Chia seeds energy bites

Avoid getting Hungry with our super delicious Chia Seed Energy Bites. These little bites of goodness are just the ticket for a quick and healthy snack.

Energy Bites

Energy Bites are a no-bake healthy snack that take just a few minutes to make and are filled with protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep your kids fueled until their next meal. So what is in an energy bite that makes them so amazing? The combination of oats, nut butter, and chia seeds create a mixture that is a powerhouse of nutrients. And the most important factor here is that they taste so good. When you can make healthy food taste good, it is a win/win for you and your kids. We added these beautiful chocolate covered sunflower seeds for kid appeal – what do you think? Also, if your kids are allergic to peanuts, or your school is nut-free, you can substitute sun butter!

How to make Chia seeds energy bites

Mix your basic ingredients in a bowl: Oats, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and chia seeds.

If you are going to use different add-ins, separate the mixture into different bowls. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Flatten on parchment paper and then cut into ‘bites’. Or if you want to skip this step, you can just roll the mixture into balls. You can refrigerate these and they will stay good for at least a week. If you are wanting to use them for hiking, running, biking, or other endurance activities – I would put a few in a small portable container in the fridge for a quick grab-n-go.

Chia Seeds Chia seeds have gotten quite the hype the last few years. In the running and endurance athletics community they have definitely become a hot commodity since their introduction in the book ‘Born to Run’ by Christopher McDougall. In the book, the super-athletic Tarahumara Indians in Mexico consumed Chia seeds while on their desert runs and were provided with surges of energy during and after. So are Chia seeds really the next promised super food? I’ve been curious to know exactly why they are claimed to be so good for us and so I did a lot of reading about them and this is what I found out.

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. 1 tablespoon of chia seeds contains 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 2282 mg of Omega 3 and 752 mg of Omega 6 fatty acids (This makes them a really great source of both fiber and Omegas). A significant concentration of fiber combined with their ability to absorb 10 times their weight in water also makes chia seeds excellent for maintaining regularity and also contributing to satiety. Contain iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Emerging research suggests that including chia seeds as part of a healthy diet may help improve cardiovascular risk factors such as lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.

How to Include Chia Seeds in Your Diet

Smoothies Fruit flavored water Oatmeal Yogurt Puddings Cookies And last but not least, our Energy Bites!! These literally will take you 5 minutes to whip up and they are really delicious. The fun part for your kids is that they can choose their own add-ins. The sky is the limit and if they get to choose something that goes in them, they will be more likely to eat them, guaranteed. For the chocolate covered sunflower seeds, get them on Amazon here!