No Sugar Added Healthy Oatmeal Bars Recipe (2024)

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A no sugar added healthy oatmeal bars recipe that has just 4 ingredients and are a healthy snack that kids love. Perfect for busy mornings or after school snacks, these healthy banana bars have no added sweeteners and are dairy-free and gluten-free, too!

You just can’t have too many ideas for healthy breakfasts, can you? How about snacks? Or no-sugar added desserts? Please let me know you agree!! Oh, and you know I’m all about what to do with ripe bananas … and today’s recipe solves all of these problems!! This healthy oatmeal bar recipe uses just 4 ingredients I can almost guarantee that you’ll have on hand. It’s easy enough for kids to make. They are versatile enough to change them up and make them often. They store well and don’t require utensils, so they are great for on-the-go. That said – I think we have a winner!!

Healthy banana bars

So one of the biggest things that I find, as a busy mom (I mean, those two words totally go together, right??) is that it can be tempting to buy those packaged bars. I mean, they look appealing from the shelves. They’re ready to throw in the bag, keep in the car, or add in as that last thing for the lunchbox. But honestly, these baked oatmeal bars are SO easy to make that it will make you NOT want to get the prepackaged ones. Why, you ask? Let me tell you:

These bars have all real food ingredients. Not a long list of foods that you’ve never heard of.
They are versatile. So you can’t do almonds (in the almond butter). No problem. Switch up the nut butter. Don’t want to do chocolate chips? Sub them out for raisins or seeds or even nuts. Done and done!
The cost of the ingredients – though I didn’t add it up, they are super cheap. I’m guessing a strong possibility that they are likely LOTS less than the prepackaged ones. Yup!
They are have fiber, protein and no added sweeteners (and the total sugar is low AND all from natural sources).

So the next time you think about buying those packaged bars, put them down and come back to this recipe!!

Optional add-ins to these chocolate chip bars with oatmeal

Add in up to 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed for some added fiber and omega 3 fatty acids
Try these with raisins in place of chocolate chips. Or even a mixture of half raisins and half chocolate chips!
Some chopped pecans can add in some healthy fats
If you enjoy seeds, try adding some pumpkin or sunflower seeds

Questions about these peanut butter oatmeal bars:

Since they have no sugar added, are they sweet?In one word – YES! Ripe bananas lend lots of sweetness already. There’s no need to add any more! I love that these are a healthy breakfast/snack/dessert that is naturally sweet without any added sweeteners.

Can I substitute another nut butter?Of course! If you prefer peanut butter, that definitely will work as will Sunbutter or even cashew butter.

What type of chocolate chips should I use? I personally love no-sugar added Lily’s Chocolate Chips (they are sweetened with stevia) and dairy-free Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips.