Easy No-Bake Energy Balls for Hikes, Picnics & Packed Lunches

These no-bake energy balls are one of our go-to snacks for hiking, picnics, road trips or even just throwing into packed lunches. They take hardly any time to make, freeze well, and the kids love helping roll them out. You can double or triple the recipe to make a big batch and keep them on hand for whenever you're heading out on an adventure.

Ingredients

Prep time: 10 mins

• 280g pitted dates

• 65g porridge oats (small oats work best)

• 60g peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Blend the mixture: Blend the dates in a food processor until they form a sticky paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again until well combined. No food processor? Just finely chop the dates and mix everything in a bowl.

2. Adjust texture: If it’s too dry, add a little more nut butter. Too sticky? Add a few extra oats.

3. Roll into balls: Take teaspoon-sized scoops and roll into bite-sized balls. Place on greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

4. Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Once set, they can also be frozen—just grab a few from the freezer before you head out, and they’ll be ready to eat when you are.