Homemade KIND Inspired Bars Recipe
Have you ever tried a KIND Bar? They are so tasty and hit the spot, but the bars are really pricey. They typically are well over a $1 per bar. So it was time to come up with something more frugal.
This copycat KIND bar recipe makes me so, so SO EXCITED! I have been itching to share this for awhile now.
I am going to talk a lot about money in this recipe post because I think it’s so fascinating, and I am a bit of a money nerd, loving to know how much I saved by taking the road less traveled.
I was shopping a couple of months ago with my friend, T, and she was buying some KIND Bars for her husband. At that point I had never had a KIND Bar. She was going to buy a single one, for I think, $1.79. Then I found the four pack. I couldn’t believe how much they cost, at $4.74 for the pack of 4, making them $1.19 a bar. $1.19 is actually cheap for a KIND Bar, since around town $1.79 seems to be the going rate for a single bar. They are just so delicious that I set out to make my own more frugal version of a KIND Bar.
I was so interested to see how much money I would save (and potentially save my friends) that I did a cost break down. I am showing the exact amount of money it costs me to make one batch of KIND inspired Bars, which makes 12 bars. No, I didn’t count the gas to the store to buy the bars, or the cost of using the oven to make the bars. May be they cancel each other out?!?
Here it goes:
- $5.60 for 2 cups mixed nuts at Costco ($13.99 for 2.5 lb. package)
- $0.48 for 1/3 cup of honey at Costco ($13 for 5 lbs.)
- $0.08 for 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut at Winco ($2.74/lb. sold in the bulk section)
- $0.05 for 1/4 cup of ground flax seed that I grind myself, purchased at Winco ($0.80/lb. for the ungrounded flax seed)
- $0.00 for a teaspoon of chia seeds at Winco-it was so light it registered as nothing ($8.74/lb. sold in the bulk section)
This totals $6.21 for 12 homemade bars. If you buy them singly, they are $21.48 ($1.79 x 12), and if you buy three 4 packs, it’s $14.04 for the 12 bars. So that’s a savings anywhere from $7.83 to $15.27 for 12 bars!!
Yes, the ingredients are expensive, mainly the mixed nuts and honey, but this is such a tasty and healthy snacks. I know the mixed nuts you can get for cheaper if you buy them with peanuts, but I like the mixed nuts from Costco that don’t have any peanuts in them (even though I am not opposed to peanuts). Making your own is so much more frugal and economical, plus they are fresh and scrumptious.As far as the recipe is concerned, I started with this recipe as a base, but the bars were thin, and it had way too much coconut for my taste, so I experimented, experimented, and experimented some more. My family has thoroughly enjoyed all of my experimenting, because even when I made them too sticky, they still tasted great.
Homemade KIND Inspired Bars
Ingredients
- 2cupsmixed nutscoarsely chopped
- 1/3cuphoneyI've made them with maple syrup for vegan
- 1/4cupunsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4cupground flax seeds
- 1/2 to 1tchia seeds
- optional1/4 cup dark chocolate chips & 1 t coconut oil
Instructions
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, or grease the pan. I have done both.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients, minus the chocolate. If you combine the ingredients in a mixer, like a Kitchen Aid, the nuts will grind up more. So if you like be chunks of nuts, mix this by hand.
Press nut mixture into your pan. I like to use a damp potato masher to make the process easier.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly brown.
If you are drizzling on chocolate, do it now. (I like to melt 1 t coconut oil mixed in with the chocolate chips to smooth it more. I melt both together for 30 seconds in the microwave; mix and heat for another 30 seconds, and then drizzle.)
Cool for 15 minutes, and cut into bars.
Store in a cool, airtight container.
The Verdict: I can’t tell you how much I am absolutely in love with these bars, and really my whole family is. We eat them for desserts or snacks. They can be portable, and are just plain fabulous. I absolutely love a drizzle of chocolate on them. YUM!!
Troubleshooting: If they end up too sticky for you, just roll the bars in some coconut to absorb the honey. I think when they are mixed by hand, the bars are stickier. The mixer breaks down the nuts a bit to give the bars more area for the honey to stick to. The bars don’t seem really sticky to us at all.
Need other snack ideas?
4 Ingredient Almond Butter Granola Bars
Peanut Butter Granola
Interested in following our Snack Attack board on Pinterest?
