If there is one thing that I learned as a mom of two, it is to never leave the house without a snack. I am always trying to make healthy kid friendly snacks that satisfy everyone’s taste preferences. I am sure many of you can relate to this. The dietitian side always packs fresh fruit and vegetables for health and convenience but I know the girls like a treat once in a while. Snacking has an important role in maintaining health when they are healthy. Snacks can help us meet our daily fruit and vegetable recommendations and help fight off those ravenous temper tantrums. These easy to make peanut butter balls are kid friendly, taste amazing, and packed with healthy protein, fat, and fibre.
So what is a healthy snack?
My first choice for a healthy snack is fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Minimally processed
- Nutrient dense
- Low in sugar
- Source of fibre
- Source of protein
- Tastes good
These peanut butter snack balls have two ingredients that our family loves, oats and peanut butter. Not only are these peanut butter balls easy to make but they require 1 bowl, no baking and only 7 ingredients. These nutrient dense peanut butter balls make the perfect after school or work snack. If you have peanut allergies you could easily substitute almond butter or try cashew butter. If you are gluten free use gluten free oats instead of regular oats. You can also use any dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, cherries, and/or blueberries.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/2 cup of natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup of make syrup or 10 medjool dates
- 1 1/2 cups of oats
- 1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 tbsp of hemp hearts
- 1/2 cup of dried fruit ( raisins, cranberries, cherries, or blueberries)
- 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add peanut butter, maple syrup, oats, coconut, hemp hearts, dried fruit, and chocolate. Mix until well combined. If too sticky add more oats.
- Place bowl in fridge for 5-10 minutes.
- Scoop into 1 1/2 inch bowls and place in fridge for another 10 minutes.
Notes
You can substitute peanut butter for almond, cashew or sunflower butter. Store in fridge for 1 week or freezer for about 1 month
Not only are these easy to make peanut butter balls nutrient dense, easy to make, and delicious but they are convienent and portable. Place them in your handbag and the next time someone says they are hungry you can pull out a nutrient dense peanut butter ball.
