Easy & Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly No-Bake Snack Bites: The Perfect Kid-Friendly Treat for Busy Families
We are absolutely delighted to host Shelley and Gretchen from Two Healthy Kitchens today, who are here to share their phenomenal recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly No-Bake Snack Bites. At Two Healthy Kitchens, their mission revolves around creating nutritious, delicious, and easy-to-make food that caters to the demands of our incredibly busy lives. They infuse joy into cooking and consistently deliver fantastic recipes that are perfect for little ones and adults alike!
If you’re looking for more inspiration, you must check out some of their other brilliant creations, such as the delightful Healthy Sugared-Vanilla Yogurt Fruit Dip, the irresistibly creamy Peanut Butter Silk Pie Dip with Greek Yogurt, or the wonderfully simple No-Bake Fruit Pizza. These recipes showcase their talent for making healthy eating accessible and enjoyable. We highly recommend you head over to their site and explore all their unique, wholesome, and delicious recipes that are truly perfect for the whole family!
Recently, I’ve found myself completely captivated by the world of snack bites. I’ve been experimenting with countless combinations of these versatile little energy boosters. My routine now involves always freezing one batch and keeping another readily available in the fridge. Why? Because these things disappear incredibly fast! They’re so popular in our household that I constantly need a fresh supply. My toddler, in particular, absolutely adores popping one of these into his mouth as a special “treat.” They’re not just a snack; they’re a small moment of joy and a brilliant way to provide healthy fuel. So, get ready to save this recipe, keep it handy, and welcome the brilliant minds behind Two Healthy Kitchens, Shelley and Gretchen!
A Warm Welcome and a Lifesaving Recipe from Two Healthy Kitchens
Hello, wonderful A Cedar Spoon readers! We’re Gretchen and Shelley from Two Healthy Kitchens, and we are absolutely thrilled to be guest posting here and sharing this fantastic recipe with you today! We’ve long admired Julia’s incredible creativity in the kitchen and her truly amazing photography. We were so excited and honored when she extended the invitation for us to contribute!
But beyond our excitement to be here, we’re even more delighted for Julia herself! Her beautiful little one, Andrew, is just perfect. We send our warmest wishes and a huge welcome to the world, little guy! We remember those early days of parenthood so vividly, and we know how challenging yet rewarding they can be.
At Two Healthy Kitchens, our core philosophy is centered around developing quick and healthy recipes specifically designed for busy families – because we are busy parents ourselves! So, when Julia asked us to guest post, we immediately knew exactly what we wanted to share: an easy, truly lifesaving, and tantrum-averting recipe that is perfect for busy moms everywhere, especially those like Julia who are navigating life with tiny kiddos!
The Ultimate Solution for On-the-Go Hunger: Why You Need These No-Bake Snack Bites
We vividly recall the days when our entire lives revolved around the rhythm of naps and feedings. You finally manage to pack the diaper bag, change the diaper (and most likely a messy outfit, too!), all while optimistically hoping to keep everyone happy enough to squeeze in just 15 minutes at the grocery store. You’re happily perusing the produce aisle, perhaps contemplating what to make for dinner, and then it happens:
Of course… someone is hungry. It might be you, feeling that familiar energy dip. Or, more likely, it’s your adorable but demanding 3-year-old “shopping helper.” Either way, someone needs a snack. And they need it soon, before the inevitable meltdown begins.
What’s a busy momma to do in such a moment?
You save the day, of course! You’re completely prepared, thanks to your foresight and these wholesome, healthy, and hearty snack bites. With these in your bag, you transform from a potential meltdown manager into a super-prepared hero!
Packed with Power: The Nutritional Benefits of Our PB&J Snack Bites
These Peanut Butter and Jelly No-Bake Snack Bites are thoughtfully loaded with ingredients designed to keep you feeling full, energized, and satisfied. They provide a fantastic boost of protein and wholesome whole grains, making them the absolute perfect snack to discreetly tuck into your bag, ready to fend off those impending hunger meltdowns that can strike at any moment. Let’s break down some of the goodness packed into each bite:
- Quick Oats: A fantastic source of dietary fiber, oats provide sustained energy release, helping to keep hunger at bay. They are also known for their heart-healthy benefits.
- Natural Peanut Butter: Offers a robust dose of protein and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This combination contributes to satiety and provides a good energy source without a sugar crash.