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FAQs
puffed millet, rice or other whole grain -- used in all 8 bars. KIND bars contain "crisp rice" in their ingredient list; however their rice pieces are tiny balls.
Are KIND bars a healthy choice? ›
In 2015 KIND got a warning from the FDA to remove the word “healthy” from its labeling, as it didn't meet their standard for healthy. The FDA claimed that because the bars had more than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving, they couldn't be classified as "healthy."
What are the ingredients in KIND bars? ›
Nutrition Facts
Ingredients: Peanuts, glucose syrup, sugar, honey, palm kernel oil, almonds, peanut butter (peanuts, sea salt), soy protein isolate, unsweetened chocolate, alkalized cocoa, chicory root fiber, soy lecithin, tapioca starch, sea salt, natural flavor, cocoa butter.
Why do KIND bars upset my stomach? ›
Here's the downside: Since it's technically a prebiotic fiber, meaning the bacteria in your gut can feed — or ferment — on it, it may also give off gas as a byproduct of this natural process. That's why both large and small does of chicory root fiber may cause: Gas and flatulence. Bloating.
How many KIND bars can you eat a day? ›
Keeping snacks like KIND Bars to one or two per day is generally recommended. This helps maintain a balanced diet, where such snacks supplement other nutrient sources rather than become primary food items.
Do KIND bars spike blood sugar? ›
Let's take a look at the nutrition label.
So this bar is more than 2-sugar packets in your mouth! The Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Kind Bar raised my blood sugar 16-pts of sugar within 33-minutes.
What's better KIND bars or Clif Bars? ›
For what it's worth, Kind bars also include honey, sugar, and glucose, which are all forms of sugar, but they contain about 5 grams compared to about 20 grams in a Clif Bar. If you have a long run planned and need quick fuel either before or during your workout, then grab a Clif Bar.
Do KIND bars have a lot of sugar? ›
The total sugar content across all our snacks range from 4-21 grams.
Do KIND bars lower cholesterol? ›
Almond & Coconut Kind Bar
This convenient grab-and-go snack combines heart-healthy foods like almonds and rice flour to satisfy your hunger and lower bad cholesterol. Each Kind bar contains 180 calories, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
Do KIND bars have high fructose corn syrup? ›
We don't use high fructose corn syrup and you'll never find artificial sweeteners or added sugar alcohols in our snacks, since they go against our philosophy of using premium, better-for-you ingredients that are KIND® to your body.
Nutrition Facts
Ingredients: Peanuts, chicory root fiber, honey, glucose syrup, palm kernel oil, sugar, peanut flour, rice flour, peanut butter (peanuts, sea salt), sea salt, nonfat milk powder, soy lecithin, peanut oil.
How long do homemade bars last? ›
In general, most homemade granola bar recipes will last up to a week when stored in an airtight container. However, you must pay close attention to the recipe's ingredients and check for any special notes on storing the bars.
Are kind bars healthy? ›
Kind bars may look natural but, in addition to sugar, some contain a variety of artificial sweeteners, flavors and preservatives, which according to Dr. Mark Hyman, “can disrupt our gut microbiome and lead to inflammation and weight gain.” Not exactly the kind of gut feelings we're looking for in a snack.
How long do homemade protein bars last? ›
Storing tips
In the fridge: store these chocolate peanut butter protein bars in the fridge tightly wrapped or in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 weeks. The perfect easy snack to have on hand! In the freezer: feel free to keep them in a freezer-safe bag in your freezer for up to 1 month.
What is the white stuff on KIND bars? ›
This white film does not mean the chocolate is moldy or has gone bad. It's actually just a scientific process called “chocolate bloom”. There are two types of this bloom: sugar bloom and fat bloom.
Do all KIND bars have tree nuts? ›
We have multiple product lines that do not have nuts added to the recipes. Bear in mind that all our products are made in a facility that processes tree nuts, peanuts, soy and sesame.
Do KIND bars have seeds? ›
In keeping with the goal of including only ingredients that someone could understand and that were good for the body, when the company came out with its Strong & Kind bars, it added hemp seeds.
Is there milk in KIND bars? ›
They do occasionally come out with a couple “yogurt” and/or “milk chocolate” flavors, and often, one or two of their caramel flavors contains milk. But they also make a caramel flavor that doesn't contain milk.
