Energy Balls | The Perfect lunchbox filler

Since the start of term last year, these delicious morsels of goodness have been a lunchbox staple in our house. Filled with healthy nuts and dates and called 'energy balls' so it’s easier for the boys to understand exactly what they do. The boys know we need food for energy but they’re beginning to understand that some foods give us better energy than others. Protein is such an important building block for growing cells, and what better way to get kids to eat well.

It’s a fun recipe to make together and a great alternative to expensive processed grain bars. I make a batch of these on weekends and they usually last all the way through the week.

What you’ll need:

• 2/3 cup whole almonds
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 1 cup (200g) Medjool dates, stones removed
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 3 level tbsp coconut oil.
• 3 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon.
• 1 tbsp honey, agave nectar or coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup ground almonds, to coat

How to make them:

• Pour the ground almonds into a bowl and set aside.
• Blend all the other ingredients together in a food processor until combined.
• Pick up some of the mixture, enough to make a bite-sized piece, and roll it around in the palm of your hand until it forms a ball. Set aside ready to be coated in the ground almonds.
• Finally, when all of mixture has been used up and made into bite-sized balls, coat them in the ground almonds and refrigerate.
• Pop them in their lunchboxes as a healthy treat during school or store them in the fridge to snack on throughout the day.
• energy_balls

Jen x