Healthy Homemade Granola Bars--YUM!

Previous health warnings have advised parents to monitor their children's intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. These energy dense drinks contribute significantly to the obesity epidemic with the high calorie count and addictive taste. A March 2012 report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that youth are consuming "59% of added-sugar calories from foods and 41% from beverages". This reminds us that while we still need to monitor the sugar intake from beverages, we also need to be mindful of what children are eating, including sweets such as cakes, muffins, and other high sugar foods.

One approach to reducing the amount of sugar kids are eating is to prepare foods at home and adapt the recipes to include healthier ingredients. Here is a recipe for Healthy Homemade Granola Bars. They are sure to be just as delicious with the peanut butter richness and fruity sweetness, while filling and healthy too. Not to to mention, no baking is required. What a great activity to get kids involved. Talk to your children while preparing this recipe about the importance of monitoring the amount of sweets we eat. Kids often don't think too far into the future, so it is sometimes a challenge to get them thinking about how their choices today will affect their future health. Start the conversation sooner rather than later!