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If you’re looking for a healthy lactation recipe to increase your breast milk supply, look no further than these hearty, delicious and slightly sweet chocolate chip lactation granola bars.
Forget lactation cookies, these lactation granola bars are where it’s at!
This lactation bar recipe is PACKED full of healthy ingredients, so you can munch on these without any guilt. These milk boosting bars are lightly sweetened with honey, pack a nutritional punch and will help fill the seemingly bottomless pit that is your nursing appetite.
There are a number of foods, herbs and spices that are said to increase milk production for nursing moms. I have tried a number of them out myself. For this recipe, I’ve included several nutrient dense foods known to increase milk production.
Oats
Oats are one of the most well-known foods to increase breast milk production. They are also easy to eat, high in fiber and filling.
Almonds
Almonds (and other nuts) are filled with healthy fats and protein that your body craves when you’re making milk for your baby. My recipe uses almond flour instead of white flour for an added boost of healthy fats.
Flax Seeds
Flax seeds or flax meal contain essential fatty acids that help give your milk supply a boost.
Brewer’s Yeast
Brewer’s yeast is a commonly used supplement to increase breast milk production. Brewers yeast is a good source of iron and vitamin B. It has a slightly bitter taste, so is best used in slightly sweet recipes (like this one!).
Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are another superfood that can help increase milk production. They are nutrient dense and full of omega-3 fatty acids.
If you’re looking for a healthy lactation recipe to increase your breast milk supply, look no further than these hearty, delicious and slightly sweet chocolate chip lactation granola bars.
Ingredients
2 cups oats
1 cup flax meal
1 cup almond flour
¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup brewers yeast
½ cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl
Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl
Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Batter will be crumbly but should be wet
Add chocolate chips
Pour into prepared pan and press into pan
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden
Notes
These are slightly crumbly, but still moist. They are best stored in the refrigerator and will keep for 3-5 days.
They also freeze well! You can store in the freezer for 3 months.
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Yummy! Here are my mods: used chia instead of hemp, added 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 9 opened and dumped Fenugreek capsules, an extra egg, used 3/4 cup chocolate chips. I made it in muffin tins (made 16) and baked for less time than instructed. They are good and I expect that they will serve their purpose! Next time I’ll try adding some Greek yogurt for more moisture.
My second time making these and they are so good! They really do help with increasing my supply! I double the chocolate chips, brewers yeast and add unsweetened coconut flakes, almond slices and dried cherries.
He Lea! Use a 9×13″ pan for these and yes, I do line with parchment paper! They freeze wonderfully, a great way to stock your freezer with healthy snacks for postpartum! I hop you love them 🙂
Hi Chelsie! Great question. Brewers yeast is not the same as regular yeast you would use for baking bread and will not give the same results in this recipe. I get Brewers yeast at Sprouts. If you can’t find it in the supplement section of your local health store, it is available online. You could leave it out and still have some milk boosting benefits with these bars, but the brewers yeast is a great milk booster!
Just tried this recipe and turned out super delicious. I replaced the almond flour with all purpose flour because I didn’t have. My question is why it is best stored in the refrigerator? And only for 4 days? I think you can keep it outside and more than a week!
Hi Muneera! I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe! I have found when I bake with almond flour, I don’t love the consistency after a day or 2 on the counter so that is why I say to store in the refrigerator. Same goes for the shelf life – In my experience, baked goods do not keep as well when they contain almond flour. However since you used all purpose I would imagine they will keep fine on the counter for longer 🙂
Doesn’t the addition of chocolate chips make it not dairy free? Did you use dark chocolate chips?
I use the Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips: https://amzn.to/3CwQPxP
These are great! I made them vegan by using a flax egg and a mix of agave and maple syrup instead of honey. Not too sweet and held together well!
I also used half rolled oats and half quick oats!
How many servings per recipe?
I get about 16 bars, but it depends on how large you cut them.
What can I use to substitute egg?
I haven’t made this without egg before, but you could try a flax egg as a substitute.
Yummy! Here are my mods: used chia instead of hemp, added 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 9 opened and dumped Fenugreek capsules, an extra egg, used 3/4 cup chocolate chips. I made it in muffin tins (made 16) and baked for less time than instructed. They are good and I expect that they will serve their purpose! Next time I’ll try adding some Greek yogurt for more moisture.
Yum! Did the fenugreek add any bitterness to the overall taste?? That’s a great addition to boost supply!
My second time making these and they are so good! They really do help with increasing my supply! I double the chocolate chips, brewers yeast and add unsweetened coconut flakes, almond slices and dried cherries.
Yay! so glad to hear you love these! Love your additions too – sounds delicious!
Can hemp seeds be subbed for chia seeds?
Yes, they can! This recipe is super flexible, I’ve used hemp instead of chia and it turned out great.
(and sorry for the late response!)
Thanks for the recipe! Can the almond flour be substituted with wheat flour or all purpose flour? I can find almond flour where I live.
Thanks!
Hi Nora, I have heard from others that wheat or all purpose subs well in this recipe, but I have not made it that way myself.
Thank you so much for the recipe! I tried it yesterday, it is delicious and increase my milk production almost instantly, I can’t believe it 🙂
I’m so glad to hear you like the bars Barbara!! They really are delicious, and I’m so happy they worked for you 🙂
Looking forward to trying these! Love that you can freeze them. What size pan do you use? Do you line it with parchment paper?
He Lea! Use a 9×13″ pan for these and yes, I do line with parchment paper! They freeze wonderfully, a great way to stock your freezer with healthy snacks for postpartum! I hop you love them 🙂
Hi! Just a question! Can you substitute regular yeast for the brewers yeast? Can’t wait to try these!
Hi Chelsie! Great question. Brewers yeast is not the same as regular yeast you would use for baking bread and will not give the same results in this recipe. I get Brewers yeast at Sprouts. If you can’t find it in the supplement section of your local health store, it is available online. You could leave it out and still have some milk boosting benefits with these bars, but the brewers yeast is a great milk booster!
These give my milk a real boost! I switched the almond flour with oat flour. Thanks for this great recipe .
I’m so glad to hear they work for you! Oat flour sounds like a great sub. Thanks so much for the feedback 🙂
thanks for a great post
Just tried this recipe and turned out super delicious. I replaced the almond flour with all purpose flour because I didn’t have. My question is why it is best stored in the refrigerator? And only for 4 days? I think you can keep it outside and more than a week!
Hi Muneera! I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe! I have found when I bake with almond flour, I don’t love the consistency after a day or 2 on the counter so that is why I say to store in the refrigerator. Same goes for the shelf life – In my experience, baked goods do not keep as well when they contain almond flour. However since you used all purpose I would imagine they will keep fine on the counter for longer 🙂