Easy No Bake Energy Bites

Every day at about 3:30 in the afternoon, my children turn into ravenous wolves.

No, this isn’t an episode of Once Upon a Time. Instead, it’s simply a sign of mid-afternoon hunger, demonstrated in bad attitudes and crazy behavior by the four little people who live in my house!

I was talking to a friend about this several weeks ago and she said that when her children act that way, she gives them protein, like meat or eggs. She said it really helps their behavior because hunger can trigger an emotional response. Why didn’t I think about that?

I knew I needed to find a great snack that would include wholesome ingredients as well as something sweet to make it more fun. 

I remembered a recipe I’d seen in a Parents magazine several years ago and sought to recreate it from memory. I tweaked it a little and found a way to make these amazing, Five-Ingredient No Bake Energy Bites!

These delicious energy bites are kid-friendly and make great after-school snacks. They provide protein to fill the kids’ stomachs and good carbs to give them some extra energy. Plus they taste delicious (and satisfy our sweet tooth without being too sugary)!

Five Ingredient No-Bake Energy Bites

3 cups dry old-fashioned oats***

1 cup natural peanut butter (or other nut butter if there are allergies)

1 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup raisins (can do either/or/both chocolate chips and raisins, so this might be a six-ingredient recipe!)

2/3 cup honey (we use local raw unprocessed that we get from some friends, but you can use any kind)

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients gently together in a large bowl. You may have to use your hands. Add a little more peanut butter if necessary.

2. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

3. Roll into balls with your hands or use a cookie scoop and space apart on a baking sheet. Place in an airtight container.

4. We prefer to store ours in the fridge. I’ve made them twice now and they haven’t lasted more than a couple of days, but they should keep well for up to a week in the fridge.

It is also the perfect make-ahead recipe for storing in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.

Makes between 25-40 balls, depending on the size you want them.

***You can pulse your oatmeal in a food processor very briefly if the flakes look too large.

If You Need Alternative Ingredients

You can make these healthy snacks with alternative real food ingredients. Choose ingredients that provide the nutrients you’re looking for. In the original recipe, flax offers healthy fats and peanut butter provides protein. 

Make sure that the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are of similar proportions as the original recipe. For instance, you might want to substitute chocolate chips with nuts or some of the flax with coconut instead. As long as the amounts are balanced, your protein balls will stick together properly!

These energy bites can easily be made with any pantry ingredients, but you can certainly substitute them with your favorite wholesome ingredients to create different flavors. 

Additional ingredient options for No Bake Energy Bites:

Protein powder (add a scoop, you may have to balance out with a little extra honey or nut butter)

​Mini chocolate chips

Dark chocolate chips

Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Sunflower seed butter or almond butter in place of peanut butter

Chia seeds in place of flaxseed

Maple syrup or date syrup in place of honey

Vanilla extract for a little extra flavor

Cocoa powder 

Dried fruit like craisins (smaller pieces are best)

I’ve also heard this recipe called power balls or peanut butter energy balls. Whatever you call them, enjoy this easy snack with your children today! And if you have a favorite way to make a treat like this, please share in the comments.

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