I want to say that these brown sugary, chewy Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars are all about the hungry kids coming home, or more like HANGRY kids!

This post is written in collaboration with Milk Life

A dark purple plate with a stack of healthy peach oatmeal bars with a little glaze on top with a glass of milk behind it

I feel like it’s about time for “smell-o-vision”. Is that what we used to call it? Remember how we all wanted the ability to smell things shown on TV? Well now it’s the internet, but I still want you to experience these Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars because they have all feelings of nostalgia wrapped up in them.

Isn’t nostalgia amazing? It can literally transport you in time. So let’s take a little journey…

 

A dark purple plate with a stack of healthy peach oatmeal bars with a little glaze on top

After School Snacks

Is it just me or the older your kids get do they come home more and more hungry? Sometimes even hangry.

Towards the end of the school year last year our oldest daughter came home a moody mess. I wish I could tell you that I put my arm around her and we went on a walk with the trees just filling out in green leaves and birds singing in the air, but the truth is I was frustrated!

Zero to Hangry in 5 Minutes

It’s like just the walk home from school had given her the 5 minutes needed to go from hungry to HANGRY.

She was opening and shutting cupboards, rolling her eyes and complaining about who knows what, which seemed to set off our younger daughter who was now whining and pouting, and I felt my levels rising along with her’s.

I heard myself say, “Knock it off with the bad attitude!” and instantly I knew that I was adding to the problem.

Every once in a while we mothers get a moment of inspiration and this was mine. I suddenly had a flashback of getting home from school, exhausted but not seeing it as that, hungry, but not seeing it as that, instead I was just moody. I distinctly remember grabbing a chocolate dipped granola bar, and my Mom calling out to see if that was me that was home.

She came in the kitchen, pulled out a plate and put down this baked apple concoction with a tall glass of milk. I sat, ate and we talked.

After School Traditions

The next day started a new tradition for our family and with school starting again I’m determined to stick with it. Our daughters weren’t being naughty, they were hangry. School is exhausting and we adults forget that, but on top of it, we also can’t make sure they are making a wise choice at school that would help with the tiring day, their school lunch. We don’t know if they are getting in everything they need at lunch no matter how we try, so we tackle after school snacks instead.

It doesn’t always have to be a better for you peach oatmeal bar recipe, you can use any of our 5 snacks kids can make that aren’t junk food post for more ideas, but most important, just give your kids the habit of just 5 minutes after school to talk to you, eat something filling and drink a glass of milk

A dark purple plate with a stack of healthy peach oatmeal bars with a little glaze on top

Nutrition for Kids

We’ve been learning a lot from Pour More Milk about the real facts on kids and nutrition from the actual experts.

Today, one out of two kids ages 9 and up fall short on essential nutrients they need to grow. More than half of kids
don’t get enough calcium, vitamin D and potassium. In fact, most kids younger than 9 are falling short on vitamin D and potassium which are critical nutrients kids need to grow.

Guess what, it’s not just them either, I’ve noticed that as an adult I’m so busy I pay less attention to getting MY essential nutrients and not only is that making me a tired, cranky mom, which I HATE being, but it also means I’m not living what I’m preaching.

Which is where these Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars come in.

I made a few batches the last few weeks, and as you can see, our little guy knows exactly how good they are.

While I was photographing the recipe two days ago, he pulled up a chair and watched until I was done, then pulled the whole table over and started eating! Next thing I knew, all of the neighborhood kids were here too, so there are literally no bars left. I’m making another batch later today. Good mercy.

Contest Time!

Do your kids come home from school hangry? Share your own back-to-school-related confessions or experiences as a parent for the chance to win a school-year’s supply of milk! Simply post your confessions to your own Instagram or Twitter account, tagging @MilkLife  and using #BackToSchool and #contest, between now and September 30, 2018.*

Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars are

  • Easy to make
  • Nutritious for breakfast, lunch, snacking, or even dessert!
  • Perfect paired with an 8 ounce glass of milk to help kids getting in essential nutrients
  • Seasonally adapted (try blueberries, strawberries or even apple if you cook the fruit down a little first!)
  • Freezable!

Um, yes to all of that.

Not to mention the AMAZING aroma that will fill your kitchen when you’re baking these Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars.

What is Milk a Top Food Source For?

