These no-bake bars are for anyone who wants a quick, real-food snack that travels well — busy parents, students, hikers, or anyone heading into a workout. Dates bind everything together while nuts and seeds add steady energy, healthy fats and a little protein. Reach for one mid-morning, before training, or whenever the 3pm slump hits.
Serves 10 · Time 15 min · Style Gluten-free
Ingredients
- 250 g soft Medjool dates, pitted (about 12 dates)
- 80 g almonds
- 80 g walnuts
- 40 g pumpkin seeds
- 30 g sunflower seeds
- 30 g chia seeds
- 40 g certified gluten-free rolled oats
- 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter (no added sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Line a 20 cm square tin (or similar small dish) with baking paper, leaving an overhang for easy lifting.
- If your dates feel firm, soak them in just-boiled water for 5 minutes, then drain well.
- Add the almonds and walnuts to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped — keep some texture, don’t grind to flour.
- Add the dates, peanut butter, vanilla and salt. Blitz until the mixture starts clumping together into a sticky dough.
- Tip in the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and oats. Pulse briefly, just until evenly distributed.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the lined tin, using the back of a spoon to compact it well — firm pressing is what holds the bars together.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set, then lift out and cut into 10 bars.
Nutrition per serving
| Energy | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 255 kcal | 5 g | 34 g | 11 g | 5 g |
Dietitian’s tip
These keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze well for up to three months — wrap individually so you can grab one on the way out. If you want a little more staying power between meals, swap 1 tbsp of the seeds for a scoop of plain protein powder, or pair a bar with a piece of fruit; the combination of fibre, fat and protein helps slow the release of natural sugars from the dates.
General guidance, not individual medical advice. For personalised nutrition, see a registered dietitian.