That said, my senior mother will no longer eat her oatmeal in the mornings and overall she's become a very finicky eater, so I supplement her real food with healthy protein bars to ensure she gets sufficient protein, whole grains, and calories.
1) Clean Protein Bars are the best-tasting protein bars I've found thus far. In addition to their great taste, I like their 15 grains of protein, their 7 grams of fiber from 6.5 grams of whole grains, as well as, their reasonable price at Walmart (which I order online). They are fairly big bars at 190 calories too. While the Clean Protein Bars' simple ingredients are a big plus, at 10 grams of sugar per bar, they are slightly over the margin of what nutritionists recommend. Ideally, protein bars should contain between 5 grams - 8 grams of sugar each, but good luck finding lower-sugar protein bars that taste good enough to eat. 
2) Occasionally I also buy Pure Protein Bars, yet at 20 grams of protein with 1 gram - 2 grams of sugar, they are too dense and chalky tasting to be as satisfying to eat. They don't taste bad, but bars that go over 17 grams of protein nearly always sacrifice texture. We reach for them less often.
With the Clean Protein Bars, I'm ok with the 10 grams of sugar in exchange for relatively high protein, moderate calorie count, and delicious taste. One characteristic to note: The bars fall apart when you eat them, so on the run, take a napkin with you!
3) South Forty Nut Bars - I love everything about this snack except the $3 per bar cost and 260 calories. Both price and calories really add up! Not as high in protein as you'd think, yet they are a nut lover's dream snack made with only a few, simple and clean ingredients. A sometimes treat because we don't love flavorless, monotonous food regardless of how nutritious it is. Perhaps a competitor will figure out how to make nut bars more affordable. Nuts are expensive!
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4) My oatmeal cookies are healthier with less fat and sugar than most, but you do need some sugar to make cookies. They are delicious and a sometimes tasty treat especially if you're trying to get a picky eater to drink a glass of milk. Fast, easy, and cheap to bake from scratch, they contain mainly nutritious ingredients and are a complete protein with egg and nuts.
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| Makes 20 oatmeal cookies. Just the right amount. |
My Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup (or substitute graduated sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup Oats (either quick or old-fashioned, uncooked work)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 capful of cider vinegar - Ensures a proper rise.
1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg and pumpkin spice mix
I add the extras below:
1 tablespoon of raisins - Keeps the batch moist for extra days.
2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips - You can also smash up a dark chocolate bar if you lack the chocolate chips.
2 tablespoons of white chocolate chips (Full disclosure: white chocolate isn't chocolate and has no nutritional value.:)
2 tablespoons of walnuts
Directions:
1) Using a fork, stir together the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup.
2) Toss in the egg and mix in vanilla.
3) Add the oats, all-purpose flour, and baking soda.
4) Stir in the vinegar, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice.
6) Refrigerate for 20 minutes or in the freezer for less time. Cold cookie dough is easier to handle.
7) I used a small cookie scooper to form and drop the dough on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
8) Bake at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes. I like my oatmeal cookies crispy on the outside yet soft and done on the inside. (13 - 14 minutes makes crispy cookies, a 2nd preference.) Remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy!
Moderation is the key to healthy snacks, which ideally should be no more than 200 calories. Try to make the calories in everything you eat, including sweet snacks, count!
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