Cheap, Easy & Packed with Fibre
I fancied making my own breakfast bars rather than buying expensive ones from the supermarket, so I had a rummage through the cupboards and threw together a mixture of some of my favourite high-fibre ingredients.
There are no strict measurements for this recipe – it’s completely personal preference. Add more of the things you like, less of the things you don’t, and adjust the sticky ingredients until everything holds together.
They’re great for breakfast, a snack or whenever you fancy something sweet, and they cost a fraction of what you can pay for fancy health bars.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 Weetabix
- Bran flakes
- Granola
- Nuts of your choice
- Coconut flakes
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Raisins
To Bind
- Honey
- Golden syrup
- Peanut butter
Topping
- Dark chocolate
Method
1. Combine the Dry Ingredients
Add the Weetabix, bran flakes, granola, nuts, coconut flakes, chia seeds, flax seeds and raisins to a large bowl.
Use the end of a rolling pin to crush everything into smaller pieces and mix together.
You don’t need to turn it into a powder – leaving some texture makes the bars more interesting.
2. Add the Sticky Ingredients
Add peanut butter, honey and golden syrup gradually.
There are no exact measurements here. Keep adding until everything is coated and the mixture becomes sticky enough to hold together when pressed.
3. Press Into a Tray
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Tip the mixture onto the tray and firmly press it down into an even layer.
Really compact it – this will help the bars hold together once they’re cut.
4. Add the Chocolate
Melt some dark chocolate and drizzle or spread it over the top.
Use as much or as little as you like.
5. Bake
Bake in a preheated oven until the mixture is golden and firm.
The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your mixture and the amount you’ve made, so keep an eye on it towards the end.
6. Cool & Chill
Allow the tray to cool completely.
Place it in the fridge until the mixture has firmed up.
Once chilled, cut into individual squares or bars.
Store in the fridge so they’re ready to grab whenever you fancy one.
Estimated Fibre
Because there are no fixed quantities in this recipe, the exact fibre content will vary depending on how much bran, granola, nuts, seeds and dried fruit you use, as well as how many bars you cut the mixture into.
For a typical batch cut into 10–12 squares, I estimate each bar contains around 3–5g of fibre.
Adults in the UK are recommended to aim for around 30g of fibre per day, so one of these homemade bars could provide roughly 10–17% of your daily fibre target.
This is only an estimate, not a nutritional analysis. The actual amount will depend on your ingredients, quantities, brands and portion size.
What’s Making These Bars So Nutritious?
Weetabix & bran flakes: Wholegrain cereals can contribute fibre as well as a range of vitamins and minerals.
Chia & flax seeds: Both are an easy way to add fibre and other nutrients to your diet.
Nuts: Add fibre, protein and predominantly unsaturated fats.
Raisins: Provide fibre, although they are also naturally high in sugar.
Peanut butter: Adds protein and unsaturated fats, depending on the variety you use.
Dark chocolate: Mainly included because it makes everything taste better.
Millie’s Notes
There are no rules! This is a cupboard-clearout recipe, so use whatever cereals, nuts, seeds or dried fruit you already have.
Want more fibre? Add more bran, Weetabix, chia, flax, nuts or seeds.
Want more chocolate? Add more chocolate. Obviously.
Add the sticky ingredients gradually. The amount you’ll need depends entirely on how much dry mixture you’ve made.
Don’t worry if they’re soft initially. They’ll firm up considerably once they’re completely cool and chilled.
Final Thoughts
These are my kind of snack: cheap, homemade, filling and made from things I already had in the cupboard.
Instead of spending money on expensive breakfast or health bars, you can make a whole tray at home and customise them exactly how you like.
And let’s be honest – homemade bars with dark chocolate on top are always going to win.
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