I can’t stand wasting food, so I’m always on the hunt for ways to repurpose leftovers or salvage fruit or veggies that are just a little past their prime. These Banana + Date Oat Bites are a perfect solution for those brown, overripe bananas we don’t know what to do with. I know we all love a good old fashioned banana bread, but I like to also have some healthier ways to incorporate their natural sweetness into my weekly menu, and these really fit the bill.

My kiddos go crazy for these Banana + Date Oat Bites because they’re so delicious, and I love that they’re a wholesome snack to have on hand or pack in lunches (which is why I kept these nut-free). They’re sweet enough to feel like a little treat, but only have 6, whole food ingredients. So, not only are these little bites healthy, they’re also super easy and come together in about 15 minutes.

I like to use a mini-muffin pan for these to make them more like bites rather than muffins. But, you can easily use a regular sized muffin pan as well, just increase your cooking time a bit.

And, keep in mind, recipes like this are SO easy to customize (which is a theme for my cooking in general- I’m big on improvising with what I have on hand). I’ve done similar versions with different fresh or dried fruit, nut butters, seeds, and other add-ins. The options are pretty endless.

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large (or 4 small) overripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 5 pitted dates, chopped
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed

STEPS

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
• Mash the bananas well
• Add in other ingredients and mix together until combined
• Scoop into mini-muffin pan (this recipe makes 24 bites)
• Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes (this will depend on your oven, just watch closely at the end…you want the tops to be a bit brown)

If you’re looking for another great recipe using oats, check out my go-to overnight oats recipe.