The Great Bake 
It may be difficult for you to find tree-nut free and peanut-free granola bars which have also been made on a nut-free facility. Having nut-free granola bars for school can be an excellent healthy snack for your child.
Make sure you have school safe granola bars, as these are an important requirement for a child with food allergies. Some schools have even declared themselves as nut-free so even children without allergies may need to have nut-free granola bars. Peanuts and tree-nuts are extremely common in supermarket granola bars, so you may need to shop around and pay close attention to the labels. We love to make our own nut-free granola bars, and have included a handy recipe for you further down the article.
What Is A Granola Bar?
Granola bars are an edible snack which have become popular as a healthy treat. They normally consist of a mixture of oats, seeds, dried fruit, honey, sugar and nuts. The ingredients are pressed together to form a rectangular solid shaped bar. You may find it difficult to source a nut-free granola bar in the supermarket. Companies tend to include nuts in the ingredients for the health benefit. However, for the purpose of this article we will be discussing nut-free granola bars.
Why Are Granola Bars So Popular?
Granola bars tend to be popular as a healthy snack. They are easy to pack into a lunch box on a day trip, to take to work, or for your child at school. Another example of when a granola bar is beneficial, is following exercise for a quick source of energy. They are much healthier than having a cookie full of chocolate chips after you’ve been to the gym. Granola bars can also be a helpful way of incorporating more fruit into your diet. Dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries and apricots are full of health benefits and an excellent way of increasing your fruit consumption.
The Benefits Of Granola Bars
The benefits of eating granola bars are that they can reduce cholesterol and they can boost energy. Granola bars are also a good source of fiber and protein. They can also be handy to curb any cravings you may have in between meals. Granola bars are a nutrient-dense food, with the ingredients being a benefit to your health in moderation. They can be a handy snack for people on the go, such as hikers or campers. This is because the bars do not need to be refrigerated, and can easily be kept in your bag.
Is Granola Safe For Nut Allergies?
Traditional granola is not safe for people with nut allergies. This is because it usually contains nuts in the ingredients. Individuals with peanut and tree-nut allergies will need to be careful of supermarket granola or granola bars. If you are staying in a hotel, it’s best to stay away from the granola as this will most likely contain nuts. If you have an allergy to peanuts or tree-nuts, then you may wish to make your own granola or granola bars to ensure they are safe. There are a few nut-free granola bar brands which we’ve included in this article for you to have a look at.
Nut-Free Granola Bar Recipe
Making your own granola bars are a safe way of ensuring they are free from peanuts and tree-nuts. This way you can include the ingredients you prefer, and leave out anything you don’t like. We’ve created a handy nut-free granola bar recipe for you to try making yourself.
- 100g unsalted butter
- 200g jumbo porridge oats
- 100g sunflower seeds
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 100g light brown sugar
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- 100g finely chopped dried cranberries, raisins or apricots.
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F, grease and line a 20x20cm square tin with parchment paper.
Gently melt the butter, golden syrup and sugar together in a saucepan until fully incorporated. Remove from the heat once the butter has melted.
Lightly toast the oats and sunflower seeds in the oven for 5-10 minutes in a roasting tray.
In a bowl, mix together the melted butter with the toasted oats and seeds from the oven. Add your further ingredients of cinnamon, and your chopped fruits.
Mix until all your ingredients are fully coated with the butter and sugar mixture.
Turn out into your prepared square tin, press down evenly to ensure the mixture reaches the corners.
Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Remove from the oven, leave to cool fully on a wire rack. Cut into squares once cooled.
Nut-Free Granola Bar Brands
There are a number of healthy nut free granola bars around but you may need to shop around to find the brand which works for you. Don’t Go Nuts offer a variety of chewy granola bars free from peanuts and tree-nuts. They offer flavors containing blueberry and chocolate chips, and they are also gluten-free. Nature’s Bakery offer granola bars made in a dedicated peanut and tree-nut free facility. They have a wide range of flavors including apple cinnamon, strawberry, and double chocolate brownie. Finally, Enjoy Life offer delicious granola bars containing figs and maple syrup. A healthy nut free and school safe option, free from 14 different allergens.
Hopefully this has been helpful for you with information about nut-free granola bars. We prefer to make our own granola bars, to ensure they are safe and free-from peanuts and tree-nuts. If you are going to shop around, make sure you read the labels thoroughly before purchasing to check the allergens.
