All You Need to Know About the Best Homemade Protein Bars

Making homemade protein bars at home used to be quite an ordeal back in the old days. It was either buy the most prepackaged, high-calorie, highly refined, highly processed ‘gourmet’ protein bars at your local store, or spend a tremendous amount of time chopping up lots of herbs and vegetables, getting them chopped just right, and then grinding them all up to make a fine powder (for our health-conscious friends, that is).

Homemade protein bars can come as simple as a basic 3 ingredient bar, to an elaborate and flavorful recipe filled with vegetables, fruits, meats, and even spices. These homemade protein bars, unlike the ones you’ll find in the stores, are easy to customize by changing up the flavorings and toppings, and even the ingredients used to create the recipes.

The good news is that many protein bars can be made even more simply by including ingredients already found in your kitchen.

• Homemade Protein Bars
• How Long do Homemade Protein Bars Last?

Homemade Protein Bars

These great, easy-to-make protein bars can be made out of just about anything you like. For instance, you can make a “low carb” version that’s loaded with oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit, and protein powder, or you can make a “no-bake” version that’s delicious and healthy. The type of recipe you choose depends on what you like, but all have similar characteristics.

You can then add the protein powder and mix until smooth, then pour it into the container and freeze it – that’s it! You can take the frozen bars out of the freezer, pour them into a tasty cupcake or cake pan, frost them with a buttercream frosting, and serve with vanilla ice cream or a fruit topping for an extremely tasty homemade protein bars snack.

Another type of homemade protein bars recipe that is widely used in no-bake recipes.¹ When looking for no-bake recipes, look for ones that are either very low calorie or contain lots of healthy ingredients. For example, one popular no-bake recipe requires you to only use applesauce as a partial substitute for oil, bake the mix completely through, and then add a variety of different types of fresh fruit to it, such as peaches, pears, Mandarin oranges, pineapple and kiwi slices.

Baking recipes such as these usually have about an hour’s worth of preparation time, but they still have a great amount of nutritional value – not to mention that they’re very fast and easy to make as well.

How Do You Make Protein Bars from Scratch?

You can buy a variety of protein powders in health and nutrition stores. Some people prefer to make their own protein bars at home, however, when you make your own protein powder at home, you have more flexibility. You can customize the protein powder to your tastes and preferences as well as to suit your nutritional needs.

First, gather together all of your supplies such as protein powder, sweeteners, and other ingredients. Second, boil the water used for making the protein drink cool until it is just hot enough to dissolve the protein powder. You may need to add a little bit more hot water than stated in the recipe if it calls for less hot water. Mix in the protein powder and blend it until it forms a paste-like consistency.

If you are new to protein powder, it is best to add it very slowly to the boiling water.² Mix it very carefully so that no lumps or chunks are left. Add a small amount at a time so that you don’t overdo it. After you have added the protein powder, stir it very thoroughly. Check for any mixture that is not well blended. If necessary, add more protein to make sure that it’s all there.

Now, add some water to the chocolate-flavored syrup, and stir this mixture well to combine. When the protein bar has finished steeping for about five minutes, it’s ready for baking. You can bake it in the oven or put it in a preheated plastic container. Line the bottom of the container with wax paper or a sponge so that the protein powder doesn’t get pushed out and create air bubbles.

Bake the protein powder bar for about twenty minutes or until it comes out of its frozen state. Make sure to watch it to see if it gets too warm. Once it’s all done, remove it from the oven and let it cool down. It will be much easier if you allow it to sit for a few hours before you run it through the dishwasher.

How Long do Homemade Protein Bars Last?

After all, protein bars are only a small, inexpensive item compared to other protein supplements. However, the shelf life of these products is still highly questionable. This is one question you may be asking if you are interested in trying to live a healthier lifestyle and one that nutrition experts may find the answer to.

The answer varies greatly depending on how you store homemade protein bars. Some can last for months, whereas others may only last for a week. However, there are several ways to make them last much longer. Here are some ways to increase the shelf life of your nut bars:

• Coconut oil is great for making homemade protein bars. Not only can coconut oil extend the shelf life of the bars, but it will also give you the nutrients that you need without any of the empty calories. For instance, you can get the protein you need from your nuts, but you won’t have to bother with empty calories as many foods provide.³

• Egg white and whey protein powders are excellent options because they provide the same nutrients without empty calories and will greatly extend the shelf life of your protein bars.⁴

If you let your protein bars sit out on the countertop for a long period of time, you may find that they begin to mold and deteriorate. This happens because protein molecules are attracted to moisture, which will make the product go bad over time. An alternative option to this problem is to put the bars in a zip lock bag and put them in the freezer for an entire day, which will help keep the protein bar from deteriorating.

Is it Cheaper to Make Your Own Protein Bars?

Making homemade protein bars has become more popular over the years. With the high cost of purchasing pre-packaged protein powders, some people have resorted to making their own at home. Is it cheaper to make your own protein bars? Can you really taste the difference?

The majority of protein bars on the market contain all the essential amino acids that are necessary for good health. However, this is not something that you can achieve through the simple process of making a protein at home. The problem is that many commercially produced protein bars use fillers such as wheat gluten, corn starch, and eggs to extend the shelf life of their protein. While protein is an important nutrient, many people still prefer the flavor and convenience of homemade protein bars over the powdered variety.

The actual cost of the protein powder that you will need to purchase to get the job done will be considerably higher than the cost of most commercial options. Even if you purchase the protein in the form of a powder, it will not be inexpensive. The powdered form will require a lot of liquid to add to it, which can make the homemade protein bars very expensive. This will mean that you need to weigh your options carefully when making your decision about which is the best option for you.

There are many different health and weight loss benefits that you can experience by making your own protein bars. For example, you can choose to substitute the sugar that is often found in most protein bars for something else, such as a natural sweetener. By choosing to make your own protein bars, you can also avoid the many empty calories and fat that are commonly found in commercially prepared products. The sugar and other ingredients used to create homemade protein bars can also help boost your immune system and may even lower the level of cholesterol that you have in your body.

The bottom line is that there are many different things to take into consideration, depending on what your individual needs are.<sup”>5 Take the time to consider all of the benefits that you can enjoy when you make your own protein.

Image Credits

Eat This Much / 2019

Healthline / January 16, 2019