- 100% Fruit Jelly/Jam: We specifically recommend 100% fruit jelly or jam to ensure you’re getting natural fruit sweetness and some beneficial vitamins, minimizing added sugars often found in conventional jellies.
- Flaxseed Meal: A true superfood! Ground flaxseed is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for brain health, as well as fiber and lignans, offering powerful antioxidant properties.
- Coconut: Adds a delightful texture and flavor, along with healthy medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which can provide a quick source of energy.
- Honey: A natural sweetener that also contains antioxidants, offering a healthier alternative to refined sugars.
- Dried Cranberries: Contribute natural sweetness, a chewy texture, and additional antioxidants, making each bite more exciting.
The beauty of these snack bites lies in their incredible versatility. We’ve taken them on countless walks, kept them handy during long car rides, and packed them for plenty of energetic soccer games. They’ve served as our go-to fuel before workouts, been sent with the kids as a wholesome after-school snack, and even rescued our husbands when they needed a last-minute breakfast. Truly, they are the perfect “wake-me-up,” “keep-me-going,” “get-me-through-the-workout,” and “fill-me-up-with-nutritious-goodies” snack for every occasion!
What makes these particular bites stand out is their universally loved, ultimate kid-friendly flavor: peanut butter and jelly! It’s just like a classic PB&J sandwich, but with far less mess – making them a dream come true for parents. This perfect blend of flavors that virtually all kiddos (and adults, let’s be honest!) adore is now conveniently packaged in a portable, easy-to-eat bite-sized form. No more sticky fingers or crusts left behind!
An added bonus? They’re completely no-bake, meaning preparation is a total snap. You can whip up a batch in minutes without even turning on your oven. Plus, they freeze beautifully, which means you can easily stockpile several batches for those grab-and-go emergencies, ensuring you’re always prepared with a healthy option.
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Peanut Butter and Jelly No-Bake Snack Bites
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Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons strawberry jelly , or jam, 100% fruit
- 1/3 cup coconut
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal, ground
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, cherry-flavored
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except dried cranberries. Make sure to mix them thoroughly until well combined.
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Once the base mixture is even, add the dried cranberries. Gently stir again, just until the cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Avoid overmixing once the cranberries are added.
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Using your hands (lightly dampen them if the mixture is too sticky), press firmly to form one-inch balls. The firmness helps them hold their shape.
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Place the formed snack bites in an air-tight container. Refrigerate them until ready to serve. This helps them firm up and keeps them fresh.
Notes
- We have tested these Snack Bites with various dried fruits including dried cranberries, cherry-flavored cranberries, and even strawberries. While all of these options work wonderfully and add a delightful touch, we found that cherry-flavored cranberries provided an excellent balance of flavor, were relatively cost-effective, and are generally easy to find at most grocery stores. Feel free to experiment with your favorite dried fruits!
- If you are using a natural peanut butter brand that requires refrigeration after opening, then your Snack Bites should also be refrigerated. In fact, we recommend storing these bites in the refrigerator regardless of the peanut butter brand, as they will hold their shape and stay fresh much better. They also taste wonderfully cool and refreshing!
- These snack bites are incredibly freezer-friendly! We highly recommend making a triple batch (or more!) so you always have a healthy snack on hand. When frozen, these Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Bites will thaw to a perfect, soft consistency in approximately 20 minutes, making them ideal for packing in lunchboxes or taking on the go.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Discover More Delicious Snack Bites and Healthy Recipes
Back when we first embarked on our blogging journey, our very first post at Two Healthy Kitchens was, in fact, a recipe for Snack Bites. It’s truly amazing how popular they’ve become – our families, friends, and loyal THK readers are still absolutely crazy about them! Seriously, there are genuine moments of upset (picture tears and whining… yes, even from our husbands!) whenever we run out of these beloved bites. To keep up with the overwhelming demand and ensure everyone gets their favorite healthy treats, we’ve continually developed and shared several new flavors. If you’re eager to explore more delicious and nutritious snack bite variations, we warmly invite you to visit our dedicated Snack Bites page, where you’ll find an array of options to satisfy every craving.
We have genuinely enjoyed our time guest posting here at A Cedar Spoon, and we sincerely hope that you and your family will love our Peanut Butter and Jelly No-Bake Snack Bites just as much as we do. They are a true testament to how healthy eating can be both easy and incredibly delicious. Happy snacking!