Peanut butter and jelly bars are a perennial favorite for school bake sales, sports fundraisers, holiday buffets and everyday desserts because they combine the familiar flavor duo of peanut butter and jelly in a sweet, hand-held form. But though peanut butter and jelly bars appeal to the taste buds, they aren't always the most nutritious or waistline-friendly dish. Make them healthier with smart substitutions and nutritious additions.
Reduce Sugar
Cut down the amount of sugar in your peanut butter and jelly bars by using peanut butter with no added sugar, replacing some of the sugar with a natural substitute like stevia extract -- derived from the leaves of a South American herb, according to the Mayo Clinic -- or date paste, or simply leaving out some of the called-for sugar. The jelly portion of the bars should provide a substantial hit of sweetness because jelly requires so much sugar to "set" properly.
Make Healthy Substitutions
Replace the basic ingredients of your peanut butter and jelly bars with alternatives that are just as tasty and texturally interesting but healthier. For example, substitute rolled oats for some or all of the flour to make a hearty, fiber-rich bar. Try no-sugar-added almond butter or even an exotic option like macadamia-nut butter instead of peanut butter. If your bars have a "crumble" topping, typically made with butter and brown sugar, halve the amount of crumble and add an equal amount of ultra-crunchy bran cereal.
Choose Healthy Oils
Pick a heart-healthy fat like canola or margarine with zero trans fats rather than butter or shortening to make the peanut butter and jelly bars. You can also cut down the overall amount of oil required to make the bars by replacing some of the oil with plain or vanilla yogurt or unsweetened applesauce.
Add Smart Extras
Spike your peanut butter and jelly bars with smart, nutrition-packed extras that either enhance the taste or sneak by undetected while bulking up the nutritional value of the bars. For example, add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the recipe for extra omega-3 fatty acids. Enrich the jam with drained, mashed whole fruit in the same flavor as the jam. Add walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds for a dose of crunch, antioxidants and energizing protein.
References
- Epicurious; Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars; Bon Appetit; Lauren Chattman; March 2011
- Mayo Clinic: Heart Disease: Heart-Healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
- Mayo Clinic; Nutrition and Healthy Eating; Question: Ground Flaxseed: Better than Whole?; Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD
- Mayo Clinic; Nutrition and Healthy Eating; Question: Stevia: Can it Help With Weight Control?; Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD
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