They don’t always have to be Chewy.

Raise your hand if you had Chewy Granola Bars in your lunch box growing up! These were a lunchtime staple in a Boss-household that rarely got hot lunch (crazy right? I know, but we’re better for it!). Every Sunday afternoon I’d go grocery shopping with my mom and each time I’d try and sneak the Cookies and Cream Chewy Granola bars in the cart (they’re a must if you’ve never had them, and I hear they have S’mores now? Not fair!). Nowadays you walk down the breakfast aisle in the grocery store and let’s be honest, it’s overwhelming! Could there be more brands or types of chocolate chip granola bars? Does anyone even eat the Oatmeal Raisin bars that they’re still making (rhetorical question, they do not)?

Vendors have learned how to grab our attention by plastering labels on boxes that say “low fat,” “low sugar,” and “no high fructose corn syrup” (and you thought corn was good for you). So you ask yourself what’s actually in these “healthy” grab ‘n go snacks? On top of all that, we’re now seeing people in their kitchen making their own granola bars, or the trendy “energy balls.” Let’s be honest though, they’re the same thing, just in a ball instead of a bar.

At the end of the day, there’s a reason granola bars have gained popularity and so many brands have popped up. Granola bars are a GREAT mid-morning snack to satisfy a craving or pre-workout boost, but you should make sure you’re picking the right one. Granola bars can be tricky, and if you are not careful you may be purchasing a product that is loaded with sugar/calories, closely resembling a Snickers bar rather than something healthy (FACT: Snickers does not make you change from William Dafoe to Marilyn Monroe all by just taking one bite – I’m not crazy, they showed it here). Don’t worry though, KJB and the granola police are here to help you pick out some Boss granola bars.

When scouring labels, ingredients, and packaging of granola bars, I encourage you to pay attention to 4 specific things: calories, ingredients, sugar, and fiber.

Calories: consider the caloric content of the bar and ask yourself, “What am I using this granola bar for?” A snack? A meal? A boost before a workout? If you’re using it as an afternoon snack, I’d recommend sticking to 200 calories or less, the perfect amount to cure the snack craving. More caloric-dense products (above 200 calories) can be used better for meal replacements or pre workouts.
Ingredients: can you recognize all the ingredients in your bar, let alone pronounce them? (I’m sorry, but what are you “chicory root extract?” Honestly what is that first word? Wikipedia says it has something to do with blue flowers. I’m trying to eat a granola bar here, not actual plants and flowers. That’s when I turn to veggies! OK, rant over). A general rule of thumb is, find a product that has 10 ingredients or less – less really can be more!
Sugar: chocolate, caramel-covered, peanut butter-filled granola bars are overflowing in our granola bar industry (side note, what’s in a Snickers bar? Chocolate? Yep. Caramel? You bet. Peanut butter? Nope, but nougat is in the same family). Several products out there are loaded with sugar, some even artificial sweeteners. Look for products that are sweetened with natural flavors (i.e. honey, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup). Ideally for a snack bar you want to look for products that are going to have 10 grams of sugar of less, and if picking a bar for a meal replacement, choose a product that has similar protein and sugar counts.
Fiber: I feel like I hear “make sure you are eating enough fiber!” way more than I really need to. Fiber is a crucial part of our diet (hint hint, it makes ya poop) but more importantly, it can be a big deal when it comes to granola bars, because it helps keep you full longer. My rule of thumb is that a bar should have at least 5 grams of fiber. Don’t worry about going overboard in this area, since many don’t meet the daily recommendations for fiber intake.

Boss–approved Granola Bar Brands (these are just some of the ones that I eat)

LARABAR: cookie dough, coconut creme, chocolate chip cherry torte, apple pie.
KIND breakfast bars: honey oat, dark chocolate cocoa
Pure Organic: chocolate brownie, wild blueberry
RXBar: chocolate coconut, peanut butter, apple cinnamon
Annie’s Homegrown: chocolate chip, peanut butter chocolate chip

After extensive granola bar research, reading of copious amounts of nutrition labels, and wasting WAY too much time in the breakfast aisle (although I do love my cereal), I decided I’d challenge myself to make some of my own balls/bars. You might’ve thought making granola bars was reserved for the cute, old Quaker guy, but it’s not. Making my own allowed me to better control the nutritional value, ingredients (sorry, but no blue flowers), and ensure they included some of my favorite mix-ins.

Energy Balls

Depending on desired size, recipe will make ~ 15 balls.

Ingredients: