Banana Muesli Bars are quick and easy to make healthy snack for kids and adults that your kids will surely love. They're perfect for lunchboxes and freeze well.
A few more quick breakfast favourites include: Breakfast Berry Bars, Blueberry & Banana Oat Muffins & Cinnamon Almond Pancakes.
Quick look at Banana Muesli Bars
- ⏲️ 30 mins (5 mins hands on)
- 🛒 Ingredients: 6 simple ingredients.
- 🍽️ Makes: 18 bars
- 🧑🍳 Difficulty: Easy, kid-friendly recipe. No equipment needed.
- 🗃️ Make ahead: Keep for up to 7 days or freeze.
Finding quick, easy and nutritious snacks that the kids will actually eat can be a challenge but my banana muesli bars might just be the answer you've been looking for.
I first made them when my big boy quit his morning milk.
He'd still wake up ravenous and hangry (got that from his Mumma) so I needed something quick & healthy to occupy him & give me a chance to make the rest of his breakfast.
And so banana muesli bars were born.
Why Make These Banana Muesli Bars
- Ease & speed - these are so simple and quick to throw together.
- Nutritious - oats, fruit, nuts, seeds... so much goodness packed into one delicious bar. I think they taste and smell just like banana bread (kid-friendly vesrion) .
- Flexible - school nut free? No worries! Kids don't like dried fruit? I've got you covered with lots of options. They can be made egg-free too.
Jump to:
Recipe Ingredients
- Rolled oats - make sure you use rolled oats not quick oats. Quick oats tend to go a little mushy.
- Bananas - nice and ripe so they're super sweet. I have also used apple sauce (or a baby food pouch instead (about ½ a cup).
- Dried fruit - use any combination you like. Sultanas, cranberries, goji berries, dates, apricots - so many options to suit your taste. Just make sure you chop them to about sultana size.
- Nuts/seeds - finely chopped. I have used nut meal in these to keep it fine, chopped nuts, seeds - whatever I have on hand. Use all seeds (sunflower/sesame are out favourites) if you school is nut-free.
- Egg - the egg is optional. I like it to up the protein a little & it does help with binding but you can leave it out.
A note on sweetness - the banana and the dried fruit add plenty of sweetness to these. If you wanted to, you could add a drizzle of honey before baking.
Make Ahead Hack
When there was a phase where I couldn't be without muesli bars (seriously life would not have been worth living!) I came up with a little hack to make whipping them up even faster.
This way you can have a few batches of 'pre-mix' ready to go.
- Measure out the oats then add the chopped nuts/seeds and dried fruit & cinnamon.
- Pop in a jar or container in the fridge.
- When you want to make the bars, just mash up your banana (& egg if using), add the pre-mix and bake!
How To Make Banana Muesli Bars
Step 1 - Place the banana in a large bowl.
Step 2 - Mash until smooth.
Step 3 - Add the egg (if using) and vanilla and mix it through with a fork.
Step 4 - Add the remaining ingredients and fold through with a spatula.
Step 5 - Spread the batter into the lined, square baking tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden at 180C fan-forced.
Step 6 - Leave it to rest in the tin for a few minutes.
Step 7 - Remove the slab of Banana Muesli Bars from the tin.
Step 8 - Slice into bars. It's best to place them on a wire rack to cool completely at this stage (I forgot the photo).
They freeze and defrost really well so you could grab one on your way out the door in the morning and have a delicious, healthy morning tea ready in your bag when hunger strikes.
Recipe FAQs
You sure can. You could even use chocolate instead of adding dried fruit. Another option is to drizzle the cooled bars with melted chocolate.
Generally rolled oats are gluten free but you need to check as it varies from brand to brand. If your oats are guaranteed GF then yes your bars are GF.
Recipe
Banana muesli bars
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup mixed chopped dried fruit (I use dates, apricots, sultanas, cranberries and goji berries)
- ¼ cup chopped nuts - I use a combination of everything I can find including linseed and chia seeds and chop them almost into a meal in the Thermomix
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan-forced and grease and line a 20cm (8”) square tin.
- Mash the bananas until smooth then stir in the rest of the ingredients using a spatula.
- Spread the mixture into the tin and press down on the top and smooth it out.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Leave in the tin for 5 minutes then take out of the tin and cut into bars and leave to cool.
Hotly Spiced says
I'm glad he's enjoying daycare and I can totally relate to time disappearing very quickly between drop-off and pick-up. You feel like you have to run around on fast-forward for the hours they're there. I love the look of your muesli bars - beautiful presentation xx
Claire says
Yes fast forward is exactly what it's like! x
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
My trick is a cleaning lady. :)
I can't wait to try these bars. I love the banana idea. I wouldn't have thought of adding banana because I guess I thought it would get icky. You're my kitchen guru!
Claire says
Haha Maureen I actually have cleaners! Love them! Yes I would have thought it would be icky too but it seems to bake nicely.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I don't think I've ever had banana in a muesli bar but it would be so delicious! :D
Claire says
Yep just like banana bread in bar form!
Chris Scheuer says
Claire these look wonderful. They'd be great to take on a hike or bike ride for extra energy.
When Nick was little and went to Mother's morning out I was just like you, scurrying around busy as a bee. But every now and then I would just come home and take a long snooze until it was time to go back and get him. I didn't get much done those days but it was just what I needed to get me through the next week.
Claire says
Chris I think I might need to do that one daycare day. I will admit one day I all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch a movie. I will have to treat myself before the baby arrives.
Nelle says
I have been following your adventures a long time. I feel embarrassed as if I've somehow been stalking you! I am really interested in trying your breakfast bars. I have difficulties with my children's diet, so they could help. Although my children are all at school. I always felt awkward about commenting and then when I did so, asking another blogger a question, which was kindly answered, I never thanked them, as one of the children became suddenly ill. Fortunately my child quickly recovered (more quickly than I did in fact) but I have always felt funny about commenting since. All the best for your endeavours and your family.
Claire says
That's so sweet Nelle! Don't feel funny at all! Thanks for your lovely message and that's not stalking at all!