Remember a while back, I was so thrilled to have made two batches of granola bars in two days? I felt SO happy with my motivation, and with the result of my efforts. Yesterday, I made a double batch of granola bars for a family gathering, and they look SO good!
One batch is made with craisins, and the other has dairy-free chocolate chips and stars 🙂 Because sprinkles always win with kids. And with me.
You may or may not know, but I’m not very brave in the kitchen. If I bomb a recipe, I don’t usually try again. I get discouraged very easily in the world of cooking and baking. I have not messed up these granola bars once, and I’ve felt pretty proud of that. I know, in the world of making food, granola bars aren’t very challenging, but the whole world of making food is challenging to me, so I count it a success.
I’ve been feeling pretty good about these things, and have stopped buying other granola bars for the most part. Today, Brady and I priced things out to see if they’re saving us a bunch of money. I was hopeful I could be extra proud of that. Maaaybe even make really cool ones and maaaaybe try to sell them, even.
I was so discouraged to learn that I’m really not saving us any money at all :/ They’re not costing extra, but its pretty on par with what you’d buy in a store. And for whatever reason, that REALLY bums me out. I know its not all about the cost, but I want so badly to find little ways to save, and I thought this was one of them.
Brady is one of my biggest supporters, obviously. It helps, too, that he really likes these bars! He encouraged me that these are healthier than what we’d get in a store, and I reminded him that they have unhealthy stuff in them, just like everything else. He actually made his way over to the pantry and pulled out a box of those yummy Nature Valley granola bars we found on sale, and use when I fall behind in making the bars myself. He started to read through the ingredients. My granola bars may not be the healthiest ones on the market, but we did have a laugh struggling our way through the ingredients list on our sweet and salty bars. Not to say we’ll never eat those monsters, because we will, because they’re good. But it made me feel a bit better about the ones I make, too.
I also need to remember that making my own granola bars has provided me with other things. They’re a dairy-free option for Rowan. They have flax and bran in them for Solomon, and everyone else, too. They were a teaching opportunity with Laela a few times this Spring. They made me feel confident, too.
I may never sell them, and they may never be a big deal to anyone else, but I’m happy I make them for my family 🙂 Small victories.