Homemade muesli bars are a fantastic lunch box option and can be healthier than the store bought variety. At least you know what is going into them and you can alter the ingredients to suit the tastes of your children. You can add lots of extra goodness such as pepitas and chia seeds but I have stuck to a simple recipe that is a winner every time.
I have been making these for many years and are a regular item in my children’s lunch boxes. They don’t take very long to make a tray and it is a lot more cost effective than buying them at the supermarket.
I thought this recipe would be well received given we are gearing up for back to school and parents are always on the lookout for easylunch box items. Give them a go and I hope you love them as much as we do.
Enjoy,
Amanda (Simple home cook)
MUESLI BARS (nut free)
½ cup honey
125g butter
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 cup rice bubbles
1 cup sultanas
½ cup chopped apricots
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup sunflower seeds
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a slice tin (18 x 28cm) with baking paper.
- In a small saucepan, combine honey and butter. Stir over med heat until butter is melted. Reduce to a simmer for 5 mins without stirring.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over honey syrup and stir to combine.
- Tip mixture into slice tin and press down firmly. I put a sheet of baking paper on top of mixture and press down hard with both hands.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 mins or until golden. Allow to cool slightly then refrigerate to set. This is important because if you try to cut it straight from the oven, it will fall apart. It must be set in the fridge and overnight is best.
- Once hard, cut to size. Store in fridge in airtight container.
[yumprint-recipe id=’29’]
Variation
@lissyjuniper on Instagram has converted this recipe into a FODMAP friendly one, and below are the ingredients (same method with substitute ingredients):
- 1/2 cup rice malt syrup
- 125 grams coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cupe gluten free rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups brown puffed rice
- 1/4 cup mix of chia seeds activated bikinis & amaranth
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- 1/2 cup preservative free apricots & cranberries
- 1/2 desiccated coconut
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
More
How to Establish a Lunch Box System
On January 21, 2015•By Amanda Arnold
21
About Amanda Arnold
Amanda started on this journey when her 3rd child was born, and feeding a family of 5 became even more of a challenge with three children under 3 1/2 years of age! She started working on a list of recipes that were simple and affordable that she could make ahead of time so she wasn’t stuck in the kitchen at 5pm when the household duties kicked up a notch. Amanda’s goal is to create simple meals that anyone can cook and enjoy without spending hours in the kitchen. Her recipes are perfect for that busy weeknight dinner, snacks to fill the lunch boxes or for students learning to cook. It’s simple home cooking at its best to free up your time to enjoy the fun things in life — your kids! Check out her cookbooks at www.foodbefore5.com.au and her Simple Home Cook Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/foodbefore5
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21 Comments
Reply
Kate @ One Small Life
January 22, 2015 at 8:00 am
This looks delicious. And I rarely say that about something that doesn’t have chocolate in it. And pretty easy too, no? I am definitely going to try this on. Love a recipe that only involves things I already have in the pantry – thank-you.
Reply
Renee
January 22, 2015 at 10:25 am
Amanda, just wondering what you would recommend to replace the sunflower seeds with? My 3 year old is a bit funny about seeds, so would just adding 1/4 of an additional dried fruit still work?
Reply
Amanda Arnold
January 22, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Hi Renee, You can leave them out all together and it won’t make any difference to the recipe. Otherwise, you can substitute in some other seeds or nuts.
Cheers,
AmandaReply
Kelly
February 2, 2015 at 8:06 pm
Was just thinking of trying to make my own, this looks like a great recipe and worth a try. Thanks
Reply
Marnie
February 9, 2015 at 5:13 pm
These look great for my little fuss-pot’s lunchbox. How long will they last in the fridge? Will it spoil if we don’t get through them quick enough say within a week?
Reply
Amanda from Simple Home Cook
February 9, 2015 at 7:32 pm
Hi Marnie, they can stay in the fridge for quite a while – say 2 weeks. I have forgotten about them in my fridge before and gone back to them after a week and they were still great.
Cheers, Amanda (Simple Home Cook)
Reply
Debbie
May 5, 2015 at 5:10 pm
These look great but how many calories are there in each bar?
Reply
Karen
July 26, 2015 at 3:05 pm
Made these today and they were a winner with my kids (& hubby!). I’m looking forward to experimenting with this recipe… Chia seeds, hemp seeds, some chopped nuts and maybe a few sneaky choc chips! Thanks for yet another tried and true recipe.
Reply
naomi
October 16, 2015 at 7:34 pm
Have just made another batch after the kids hounded me all week – they love them so much! The recipe is so flexible…I added chia seeds and pepitas and swapped half the sultanas for dried cranberries. And I didn’t have rice bubbles but did have a old box of spelt puffs the kids wouldn’t eat so used those instead. It still works!
Reply
Bronwyn
February 22, 2016 at 1:14 pm
For those who have made them, do they hold together well once cut? Could I leave the rice bubbles out altogether and up the oats / add more seeds?
thanks!
Reply
Liz
October 3, 2016 at 6:32 pm
Made this today. It was awesome, thank you!
Reply
Marika
October 6, 2016 at 8:26 pm
I guess anything would be healthier than bought muesli bars but does anyone know a substitute for butter to make it even more healthier?
Reply
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
October 11, 2016 at 9:24 am
Here’s a variation for you http://beafunmum.com/2016/10/muesli-slice-variation-recipe/
Reply
Day 18 18th January – taste testing | weatheringtulip
January 19, 2017 at 4:38 am
[…] http://beafunmum.com/2015/01/muesli-bar-recipe-nut-free/ […]
Reply
Val
January 20, 2017 at 8:50 pm
I’m not sure where I went wrong but mine is very crumbly even though I let it cool and set in the fridge overnight. Upon cutting it the next day it just crumbled everywhere. ?
Reply
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
January 24, 2017 at 4:48 pm
Did you press it hard into the tin before baking?
Reply
Kellie Lee
February 7, 2017 at 7:54 pm
I put mine in the freezer and then used a pizza cutter to slice it up.
Reply
Linda
January 22, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Hi amanda
Can i freeze the slice for lunch boxes?
ThanksReply
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
January 22, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Hi Linda
Kelly here. I freeze this slice often and it works well!
Reply
Kate
February 1, 2017 at 5:38 pm
Mine ended up really crumbly. I pressed it before cooking but maybe not hard enough?
Reply
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
February 2, 2017 at 11:40 am
Did you allow to sit in the fridge overnight before cutting?
