I don't need no stinkin' store-bought nutrigrain bars! I can make my own...

And here's how:

So, I was balking at the amount of nutrigrain bars this family was consuming and the dollar amount was swimming before my very eyes and so I decided that surely I could make these things myself! So, off I frolicked to my favorite search engine, Google, to do a bit of sifting. I actually found a few that looked pretty good, so I printed them out and then promptly left them in my recipe area for a couple of months. Timing is, apparently, everything. ;p Then, after putting it on my to-do list repeatedly, I FINALLY got the recipes out and looked at them again. One looked particularly close to the real thing, which is what I wanted anyway. So without further ado, here is the recipe and a few photos from when I made my last batch the other day. I used one jar of raspberry and one jar of red plum. Tangy!

This was posted by BaylorMom @ titus2.com :

Here is our favorite! It is very similar to nutri-grain bars. They also freeze well. I just make them and what we don't eat we freeze for another time! I have always doubled the recipe. I buy a 32 oz. jar of preserves so this makes it easy. I use my Pampered Chef Bar pan to make the double batch in (don't know the size, but that should give you an idea of the size, I hope.) This pan works well, but it always goes over a little and some gets in the bottom of the oven!! So, if you don't like that you might want to use a bigger pan. I don't mind b/c it is not a lot.


Fruit and Grain Bars
1 Cup Butter or Margarine -- Softened
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Cups Oats
16 Ounces Strawberry Preserves -- * See Note
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract

I like to add a good tablespoon or so of cinnamon, too:)

You, of course, need a sous chef! He actually posed for this picture by pretending to use that spatula. He is not allowed to do the spatula part while the mixer is in motion. He actually said, "I'm just going to hold it like this while you take my picture so it will look like I'm actually doing it for real." Okay....

Cream margarine and sugar.
Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add almond extract. Press half of crumb mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan. Spread with preserves. (*Use Strawberry, raspberry, peach or other favorite).
Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350* for 20-25 min. Cool and cut into bars.

I think I got about 36 bars out of that batch. Take THAT store-bought bars!

I prefer to use the HEB brand more fruit spread. If you haven't tried it, you are totally missing out! Well, unless you make your own jelly or preserves cuz that's what it tastes like. Everyone who has tried this stuff really likes it. I also just doubled the recipe this last time. Oh, and I've found that as far as the wheat flour goes, there is a HUGE difference between brands! I was using the store brand until they didn't have it once and so I tried King Arthur All Natural White Whole Wheat Flour. Oh, wow, did it make a difference in the texture! I'm sold! Okay, I also have been storing mine in the freezer. I just thaw what we need or not. They can be eaten straight out of the freezer. These things are so yummy, the kids don't seem to mind.:)