Homemade granola bars are one of our favorite recipes to make. Granola bars taste great, and when made with healthy, wholesome ingredients, they are a highly nutritious treat. One of the things we love about making granola bars at home is that it's a great way to invite the entire family into the kitchen for some fun. Because most granola bar recipes are relatively simple, kids will love the hands-on experience of making them. Plus, it allows you to teach your little ones how healthy, wholesome foods like oats can be transformed into a tasty treat. While making granola bars at home is the "easy" part, knowing how to store them is often somewhat of a mystery. If you have a large household, then you might not be worried about your granola bars spoiling before you can eat them. However, if you’re baking for few, and would like to make large batches of granola bars that won't go bad quickly, then this article is for you. Keep reading as we discuss the many ways that you can store granola bars to ensure that they stay fresh until you're ready to enjoy them.
Making Homemade Granola Bars
Start with the Recipe
If you're hoping to make granola bars that will last a while in your kitchen, then the first place to start is with the recipe. Recipes that use minimal, low-spoil foods are an excellent way to ensure that you create a batch of bars that can withstand a few days on the counter. This being so, look for recipes that use long-lasting foods like oats, honey and nuts and stay away from those that use foods known to spoil quickly like dairy products, fresh fruit and egg.
For an easy and fresh granola bar recipe that you can try out at home, make these Whole Grain Cereal Bars.
Bake Your Granola Bar
After you've chosen the perfect granola bar recipe, it's time to cook it. Whether your granola bars need to be baked or require no baking at all, it's essential to let the ingredients bind together to create a bar-like texture before storing them. Once your bars are ready to eat (and store), cut them into whatever sized bar best fits your family's needs.
Storing Homemade Granola Bars
How Long Do Homemade Granola Bars Last?
Now, to answer the question at hand: "how long do homemade granola bars last?" It's important that we dive into a few different factors. In general, most homemade granola bar recipes will last up to a week when stored in an airtight container. However, you must pay close attention to the recipe's ingredients and check for any special notes on storing the bars.
When making homemade granola bars, a week is usually a sufficient amount of time to eat them all—especially if there are kids in the home. Enjoying a homemade granola bar on your way to work or packing it in your child's lunchbox is an excellent way to ensure that everyone in the family is fueling themselves with good-for-you food.
How to Store Homemade Bars for Longevity
Now, if you've made a large batch of granola bars, or are baking for one, then you may want these bars to last a bit longer. To keep your granola bars fresh, you must allow the least amount of air possible to reach the bars. Because air (and warmth) can easily cause spoilage, sealing your granola bars in an airtight container or wrapping them in wax paper is a great way to keep them fresh for longer.
While many granola bar recipes can be stored at room temperature, keeping granola bars in the refrigerator or freezer will unquestionably extend their shelf life. This is especially so if you live in a humid climate. If you're worried about your bars spoiling before you can eat them, store your bars in the freezer and remove them a few hours before enjoying, to thaw out. Bars stored in the freezer will remain fresh significantly longer than those left at room temperature, and depending on the recipe, can even last a few weeks.
Homemade Granola Bars
Ready to create a batch of homemade granola bars that you can enjoy all month long? Try out the delicious recipe below.
Homemade Crunchy Granola Bars
If you're eager to start making granola bars from scratch, then this is the perfect recipe, to begin with! Granola bars make for the ideal snack to pack along with you. These Homemade Crunchy Granola Bars are loaded with nutritious ingredients like quick-cooking rolled oats, honey and coconut oil and make an energizing snack both adults and kids will love. Easy to prepare and great for you, once cooked, these granola bars can be stored at room temperature for quick eating or in the freezer to extend their shelf-life.
By using this guide, you can ditch store-bought granola bars and add them to your list of healthy, homemade items. Making bars at home is an excellent way to keep track of the ingredients that go into your food. By preparing and storing your bars for longevity, you'll ensure that you always have a healthy snack to munch on when the hunger pains start. From all of us at Bob's Red Mill, happy baking!
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