A simple solution to help kids (and adults) get what they need is to serve up a good for you snack alongside an 8 ounce glass of milk. The fact is, it’s really hard for kids to get enough of these nutrients without milk, so snack time is a great time to do your mom thing, and feed your kids!

Milk is the top food source for calcium, vitamin D and potassium, so you can see why it’s an easy rule in our house, breakfast, snacks and dinner get eaten with a glass of milk!

What is One Important Food Source for Pre-Teens to Consume?

Young people have a limited time to build strong bones, and a dairy-free diet during critical growing years could
mean not reaching their full height potential, an increase in stress fractures during adolescence and a greater chance
of osteoporosis as an adult.

So, if milk is an important part of the diet but kids and teens are running a mile a minute, what are you parents doing to teach them healthy habits?

I’ve learned one HUGE thing in my home.

I am consistent, not perfect. I consistently serve up a snack with a glass of milk after school and talk with each kid even if it’s just 5 minutes. Not only are you letting kids know, without ever needing to say it, that you are there for them, a safe place and you love them, but you’re also creating a habit.

Now when my kids come home and ask for a drink with snack and I ask what, they just say, milk without even thinking about it. Habits, not pressure, that’s my goal for sending them off to college.

Also, can we not send them off? All the tears!! I can’t believe that will be in the next 6 years!

A dark purple plate with a stack of healthy peach oatmeal bars with a little glaze on top

What are the Best Peaches for Baking?

You want to find freestone peaches because they are sweeter and easier to work with. For a list of my favorite freestone peaches, head to our peach cobbler post!

Mindful not Distracted Parenting

As you know, Cade and I made the goal to be more mindful parents and so we’ve been searching out good resources and making small changes in our home. You can visit PourMoreMilk.com for additional information, recipe inspiration and tips from experts.

It’s not about us having a perfect home and kids who always choose broccoli over chocolate cake or milk over sugary drinks. It’s about teaching them correct principles so that one day they can conduct their own lives with ease.

Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars

These Better for you Peach Oatmeal Bars are so simple to make. The brown sugar and oats make a yummy crumble that you separate into two. One half is pressed into the bottom of the pan.

Now, you take the peaches and divide them in half. Sprinkle 1/2 all over the bottom crust and then, using a teaspoon, sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the fruit. Top with more fruit and spread the crumble over the top of everything.

Bake the entire pan until it’s nice and golden, and here’s the key, cool on the counter for 30 minutes and then finish in the fridge so that the fruit can set up.

If you want to, make a very small glaze and drizzle it over the better for you peach oatmeal bars you can, but it’s not necessary.

Healthy RECIPES

Looking for more healthy recipes and ideas? We’ve been working hard to make it all happen for you so check out our  5 Kid Snacks that Aren’t Junk Food, Eggs in a nest,  Lightened Up Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal or One Pot Cauliflower Chowder!

If you love these, then you have to try these other BAR DESSERTS:

 

*No purchase necessary. MilkPEP-sponsored contest open to individuals who are parents or legal guardians of grade school-aged kids and are residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia and are at least 18 years or older. For full rules, visit https://bit.ly/2vTaF5C.

Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars

2.94 from 64 votes
Servings: 12 bars
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 45 mins

Description

I want to say that these brown sugary, chewy Better for You Peach Oatmeal Bars are all about the hungry kids coming home from school, but the truth is, I'm HANGRY too.

Ingredients 

  • 1 Cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 Cup  white whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 Cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 Cups peaches, small-diced, skin on or off, divided
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 Teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
  • 8 ounce milk, for serving 

GLAZE

  • 1/4 Cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons milk, 1% or 2% is best

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and coconut oil and stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
  • Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture, then press the rest into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Scatter half of the peaches over the crust. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Scatter on the remaining peaches, then the remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. You will have some fruit showing through.
  • Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the crumb topping smells toasty and looks golden. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely (you can speed this process along in the refrigerator).
  • While the bars cool, prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, briskly whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Feel free to add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Using the parchment-paper handles, lift the bars from the pan. Drizzle with glaze, slice, and serve.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 5 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 117mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 202IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: 100 Best Brownies and Bars Recipes

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A dark purple plate with a stack of healthy peach oatmeal bars with a little glaze on top with a glass of milk behind it