Sometimes I get a little obsessed, especially when I find something I really like … This is the story of a woman on a mission to make an incredible little snack bar that she accidently stumbled upon and fell magically in love with!

Sparing you all of the drama, I’ll just get right to the point … After one bite of a KIND Fruit & Nut Bar, I knew I had to figure out how to replicate these scrumptious little treats.

Maybe you’ve had one of these bars and love them too, or maybe you’re just plain curious about what’s got me so worked up? Either way … I’ve pulled back the curtain and am sharing the simple details on how to make a whole host of these amazing little bars of yum!

And just incase you do want to hear me ramble on about how this recipe came about, feel free to read on below … or , you can just skip the drama and go right for the recipes! Either way, if you’re up for a crunchy, sticky, fruity, nutty little adventure in snacking, these are the perfect bars for you too!

Homemade “KIND” Bar Recipes

• Original Everything Fruit & Nut Bar – the original bar that started my obsession
• Nut-Free “KIND” Bar – perfect for those with nut-allergies
• Cherry-Chocolate Chip Bar – chocolate chips, need I say more?
• Apricot-Almond Crunch Bar – mildly sweet, tangy & delicious!

For best results, follow the recipes exactly as given. Trust me, after making dozens of batches of these bars (they’re a real favorite),  the correct combination of ingredients is important to achieving the perfect bar!

P.S. These amazingly delicious fruit-n-bars make a beautiful Gift-in-a-Jar no matter what the holiday or special occasion. 

This delightful recipe is just one of more than 100 irresistible grain-free, dairy-free recipes in my new cookbook – Everyday Grain-Free Baking!

From breads, biscuits and muffins to savory snacks and decadent treats, you’ll find step-by-step instructions, beautiful color photographs and helpful tips & tidbits to make all of your GF baking adventures a delicious success!

Click here to get a SNEAK PEEK of the book!

The Story Behind the Bars …
Stuck in the airport with no homemade healthy snacks on hand, I began scouring the little airport souvenir shop for something halfway decent.

As I glanced over the various granola bars and protein bars, I found these real food looking bars called KIND Fruit & Nut Bars. I read the ingredients and was pleasantly surprised that they contained recognizable real ingredients. But when I saw the price, I almost fainted – $2.99 a bar! Yikes!

Still, I was ill-prepared and hungry, so I grabbed one and hoped this little bar would help me at least make it through the lay over and short flight home. And it most certainly did! This simple little fruit & nut bar was so tasty and filling I knew I had to figure out a more frugal way to enjoy these little treats.

When I got home, I popped over to TJs and found the bars at a much more reasonable price (not) of $1.49 per bar. Are you kidding me?

Reading over the label again, I purchased the ingredients I didn’t already have on hand at home and got to baking. My first batch didn’t hold together so well because I used too little honey and I also realized a thickening agent was needed, so I opted for good ole high-fiber coconut flour.

Several test batches later, mission accomplished – the flavor and texture were almost identical to the original! It was so exciting to be able to replicate this bar for far less. And even better, to be able to avoid any unwanted ingredients, as well as customize the bars to my family’s taste preferences.

These little protein-rich bars are a hit with kids and adults alike!

For kids, they make a great healthy after-school {or lunchbox} snack. And best of all, you can bake up a bunch, individually wrap and freeze them for a perfect on-the-go snack anytime you need one!

Delicious healthy snacks make everyBODY happy!

Snack foods are one of the most favored food categories of kids, usually second only to dessert! But too often snacks consist of processed foods that not only lack real nutrition, but also contain harmful ingredients that can sabotage health and wellness.

Providing a variety of nutritious snacks for your children is so important!  Their growing bodies require solid nutrition to help set the stage for optimal growth, development and good health and wellness both now and in the years to come!

In a quest to make snack time not only easy and delicious, but also nutritious, I’ve listed ten healthy snack categories and have included some my kids’ favorite recipes for each category. (I have to admit that most of these are my favorites too – after all, who doesn’t like a yummy snack!)

Many of these gluten-free, grain-free snacks also make great lunch/lunchbox options! Most are pretty easy to whip up on the fly, but better yet, use your meal plan to plan out what snacks you’d like to have on hand for the week ahead and schedule time to make them in advance.

Super Green Guacamole

1) Fresh Veggies
Getting more veggies into the average kid can be quite a challenge, but organic vegetables and fruit (especially raw) are the building blocks of good nutrition, which is why they top the chart for nutritious healthy snacks!

