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Our kids go wild over these No Bake Energy Balls. Pretty sure it might have a little something to do with the M&M’s. This is the only snack in our home that both the adults and kids fight over!

No Bake Energy Balls

Contents

Good Healthy Snacks: No Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls

I am always looking for easy to make, healthy and convenient snacks like these no bake energy balls for my family. Although pre-packaged snacks that you find in the grocery store are great for convenience, they aren’t always the healthiest. Despite any nutritional claims found on the packaged labels, there are often hidden ingredients like excess sugars and artificial chemicals that you just don’t want to feed your kids.

So, whenever I can, I will put together my own recipes for healthier treats for my family to munch on. I aim for good taste, as much nutritional value as possible, and things that are quick!

My method for making homemade snacks is to tackle one recipe per day and make big batches to last a full week (or longer if it is something like these peanut butter balls that will last for a few weeks in the fridge). I set aside a few minutes each day and make a big batch of one recipe. This way, I have a nice rotating variety of snacks available, all homemade and all healthy. I find this much easier to manage.

Quick & Easy Energy Ball Recipe: No Oven Needed!

When I came across the idea of no bake peanut butter and oats energy balls, I was immediately sold. Just the first two words in the recipe title made these already a winner in my book- No Bake! That means no hot oven, no baking and cooling time, no potential to spend time making something just to burn it… already this recipe is easier than most!

Another thing that I loved instantly about this recipe is the short ingredient list- only 5 things! So not only are these snacks going to be quick to make but they also have very few components to put together. This means less ingredients to shop for, less money to spend and less ‘bad’ ingredients to serve my kids.

So what exactly is in this magical snack? Well, the ingredients are all primarily very healthy. Natural honey rather than processed sugar, peanut butter to add some protein and oats which are loaded with fiber.

No Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls

No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

M&M’s make these peanut butter energy balls instantly more appealing to a kid- those colors, that chocolate….they can’t resist!

If you want to skip the M&M’s no problem, this no bake recipe will still work great and taste amazing without them. You can also substitute raisins or even dried blueberries for a peanut butter and jelly style snack.

Mini dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips also work perfectly in this energy balls recipe and have a little less sugar than M&M’s. I think that the combination of peanut butter and chocolate is what makes these energy balls taste like a dessert while it is really a healthy snack. And dark chocolate has been proven to be good for us in many studies- a fact I love to be reminded of!

I don’t know many kids who can resist colorful, chocolate M&M’s! (However, if your kids do still say no to these tasty, M&M treats, check out this article about other snacks that may be good for your picky eaters). You can even make these energy balls fit for any holiday by using festive M&M’s. Red and green for Christmas, pastel M&M’s for Easter or shades of blue at Hanukkah- now this no bake snack is party-ready!

How to Make No Bake Energy Balls: Only 5 Ingredients!

So now that these energy balls are probably sounding like something you need in your life, it’s time to make some! Throw all the following ingredients into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or just a large bowl and stir:

Old Fashion Oats
Honey
Creamy Peanut Butter
Vanilla
Mini M&M’s (or chocolate chips)

Guess what? That’s it!

The dough is made as simple as that. Scoop the dough into small tablespoon-sized balls; a small ice cream scoop works perfectly and makes even-sized balls. Roll the energy ball dough in your hands to make them smooth and voila, they are ready to eat! Took about 5 minutes, right?! And look what you have, a snack with:

Fiber
Healthy Fats
Omega 3’s
Antioxidants (thanks to whole oats and dark chocolate)
Protein
A great source of healthy energy!

Try Flaxseed Energy Balls For Extra Nutrition

If you are looking to add a little extra nutritional value to this energy balls recipe, simply add a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseeds. Ground flaxseeds will pack these energy balls with fiber and omega 3’s- you just can’t go wrong there!

And, thanks to the peanut butter, honey, and chocolate, you won’t even taste the flaxseeds (and neither will your kids!). A super healthy addition that will fly completely under the radar- a perfect way to increase the appeal of these energy balls!!

Storing Your No Bake Peanut Butter Energy Balls

While these no bake energy balls only stay around my house for about a day or two (they get eaten soooo fast!), you can store them in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Thanks to all the nonperishable ingredients, you don’t need to worry about ever throwing these balls in the trash!

If you are heading out for the day and packing these No Bake Energy Balls as a snack to bring with you, they will travel well in a ziplock bag or plastic Tupperware. No need to keep them cool- they will hold up just fine (they really are magical…).

Favorite Snack for Those on the Go

Make a double or triple batch so that you have a perfect snack ready to go at any time. Then, you won’t be quick to grab those fattening grocery store snacks. You can also try my recipe for Healthy Energy Bites which are very similar to these no bake peanut butter energy balls but have even more nutrition packed into them.

Hopefully, you are sold on these no bake energy balls and will give them a shot! They check all of my boxes as far as snacks for my family- healthy, convenient to eat, and simple to make. And most importantly, they’re No Bake!!

Enjoy!

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Hope you Enjoy! =)