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These naturally sweetened Strawberry Banana Oat Bars are bursting with fresh strawberry flavor! Packed with ripe bananas, juicy strawberries, and the nutty goodness of peanut butter, they’re the perfect make ahead breakfast or snack option that’ll fuel your little ones on those busy mornings. Make a double batch and freeze the extras for later!
Easy Strawberry Banana Bars
I’m a big fan of oat bars and so are my kids! Since these 3-ingredient banana oatmeal bars have always been a hit, we decided to transform them into 5-ingredient strawberry banana oat bars with just a few extra add-ins. We love them because they’re perfectly soft, naturally sweetened and great for all ages!
Pair the oats and fruit with some peanut butter, and you have a filling, nutritious snack that will keep your little ones (and rest of the family) full for hours!
Plus, they have that classic banana bread flavor from the mashed bananas and the little pops of chopped strawberries are such a fun twist!
If your little ones love juicy berries, you’ll also want to try out these banana blackberry oatmeal muffins!
Why We Love These Strawberry Banana Oat Bars
- So easy to make: This recipe couldn’t get much easier. You basically mash everything together except the strawberries, which you fold in at the end. Bake, cool, drizzle with melted peanut butter, and serve. Done!
- Naturally sweetened: You don’t need a single drop of maple syrup or brown sugar for these strawberry oatmeal bars. They get plenty of sweetness from the overripe bananas!
- Healthy snack or breakfast: Oats contain beta-glucans, a special type of soluble fiber that helps slow down digestion (keeping you full for longer) and reduce the blood sugar impact of your meal. These strawberry banana bars can easily be served as an afterschool snack, or you can turn them into a complete breakfast with a little Greek yogurt on the side. The mixture of healthy fats and fiber makes them so filling!
Ingredient Notes
- Overripe banana: Be sure to use those brown spotty bananas for the sweetest flavor.
- Rolled oats: These are traditional old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. Feel free to use certified gluten free oats if required.
- Natural peanut butter: Look for unsweetened peanut butter with no added salt.
- Vanilla extract: For a little extra flavor.
- Salt: Salt draws out flavor, but skip it if you’re making these bars for babies.
- Strawberries: Dice the berries into small bites to help them mix more cohesively into the batter
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 7 x 11 inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas, then add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla and salt (if using). Mix well. Fold in the strawberries, reserving some extras for pressing into the top.
- Transfer the batter into the lined pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Once cool, use the parchment paper to carefully remove the strawberry banana baked oatmeal from the pan and slice into 12 rectangular bars or 16 square bars. To serve, top with a drizzle of natural peanut butter and extra diced strawberries or banana slices, if desired.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
RECIPE TIPS
- If you prefer thinner bars, you can also transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking pan. The mixture may require less baking time since it will be thinner.
- If preparing these bars for babies, skip the salt.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can use any other type of berries for this recipe or play around with different fruit. I recommend cutting the fruit into small bites to avoid adding too much moisture. Dry fruits, like berries, are easier to add than really watery fruits. Some great options include cherries, blackberries, raspberries, apricots, etc.
Yes! If you aren’t a fan of bananas or are all out, mashed bananas are generally interchangeable with applesauce or pumpkin puree. Applesauce would be a great match for the sweet strawberries. Just keep in mind that these options won’t be as sweet as bananas so you may need to add in a bit of maple syrup or honey for extra sweetness.
As much as I love frozen strawberries, they are so wet and weepy after thawing! It’s very hard to dry them off, and they can easily make the oat mixture soggy instead of chewy. I highly recommend using fresh strawberries for the best flavor and texture.
Storage Guidelines
- Once baked, let the oatmeal bars cool to room temperature, then store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. I usually prefer to wrap each bar individually with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- You can also freeze them like this for up to 3 months for longer storage.
Serving Suggestions
For a perfect snack, pair these strawberry banana oat bars with fresh fruit or a cheese stick for extra protein. I like to drizzle them with peanut butter and top with thinly sliced banana or some Mixed Berry Chia Seed Jam and extra juicy strawberries on top for more fiber and flavor!
If you want to serve these as strawberry breakfast bars, offer them with extra protein or fresh fruit, like these options:
- Zucchini Frittata Muffins
- Mini Egg Bites
- Scrambled Eggs For Baby
- Heart Shaped Fruit Kabobs
- Island Green Smoothie
Recipe Variations
- Change the nut butter: Instead of peanut butter, feel free to use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
- Add some mix-ins: To give these bars a little more crunch, try stirring in some chopped nuts (for older children) or chocolate chips.
- Increase the healthy fats: Sprinkle in some flax seeds, hemp hearts, or chia seeds before baking to add essential fatty acids and extra protein.
- Sweeten as needed: These bars are plenty sweet without any sugar. If preferred, you can add a splash of pure maple syrup to the mix before baking or a drizzle of honey before serving.
Save this recipe for later!
More Delicious Bar Recipes
- Banana Pumpkin Bars
- Heavenly Hunks Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Recipe
- Pressed Fruit Bars Recipe
- Nut Free Breakfast Bars
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Strawberry Banana Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 5 large bananas)
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 cup diced strawberries, plus more for on top
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas, then add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla and salt (if using). Mix well. Fold in the strawberries, reserving some extras for pressing into the top.
- Transfer the batter into the lined pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and slightly firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, use the parchment paper to carefully remove baked oatmeal from the pan and slice into 12 rectangular bars or 16 square bars. To serve, top with a drizzle of natural peanut butter and extra diced strawberries or banana slices, if desired.
Notes
- If you prefer thinner bars, you can also transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking pan. The mixture may require less baking time since it will be thinner.
- If preparing these bars for babies, skip the salt.
