it - you’ll like it!
Making these energy bars could not be much easier - measuring and mixing the ingredients takes about 5-7 minutes maximum, forming them into bars (or whatever shape you prefer) takes about another 10 minutes, and they bake in around 15 minutes. You certainly can double the batch to make 20-32 bars.
Store them in Ziploc bags or in an airtight container, and they’ll keep for about 2 weeks at room temperature… if they last that long!!
Email me or comment if you have questions, or if you have your own energy bar recipe.
I should mention that if you are making significant changes to your diet, please seek the advice of your physician or a qualified nutritionist.
Enjoy!!
8.9.08 Edit: Here’s a picture of a batch that I made this afternoon. I didn’t have any bananas, so I used 3 egg whites and a little extra juice, a combination of chopped dates and craisins, and made 16 bars. These are a bit larger than most commercially available bars. One of the fun aspects of making your own bars is that you can improvise a bit:
8.19.08: For more tips and suggestions on making your own energy bars, click on this link to see a brief follow-up post.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
- You may also enjoy these related posts:
- Homemade energy bar update
- On the road: healthy snacks for travelers
- Homemade beef jerky: tasty, easy and preservative-free; dehydrator not required
- Crash Hot Potatoes: utterly simple, absolutely delicious!
- Killer cheese dip: 3 ingredients, ~20 minutes… delicious!
August 4th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Thank you VERY much for sharing this recipe
I can’t wait to try it.
I wonder if one could use cherry or pomegranate juice instead of orange juice? I also would like to use dried cherries and almond slivers.
Please let me know if you think these suggestions would work.
August 4th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Bunny,
Thanks for your comment. I see no reason why your changes wouldn’t work! My wife prefers craisins, as she feels they’re a bit sweeter. Give it a shot!! Thx. again.
kc
August 6th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Does anyone know if agave would work instead of corn syrup?
August 7th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
RSZ: I think it might work - check out this article:
http://url.ie/lbk
Why not try out a half batch and see how it turns out?
If you do, please let me know!
Thanks for stopping by…
Kevin
August 10th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Perfect!
My wife loves baking, and I love biking (and eating energy bars in the process).
August 10th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Michael:
Thanks for stopping by. If you get a chance, please email the post to your cycling friends! Ride safe.
-Kevin
August 11th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
great post, i have never really thought to make my own bars , its hard when im i’m training and going to school to afford to keep buying supplements and energy bars. great post.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Essentially, what you have made are cookies. The problem with most energy bars is that they are cooked. Cooked foods are dead foods and contain few living nutrients. This is why your typical cereal is not very good food. The best energy bars would be uncooked or heated at such a low temperature that the ingredients would not be destroyed by heat. Amino acids (protein), vitamins and important fats are all altered when heated, which is not good.
August 11th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
i am allergic to bananas is there any substitute for this?
August 11th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Manda,
I think you could try applesauce as a substitute for the bananas. (I am guessing)that somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 cup applesauce would be equivalent to 1-1/2 bananas. Perhaps another reader could help with this. Thanks for your comment!!
Kevin
August 11th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Manda,
I’m sure any mashed fruit would work.
KC,
Rather than using corn syrup (which is terrible for you) why not use maple syrup.
August 12th, 2008 at 2:25 am
Hi Kevin,
So glad I stumbled onto your website today!
The neighborhood kids are gonna love me tomorrow, bcuz I’m going to make these SUPERSIZE bars right now! I will pass your site along to my friends also Kevin.It is a very good one. Thanks,
AKA: FassstForward
August 12th, 2008 at 6:47 am
@Gareth: thanks for the suggestion; I’ll have to try it. From a strict numbers standpoint, corn syrup and maple syrup are quite similar nutritionally. From a health standpoint, maple would be better, no doubt. I did find this site this morning, and the author addresses substituting maple syrup for granulated sugar: http://url.ie/lpn Perhaps I’ll try a half batch with real maple syrup. Thx again.
@Norma: thanks for your kind words! You’ve started my day with a smile on my face… I really appreciate the feedback!!
