For the highest nutritional value, pick a cereal bar that is made with whole-wheat flour and that has fruit close to the top of its ingredient list. It’s worth noting, however, that no amount of fruit juice concentrate or paste in a cereal fruit bar will be as nutritious as an actual serving of fruit with whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk. For the most calorie-efficient serving of cereal and fruit, it’s best to either enjoy it the old-fashioned way or make your own cereal bar at home.

To make a nutritious cereal fruit bar, mix puffed wheat cereal with chopped nuts, raisins and dried cherries. In a separate bowl, heat peanut butter, honey and light corn syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine the two mixtures, stirring them to blend, and then pour it all into a baking pan to bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frozen Fruit Bar
A frozen fruit bar is a great way to beat the summer heat without splurging on the calories and sugar that lurk inside ice cream treats and Popsicles. Most frozen fruit bars are already fairly low in calories. It’s easy to find a decent selection of frozen bars with 100 calories or fewer per serving. If you go for a frozen fruit bar that has no sugar added, however, your calorie consumption drops to 30 calories per serving.

Most packages will advertise that the bar is made with real fruit or is packed with fruit. These terms can be misleading, so thoroughly inspect the ingredients column. Natural fruits, not artificial sweeteners, should be among the first few on the list. Most fruit bars will be made from fruit concentrate, so look for a bar that also uses fruit puree for the highest nutritional value possible.

Making your own frozen fruit bars is simple. All you need are Popsicle molds or small paper cups, Popsicle sticks and your favorite fruit. Puree two cups of your favorite cut-up summer fruit with one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Add one or two tablespoons of water, if necessary. Pour the puree into the Popsicle molds or paper cups, insert the Popsicle sticks and freeze until solid.

Fruit and Nut Bar
Fruit and nut bars are possibly the most nutritious choices available for snacks. They provide energy without additives and are a compact, convenient way to take a bag of organic trail mix with you. Organically produced versions are the best, as they contain no preservatives and only real fruit and nuts. Registered dietitians all applaud the efficacy of fruit and nuts in lowering the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer.

You can easily make your own fruit and nut bars; as a matter of fact, the process is similar to making a cereal bar. ThatsFit.com has an easy recipe adapted from the fruit and nut bars served at Canyon Ranch in Arizona.

Toast your favorite nuts for five minutes in the oven at 325 degrees—almonds and pecans are great, heart-friendly choices—then chop them in a food processor. Add rolled oats, cinnamon and your favorite dried chopped fruits, especially cranberries, apples, raisins, and dates. Top this mixture with warmed honey and stir to bind. Spread the whole mixture into a baking sheet, roll it with a rolling pin and freeze the baking sheet for half an hour before slicing into squares.

Dried Fruit Bar
As with the other fruit bar choices, pick a dried fruit bar that has as few calories and saturated fat as possible. Also select a dried fruit bar with a main ingredient of fruit, fruit juice or fruit puree. To maximize the nutritional punch your dried fruit bar delivers, avoid flavors like apple, grape and pear, which are the least nutritious flavors. Avoid a dried fruit bar with a sweet coating like coconut, cream or chocolate—these saccharine outer shells will up the saturated fat content of an otherwise healthy fruit bar.

You can find dozens of recipes for dried fruit bars online at Cooks.com and Allrecipes.com. Some require the use of a dehydrator; others can be prepared right in your oven. The key to a fruit bar is butter, margarine or eggs, which each serve to bind the mixture. If you are vegan or avoid dairy, use a dairy-free egg substitute instead. Most recipes call for softer fruits like dates, prunes, raisins, and apricots, although the fruit you use is up to you.

Dried Fruit
Many of these bars require dried fruit. While you can dry fruit in your oven, if you’re considering implementing more dried fruit into your diet, you may want to consider a dehydrator. A food dehydrator makes quick work of sliced fruit, drying it in just a few hours. You can use a dehydrator to make fruit leather bars, fruit bars and trail mix.

You can also purchase dried fruit in your supermarket. Make sure that the fruit you purchase does not have any sugar added; if it does, omit the added sugar your recipe may call for. Ensure that all nuts you use are unsalted to avoid adding excess sodium to your fruit bars. As with most produce, organic is usually the best choice for a healthful fruit bar, but buy according to your budget. To minimize cost further, purchase fresh fruit that is in season and dry it yourself.

Fruit Bars: A Healthy Snack
Congratulations for recognizing the healthful benefits of a fruit bar over a sugary candy bar. The next step is to become a savvy consumer. Recognize that packaging can be deceiving, but the ingredients panel cannot lie. Purchase the freshest, most organic fruit bar possible and you guarantee a delicious snack that will give you the sugary satisfaction you crave without the hundreds of empty calories and preservatives.

Are You a Health Food Nut?
Lentils. Fish. Nuts. You know health food is good for you, but that doesn’t necessarily make a bland block of tofu any more appealing. Experts insist that health food is essential to your diet, but do you know why? Test your knowledge on healthy fare – from garlic to green tea – with this health food quiz.