Our porridge oatmeal bars are only 153 calories per portion making them a great breakfast option or if you need a post-workout energy boost.
These porridge oatmeal bars are a healthier alternative to flapjacks but have lots of the same ingredients. Mummy blogger Anneliese Giggins wrote the recipe for these porridge oatmeal bars and says they are a fabulous option for kids.
She explains: ‘I find weekday breakfasts a tad stressful. Attempting to get out of the door to pre-school is enough to send my blood pressure sky high. Breakfast cereal or toast is left half eaten and my little boy goes to pre-school with hardly anything in his tummy. Not good! I believe breakfast bars to be the way forward. They are so easy for my boys to eat. Plus, they are packed full of nutritional goodness and provide plenty of energy to get the boys through to snack time. Some homemade breakfast bars tend to fall apart when sliced, so I came up with these porridge bars and they hold together beautifully. The bars have an almost cake-like texture - an added bonus.’
Ingredients
- 130g rolled oats
- 5 dried apricots
- 25g dried cranberries
- 30g raisins or sultanas
- 20g chopped mixed nuts (optional)
- 15g sunflower seeds
- 10g pumpkin seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 300ml milk
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 tbsp runny honey (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4) and line the base and sides of a 23cm x 23cm square baking tin with greaseproof or parchment paper.
- Combine the oats, apricots, cranberries, raisins, nuts and seeds in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle over the ground cinnamon, then give everything a good mix.
- In a jug or bowl, mix the milk with the egg, honey and vanilla extract. Whisk briefly with a fork so that everything is combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly. Don’t worry if it looks very wet. Leave the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to allow the oats to absorb the liquid.
- Transfer the mixture to your prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until the mixture is set and golden in colour.
- Leave the porridge oatmeal bars to cool completely then once cold slice into bars.
Top tips for making porridge oatmeal bars
Not only are these oaty porridge bars great for breakfast on the run but they are also very handy for those of us watching our weight as they contain no added sugar or butter. We have lots of advice if you want to get the kids involved when making these bars and can also help if you’re not sure at what age your little ones can eat nuts and seeds.
Are porridge bars a healthy breakfast?
These homemade porridge bars are a good choice for an on-to-go breakfast when you find yourself in a hurry. Making them yourself gives you the chance to be selective about added ingredients. Shop-bought cereal bars, in general, are better for you than chocolate bars, but are often highly sweetened, so it's best to have them as a treat rather than a regular meal replacement.
Are porridge bars a healthy breakfast?
These homemade porridge bars are a good choice for an on-to-go breakfast when you find yourself in a hurry. Making them yourself gives you the chance to be selective about added ingredients. Shop-bought cereal bars, in general, are better for you than chocolate bars, but are often highly sweetened, so it's best to have them as a treat rather than a regular meal replacement.
How can kids make porridge oatmeal bars?
Your child can help to weigh the rolled oats into a medium-sized mixing bowl. If they are old enough to use scissors you could let them snip the apricots into small pieces. Alternatively, while you do this let them weigh the raisins and cranberries into the bowl with the oats. Let your little one sprinkle in the seeds and nuts if using.
Anneliese says: ‘Your little chef can easily sprinkle in the sunflower and pumpkin seeds. My little boy loves pumpkin seeds - he thinks they look like raindrops.’ You can let your child crack the egg but Anneliese suggests doing this into a separate bowl from the other wet ingredients just in case any of the shell breaks off. Children can pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon. You may need to help them to ensure everything is coated. Let them spoon the mixture into the tin and press down into an even layer.
At what age can kids eat nuts and seeds?
The NHS says you can introduce nuts and peanuts to babies from six months onwards as long as they are crushed, ground or smooth like a peanut butter. Whole nuts and peanuts should not be given to children under five years old as they are a choking hazard. For this recipe we recommend chopping the nuts into very small pieces. If the seeds are big you might also want to consider cutting or blitzing them to smaller pieces.
We recommend storing the porridge oatmeal bars in an airtight container once baked but to take them on a picnic you might like to use a Beeswax wrap instead of clingfilm. It is better for the environment and less bulky than tupperware.
Porridge is cheap and easy to make but for a more exciting breakfast, make our healthy flapjack recipe. Alternatively, our granola bar recipe is inspired by the flavours of the popular breakfast cereal but makes a delicious treat which can be enjoyed in the afternoon.
-
Vegan flapjacksOur vegan flapjacks take 15 minutes to cook and require just seven core ingredients.
-
Mary Berry’s flapjacksThis flapjacks recipe comes from baking expert Mary Berry takes 30 minutes to make and uses just four ingredients...
-
Herby chicken with Romesco sauceHerby chicken flavoured simply with oregano with a rich Romesco sauce - which makes a great dip.
-
Sweet potato and courgette fish cakesThese sweet potato and courgette fish cakes take 30 minutes to make and can be served with chips, salad, or steamed veg on the side...
-
Chicken and spinach lasagneThis chicken and spinach lasagne is a great new take on the family favourite and it’s easy to prepare during the day to cook come dinner time...
-
Broccoli pasta with pancettaThis broccoli pasta with pancetta takes 30 minutes to cook making it a great speedy family dinner...
-
Prince Harry’s plans for a ‘British’ Christmas for Prince Archie and Lilibet - selection boxes for breakfast?The Duke of Sussex is planning to give his children their first-ever British Christmas
-
Kate Middleton’s 'two veg' breakfast is an easy energy boost for busy mumsThe Princess of Wales is said to eat the same things for breakfast each day
-
Kate Middleton reveals 'healthy' new snack she's 'going to try' with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince LouisIt sounds delicious
