Peach-Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These Peach-Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast that feels more like dessert. Sweet, juicy antioxidant-rich peaches are nestled between warm spice-infused oat layers that are chewy and wholesome and become slightly caramelized around the edges. Bake these the night before and package into individual servings so they’re ready to go in the morning. Pair with a yogurt cup for a complete breakfast that will energize your morning. Keep reading for our expert tips, including what types of peaches work best.  

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Peach-oatmeal bars are more flavorful when made with fresh, ripe peaches. However, if this stone fruit is not in season, you can achieve excellent results using peach preserves or jam and skip making the peach mixture in Step 1. 
• Cooking the peaches adds an extra layer of depth and sweetness and ensures a better consistency. This way, the bars are less likely to crumble.
• You can easily transform these breakfast bars into dessert bars by adding a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Nutrition Notes

• Peaches are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins A and C to boost your immunity and give your skin a healthy glow. The potassium in peaches helps support your blood pressure. 
• Oats add to the fiber content of these bars, which provides food for your beneficial gut bacteria. Regularly eating oats has been linked with healthy cholesterol levels, and the complex carbohydrates in oats provide your brain with fuel to help you focus. While oats are naturally gluten-free, they can sometimes be contaminated with gluten during processing. If you’re gluten intolerant or allergic, be sure to select certified gluten-free oats.
• Eggs act as a binder for these bars, and, along with the milk, bring in some protein to add to the plant protein in the oats and chia seeds. Egg yolks are also a source of vitamin D and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which contribute to healthy vision.
• Chia seeds are tiny, yet mighty, packages of healthy fats, fiber and plant protein. Chia seeds are one of the few plant-based sources of omega-3s, which are brain- and heart-healthy fats that have been linked with lower rates of heart disease and dementia.