Kevin
August 12th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I don’t know if it’s been mentioned yet, but a really tasty (probably healthier) substitute for the syrup is to use honey. It is most probably a little bit more expensive however.
August 13th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
kc, you’re the man!
the bars are great, made some a few days ago and they rocked 
thanx!
August 14th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
“Bars” are appealing so you can eat them on the run. But I am slightly more interested in “baggy foods” you can take on an airline and eat with a spoon or your fingers. I can deal with one airline meal on a cross-continental trip, but 3, 4, or 5 meals on a transpacific to SE Asia flight REALLY puts me a strange combination of queasy, overfull, and hungry. I think a lot of your ingredients are designed to “glue” the basic oats together, and wonder if would be possible, as a minimalist, to skip those ingredients and skip the baking too.
I have tried eating plain, uncooked oatmeal, both the “old fashioned” and “quick cook” versions, and amazingly enough they are both palatable and digestible (”oat meal” is already partially cooked, compared to oats in their raw form - compare to “steel cut oats” at markets). Although you need to take in a lot of water, or you get dehydrated from the dry oats. Just so your reader’s don’t gag, I mix the oats with dried cranberries or dates when I try this (all you need is a round tub of old fashioned organic oatmeal from Trader Joes, and some of their fruit pieces from the nut’s ‘n fruits aisle).
Do you think I could just drop some uncooked “old fashioned” oatmeal flakes, protein powder, some chopped up nuts and dates, and a teaspoon of healthy oil into a baggie, mush it round, seal it and eat it later? Your use of oil and protein powder made me think those are the missing ingredients for a nutritious travel meal.
Since my “cooking” skills are limited to whining at my wife or opening a can of beans (whole pintos, Trader Joes’ organic) and adding some fish sauce for flavor, I’m lobbing this question at you first for your opinion before I start chopping dates and blending ingredients.
August 14th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Michael…
Funny you should write about “baggy foods.” …see this related post:
http://url.ie/m0w
Kevin
August 17th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I made these with agave nectar and a batch with honey, both were really really good! I also substituted the egg whites with fake egg from Whole Foods. I added in 4 different nuts, raisins and cranberries. I also mashed a peach with the banana, and used chocolate soy protein. These bars are sooooo good!
August 17th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Jenn,
So glad to hear that it worked well with agave nectar! I tried a batch today with 3/8 cup lt. corn syrup and 3/8 cup honey, and they turned out great. Check back Tuesday - I’m posting a brief follow-up post and will mention the variations you’ve tried. Happy that you’re pleased with the results!
Kevin
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:48 am
I’ve tried this recipe twice and in the last batch I stumbled into a mini muffin try when looking for the cookie sheet. After a quick eyeball measurement I thought “This might work” and loaded the mix into the mini muffin tray.
I have to say I prefer the mini muffin version much more than the large bar version. Cooking seems more uniform and the portion is easier to manage. I threw in three with my lunch and can just eat one for a quick snack instead of breaking up a bar. I have not worked out with them but my guess is it would be much easier to manage as a mini muffin there as well. I do have a long run this weekend so maybe I will try that.
Anyway, just thought I’d suggest the mini muffin tray as an option. I forget the exact size and how many were in the tray but I think it must be in the mid 20s or so.
October 11th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Good idea. I will make a version of these bars.
October 11th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Steven:
Thanks for visiting; I love your blog’s design - very clean! Nice work.
Kevin
October 11th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Sounds good-I think I’ll make these and substitute all ingredients for organic ones and change the sugar to agave. Thanks dude.
October 11th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Shannon -
I think you’ll enjoy them. BTW: nice site! Thanks for stopping by.
Kevin
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Kevin,
I thought that wax paper in an oven was not recommended:
>Oven: Wax paper should not be used for most baking as it will smoke,
>however it can be used in some baking as long as the batter
>completely covers the wax paper.
that is from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax_paper
Maybe the 325F temp is OK?
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:44 am
Gordon:
FWIW, I’ve never had an issue with it smoking or otherwise being a problem; perhaps it is the 325* temp. Thanks for commenting!
Kevin