Whole Grain Fruit-Filled Snacking Bars
I have been making school lunches for umpteen years and feel pretty confident that I know how to do it well. That doesn’t mean that I’m not often looking for new inspiration, and last week I got it in spades when I had the chance to peruse the pages of Catherine McCord’s cookbook, Weelicious Lunches.
Jam-packed with wonderful recipes, helpful tips, and ingenious ideas, I must admit that I’m feeling motivated for this year’s midday meal-making adventures. We’re putting together our own guide to school lunches in September, but for now I want to pass along an adapted version of Catherine’s homemade, whole grain and fruit-filled snacking bars. Similar to a popular packaged treat we’re all familiar with, these bars come together quickly with only seven ingredients, can be frozen for future lunches and are perfectly sized for small hands.
Are you ready for another year of packing the lunch box?
Whole Grain Fruit-Filled Snacking Bars RECIPE:
You’ll Need
- 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
- 1½ cups old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cups packed brown or cane sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cups very cold butter, cut into cubes
- 3–4 Tbsp cold water
- ¾ cups jam, applesauce or other fruit preserves
Prep and Cook
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F and spray an 8” x 8” baking pan with non-stick spray
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt, and pulse 8–10 times to mix
- Scatter the cubed butter over the top and add 3 tablespoons of the water
Pulse until the dough holds together when pressed; add another tablespoon of water if needed. - Pour half the dough mixture into the baking pan, spreading it evenly over the bottom, and press it down using the back of a spatula
Cover evenly with the jam and sprinkle the remaining dough over the top of the preserves and press down - Bakes for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool and cut into bars
Store in an airtight container for 3 days, the fridge for a week, or the freezer for 3 months
