Granola Bars

One thing that has been bugging me a lot lately is food packaging.  So I've been making all our own bread, tortillas, cookies, muffins, etc. to avoid the plastic bags and clamshells.  Individually wrapped items are particularly annoying - like granola bars or snacks for kids' lunches.  Aside from the packaging, most of these foods also have undesirable preservatives and sweeteners in them. 

We had some chocolate chips to use up (which, unfortunately came in plastic bags, but are also available at most bulk stores), so I tried something I've been thinking about for a while:  Home made granola bars.  I used the same recipe I make our cereal granola out of , but added chocolate chips.  I didn't add any fruit. 

Before I put them in the oven, I packed the granola good and tight and then scored it to granola bar-sized pieces.  I compacted and scored it again when I turned the temp down to 200.  And again when I turned off the oven.

And it seems to have worked:

Look like granola bars to me.  Now we just have to wait for someone to taste test them.  Daniel said they were good, but he usually says that to make me happy - later we find out he doesn't like whatever it is he's tried.  Noel has one for lunch.  He'll tell me the truth.

Now - storage.  I'm thinking glass jars, and possibly freeze some of them.  I don't think they will have a very long shelf life (no preservatives, after all), so we'll have to keep an eye on them.

But, yay!  Another food that we haven't been buying that my husband and son can now eat again.  Good for them, hopefully tasty, and no plastic involved (at least, not too much - the honey is in a plastic jar and those particular chocolate chips were in a bag - everything else was either in paper or bought bulk with my own containers).