I am on a bit of a grab n’ go snack kick. Since having a new baby, packing a lunch for two toddlers and loading us all up on time has gotten a little trickier. I am looking for lots of snacks, I can quickly grab but are also healthy for my kiddos. Taste wise I didn’t love how much banana was in these energy bites. I would probably add less banana and more honey in the future. But for all you banana lovers out there, this is right up your alley!
GETTING KIDS INVOLVED
Both of my kids love chopping things, I think it makes them feel like an adult. So a soft banana and a dull knife can provide huge entertainment for toddlers. They also loved smooshing and scooping all of the ingredients into balls and sticking them into a mini muffin tin to freeze.
EDUCATE WHILE YOU BAKE
I love recipes where the kiddos have to get in there and use their hands. Texture activities are so good for toddlers and why not make food while your at it? I love that the kids are learning productive skills while also engaging in tactile activities.
Here are some other easy no bake energy ball recipes for your toddlers to try out or try this other hands on toddler made recipe.
BANANA OAT ENERGY BITES
Ingredients
- 2 bananas ripe
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Adult prep: I measured out most of the ingredients in advance, except for the peanut butter. You don't need to do this but I found it a little bit easier.
Kid tasks: Cutting bananas, mashing bananas, scooping peanut butter into a measuring cup, adding all the ingredients together, stirring. The recipe said to roll them into balls but the kids were having a hard time getting them to stay together so I just got a small ice cream scoop and a small muffin tin and had them scoop the mixture into the muffin tin and fill each one. (This was a lot easier) They put them in the freezer
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Mash up bananas in large mixing bowl
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Stir in the rolled oats, peanut butter, honey, chocolate chips and cinnamon
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Scoop about 2 Tbs. of the mixture and roll into a 1- inch ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture
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Refrigerate for 2 hours, allowing the oats enough time to soften
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Store energy bites in the refrigerator