Aside from classic favorites like “Carrots with Ranch Dressing” and “Ants on a Log” (celery sticks with nut butter spread in center and topped with dried fruit), here are a few yummy GF snack options for getting more raw veggies into your kiddos:
• Raw Veggie Confetti Spread
• Secret Ingredient Guacamole
• Lacto Fermented Veggies are full of healthy enzymes and probiotics. Before you think, “there’s no way my kids will eat fermented veggies,” just think about something as simple as fermenting/culturing your own pickles, salsa and carrots. I highly recommend the book “The Idiot’s Guide to Fermenting Foods.” Author Wardeh Harmon not only covers the many benefits of lacto-fermentation, but also provides a ton of great recipes.

2) Fresh Fruit
Organic raw fruit (and veggies) are loaded with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. You can easily grab a piece of fruit and go, but I find that adding some nut butter or a cultured dairy or non-dairy item with fresh fruit really helps to better satisfy my hungry boys’ appetites.
• Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits
• Yogurt Banana Splits
• Fruit & Raw Cheese Kabobs

Super Smoothies

3) Super Smoothies & Wholesome Fruit Pops
Sweet and delicious, smoothies and homemade wholesome fruit popsicles provide an excellent opportunity to increase the daily amount and variety of raw fruits and veggies that your child consumes.
• Super Smoothies(GF)
• Wholesome All-Fruit Ice Pops(GF)
• Healthy Ice Pops & Frozen Treats

4) Dried Fruit and Nuts
Having an assortment of unsweetened dried fruits and “crispy nuts” on hand (raw nuts that are soaked/sprouted and then dehydrated) is especially helpful for creating quick, healthy snacks when you’re on the go.
• Crispy Nut Snack Mixes: Simply combine your favorite crispy nuts (like almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.) with your favorite crispy seeds (like sunflower, pumpkin, etc.). Then add your favorite dried fruits, carob chips, and other healthy add-ins and voilà, you’ve got yourself a delicious healthy snack. (Perfect for snacking on the go!)

5) Whole Milk Yogurt & Dairy-Free Coconut Milk Yogurt
Organic whole milk yogurt and dairy-free coconut milk yogurt are delicious, nutritious treats that are full of healthy probiotics. Most kids like yogurt especially when it’s combined with fruit for natural sweetness.
• Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits
• Yogurt Banana Splits
• Super Smoothies
• Healthy Ice Pops & Frozen Treats

Fruit & Raw Cheese Kabobs

6) Organic Raw Cheese
If you are able to enjoy dairy, raw milk cheese is a living food full of beneficial nutrients. Unfortunately, there are many companies out there that label their cheese as raw, when it’s really not. So it’s important to check to be sure the raw cheese you’re purchasing really is raw.
• Fruit & Raw Cheese Kabobs
• Raw Cheese & Grain-Free Crackers: Simply slice up your favorite raw cheese and serve it with some healthy crackers. (See homemade cracker recipes below.)

Spelt Thins Crackers w/Veggie Confetti Spread

7) Homemade GF Crackers
No snack list would be complete without some healthy cracker options! They are the perfect little edible utensils for healthy dips and spreads! Making your own grain-free crackers is much more nutritious (since you can avoid all those unwanted ingredients like soybean oil).

Enjoy them with your favorite real food toppings/dips, such as raw cheese, nut butter & honey, guacamole, raw veggie confetti dip, hummus or whatever else you can think of – the ideas are endless!
• Grain-Free Multi-Seed Crackers
• Grain-Free Rosemary-Raisin Crackers
• Simply Herb Grain-Free Crackers

8) Sweet & Savory Roll-Ups
A great lunch/lunchbox option or snack, Sweet & Savory Roll-Ups are a tasty, fun and attractive alternative to the traditional sandwich. In fact, my kids have eaten foods they normally turn down, when I roll it up in a tortilla! Apparently, the cute little roll-up makes everything look and taste yummier!

GF Fruit Muffins

9) Nutritious Grain-Free Muffins
Naturally-sweetened grain-free muffins make a delicious, nutritious snack when served as part of a healthy, well-varied diet.
• Favorite Fruit Muffins
• Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Mini-Muffins

10) Other Wholesome Baked Goods
Homemade healthy baked goods make delicious wholesome snacks too!
• How to Make Homemade “KIND” Bars
• Grain-free Cinnamon Walnut Buttons
• In a hurry? How about simply toasting a piece of grain-free bread and top it with your favorite nut butter, a drizzle of raw honey and some sliced fresh organic fruit.

I hope this “Top 10 List” has inspired you with a variety of ideas for healthy Real Food snacking! I would love to hear from you as well. So please feel free to share your favorite healthy snack ideas and recipes too!

Joyfully Serving Him, Kelly