I’ve been thinking about food a lot lately, specifically on how to minimize costs. We spend a lot on food. How much? I’m not entirely sure, but I’d bet well over 10k/year, probably even closer to 14 or 15k. And I hate it. I hate it so much! There are a number of contributing factors, such as the inflation issue we’ve been having of late, especially greedflation. Some foods also just cost a lot more than others, especially pre-processed foods. But one thing that is hard to get around is protein We eat a lot of chicken, and sometimes steaks here and there. But lean protein is generally quite expensive.
There’s also the kids’ snacks, which although convenient and somewhat tasty, come at a cost premium. Especially if you aren’t able to get them in bulk. We go through a lot of basic snacks like granola bars (chocolate coated and uncoated), nutrigrain bars, and bear paws.
But since getting into the hobby of bread baking recently got me thinking that it can’t be that hard to make a homemade, cheap and nutritiously delicious snack right? I mean, the main ingredients in those kids snacks are essentially flour, sugar, and oats. Those things are dirt cheap as far as ingredients go. And there’s a ton of internet recipes available. The trick is finding out which ones are actually descent, and which ones would actually work for me. So let’s see what it takes to make some Granola Bar Gold!
I figured I’d try making a “bar” snack of some kind. Maybe an oat bar. Just like with my bread journey, I wanted something easy, simple, quick, healthy, and cheap! Easier said than done, right? So after a brief YouTube search, I found this recipe that to seemed to fit the bill, a “3 ingredient, no bake oatmeal bar“.
Oats, peanut butter, and honey. That’s it! It actually reminds me of the Kraft Peanut Butter cookie recipes they have on the back of the jar; just PB, Sugar, and Egg. And those are pretty delicious!
The Tryout
So I tried out the oat bar recipe one night, all cavalier and such. My wife was like “What do you think you’re doing!”, to which I responded “Oh, I dunno. Just thought I’d whip up a quick oat bar recipe!”. Then she said “Stop right now! Oats are my one and only weakness!” To which I responded, “I’m not making them for you!”…
Anyhoo, it was made pretty quick. Just mix everything together, then smush it into an 8×8 baking dish or pan. Then put it into the fridge for a few hours. Voila! Done!
After it had cooled, I cut the cooled mixture into 16 equal bars. I thought they looked a bit small, but they’re probably on par for a store bought simple granola bar.
Man are they delicious! I wasn’t quite expecting the hit of dopamine it gave. Perhaps slightly overkill on the sweetness, but are they ever great!
Nutrition wise, they’re better than a bear paw and other related snacks:
~190 calories, 5.5 grams of protein, and 2.5 grams of fiber.
Oh, and they cost about $0.24 each. Compared to a bear paw, which easily costs ~$0.50 or more, I’d say that’s worth it. However, I thought I could do better with the costs with some substitutions for the next time.
The Next Time
Ever since the first time I made these earlier this year, I’ve kept them in regular circulation. I might have done the recipe 10 times now? That’s a lot of granola bars!
I’ve modified the ingredient list a few times to try slightly different flavors as well as to see if I could get the costs down even further. I’ve stuck with the base ingredients of PB, Oats, but have subbed Fake Maple Syrup (butter flavour!) for Honey. I’ve also changed the ratios slightly. The oats are still 3 cups worth. I’ve reduced the PB down to ~3/4 cup (from 1 cup), and the syrup is down to 1/3 to 1/2 cup (down from 3/4 cup)
I’ve found that I like this ratio the best, as it keeps the bars dryer, but still together at room temperature. They also freeze quite well because of the lower moisture content. And the ratio reduces the sugar and calorie content while increasing the protein/fibre ratio a slightly.
I’ve tested as low as 1/2 cup of PB and 1/4 cup of syrup, but the bars are too dry, and get quite crumbly. The flavour is also much less sweet. Although not undesirable.
I’ve also added a good shake of cinnamon as a regular base ingredient (maybe 1/2 tsp). And also a sprinkle (~1/4 cup) of chocolate chips for little bursts of flavour. And you can’t forget a pinch of salt (~1/4 tsp), which helps bring all the flavours together.
The other item I’ve tried out is mini marshmallows. Adding about 1/3 cup to the heated peanut butter and syrup mixture adds another layer of complexity and flavour. The marshmallows more or less melt and contribute a mildly charred and sugary/smores component that’s quite nice.
I’ve done the marshmallow one a few times, but currently am leaving them out, just to keep things on the simpler side.
Super Economical
The cost of this works out to about $0.12 per bar* largely because of the maple syrup for honey swap out. The nutrient macros are as follows:
-Calories: 150
-Protein: 4.5
-Carbs: 17
-Fat: 6.5
-Fibre: 2.4
Not too shabby!
They are my current go to/on-the-go snack. And when I make them, I actually make a double recipe; 32 bars. I use the same 8×8 baking tin with a layer of parchment paper separating the 2 batches. They go in the fridge for a couple hours to solidify a bit, then I take them out, and cut them up. Then the final step is loading them into a freezer bag and throwing them in the freezer.
Good to go! They can be eaten frozen, but are much better if warmed in the microwave for about 12 or 13 seconds! No bake! No Muss! No Fuss!
Leveling Up
If I have it in the pantry, I’ll also try to add approximately a scoopful of Protein Powder. This adds an extra punch of protein to the bars. I try to get Costco Lean Fit Whey Protein because it’s the most economical I’ve found recently. Their 2kg bag is occasionally on sale for $38.99, or $48.99 regular. Just remember to add 2 – 3 TBSP of water to the mix to help counter the dryness of the protein powder.
The protein powder brings the cost up a bit to $0.16 / bar, but it also brings the protein content up about 1.5g of protein.
These are the new macros with the protein Powder:
-Calories: 160
-Protein: 6
-Carbs: 17
-Fat: 6.5
-Fibre: 2.4
For comparison’s sake, a chocolate chip bear paw has similar macros, except that the protein is only about half. And they cost three times as much; about $0.50/package!
There you go! A delicious, nutritious, protein filled, and cheaper than dirt, quick-snack! You’ll love it! The kids will love it! They’re so good I often eat two! That’ll fill ya up! And it’ll keep your pockets full with granola bar gold!
*Ingredient Prices based on Costco’s big 5.16kg big bag of quick oats, Costco’s Lean Fit Whey, Walmart Brand PB, and Walmart Brand Maple Syrup.
