Kids Make Gifts! Energy Bars
Kids can make their own energy bars from their favorite nuts, dried fruit, seeds, and spices.
Kids (and teens) of all ages will love this project. Why?
- This fully customizable recipe will suit the preferences of even picky eaters.
- It’s basically a super easy no-bake cookie.
- Have fun dressing it up as your own brand of energy bar.
Sounds awesome? Great, let’s jump in!
Materials and Tools:
Food processor
Knife and cutting board
Parchment paper
Printer paper
Labels (Pictured is the wide label shape in the Elements style in Cherry Red and Navy.)
Hang tags (Pictured is the small oval shape in the Caption style.)
Hole punch
Twine
- 2 cups whole dates, pitted (or 1 1/2 cups, if using dried fruit as well)
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (optional, consider blueberries, cherries, figs, or even candied ginger)
- 1 1/2 cup almonds (or just 1 cup, if using seeds as well)
- 1/2 cup Seeds (optional, consider pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and chia)
- 1/8-1/2 teaspoon spices (optional, consider cinnamon, ginger, lavender, nutmeg, and rosemary)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- In a food processor chop the nuts until they are coarse and powdery.
- On a cutting board, chop the dates and dried fruit (if using) and nuts, making use of the dry powderiness of the nuts to keep the fruit from sticking to the knife or forming clumps.
- Add in salt, spices and seeds (if using) and keep chopping until the pieces are about the size of pumpkin seeds.
- Combine the chopped ingredients into a food processor and process until the mixture is a coarse sand.
- Turn the ingredients back onto the cutting board, forming fists of the mixture into balls, eventually kneading it on the surface of the cutting board.
- Form the mixture into bars. (We used a sheet of wide Evermine labels underneath parchment paper as a size guide.)
- Store your bars away from moisture and enjoy within two weeks.
To transform your energy bars into enticing gifts:
- Wrap each bar in a piece of parchment paper, folding each end back over the bar
- Roll each parchment-wrapped bar in a wide 1/2 sheet of printer paper, securing it lengthwise with a piece of clear tape.
- Cut the ends of the printer paper, leaving about 1/2 inch at each end of the wrapped bar.
- Fold a longer edge of paper over the end, and repeat three more times on each bar. This will leave triangles of unfolded paper on each corner, which can stay as they are, adding flair to your packaging.
- Place a wide label on each bar.
- Attach a hang tag, using a hole punch and twine.
- Your energy bars are ready to energize your friends!
Auntie Angie is a part-time blogger and a full-time creator and crafter. She adores sticky things in tubs and bottles, but regrets sticky things on doorknobs and pencils. At Evermine, Angie shares projects inspired by her nieces and nephews that spark joy, imagination, and generosity.