Do you eat in your car? Specifically do you eat while driving? I rarely do. Usually it is only sipping on water or coffee. I think my aversion to eating in the car comes from two things. One being there was no way my parents would allow any food consumption in their vehicles. It’s the way I was raised. The other is I make a total mess. Even with these Sunflower Seed Oatmeal Bars I wound up with seeds, chocolate chips, and crumbs on my lap.
Next time the bars will stay in the container. Well, until I arrive at my destination. I’ll be taking them to potlucks, parties, or as a surprise gift to a friend. They travel well. In fact, the original recipe came from a section in a cookbook for treats to make and ship. Of course I had to put my own touch on the recipe. And I bookmarked the section so I could later refer to the tips for packing up and mailing cookies or bars.
What are some of those tips? Coffee cans, tins, or shoe boxes are good containers to use. How neat it would be to use antique ones for collector friends. Place two cookies back to back and wrap them with plastic wrap. Make sure cookies and bars are completely cool prior to packing. Pack them as tight as possible without crushing and fill spaces with crumpled foil or plastic wrap. Then place that container in a larger box and cushion it on all sides with packing materials.
How are the Sunflower Seed Oatmeal Bars? They have a slight caramel or molasses flavor from brown sugar. Oats and coconut flakes are combined with flour, butter, and egg to make the base. There’s a little vanilla in the mix too. Chocolate chips and sunflower seeds are scattered about on top. Use salted sunflower kernels if you enjoy a salty/sweet combo.
Transporting food can be easy to do. All you need is recipes and tips for food that travels well. Where to find them? All you have to do is scroll down and there is a handy list. Sunday Supper tastemakers have come together to share ones to make to for taking on the road or shipping. Take a look at vegetable salad for a savory side to take to potlucks or picnics. Special thanks to Marion of Life Tastes Good and Coleen of The Redhead Baker for hosting this event.
Sunflower Seed Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease and line a 13- X 9- X 2-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
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Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.
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Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until combined.
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Stir in oats and coconut.
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Press mixture evenly in prepared pan.
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Sprinkle chocolate chips and sunflower kernels on top.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
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Cool completely and cut into bars.
Recipe Notes
Sunflower Seed Oatmeal Bars are loaded with oats and coconut and topped with chocolate chips and salted sunflower seed kernels. Great for snacks and treats.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living 1983 Annual Recipes cookbook (no longer in print).
Are you going on a road trip or to a potluck? Take a look at these recipes for food that travels well by Sunday Supper tastemakers:
Adventurous Appetizers
- Bacon Cheeseburger Dip by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Spicy Pimento Cheese by Food Lust People Love
Destination Desserts
- Almond Flour Brownies by Recipe for Perfection
- Cherry Blueberry Pie by Pies and Plots
- Cherry Pound Cake with Lime Glaze by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Classic Carrot Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- No Bake Banana Pie in a Jar by Our Good Life
- No Bake Millionaire Shortbread Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Oatmeal Raisin Banana Bars by What Smells So Good?
Mains in Motion
- BBQ Chicken On The Grill To Go by Family Foodie
- Chicken Salad Skewers by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Cobb Salad in a Jar by Life Tastes Good
- Farro with Eggplant and Tomato by Cooking Chat
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Mexican Breakfast Casserole by Simply Healthy Family
- Pan Bagnat (Provençal Tuna Sandwich) by Curious Cuisiniere
- Pastitsio – Greek Pasta and Lamb Casserole by Food Done Light
- Roasted Vegetable Tart by Adventures in All Things Food
- Smoked Baby Back Ribs by The Freshman Cook
- Spinach Pie by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Vegan SuperFood Bowl by Sustainable Dad
Sightseeing Sides
- Grilled Corn, Bean & Radish Salad by Feeding Big
- Heirloom Tomato Salsa by Nosh My Way
- Parmesan Pasta Salad by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Pomodoro Fresco Pasta Salad by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
Traveling Treats
- Cherry Crumble No-Bake Energy Bars by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins by Caroline’s Cooking
- Energy Balls by Noshing With The Nolands
- Sunflower Seed Oatmeal Bars by Magnolia Days
More Tips
- 5 Comfort Food Tips by Sunday Supper Movement
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
[email protected] says
July 5, 2015 at 2:09 amGreat packing tips. Madison LOVES sunflower seeds. These would be perfect to make for her as a surprise. Thanks for sharing!
Alida says
July 5, 2015 at 8:26 amI am always looking for new recipes using sunflower seeds since we have nut allergies at our house. I can’t wait to make these tasty-looking bars!
Family Foodie says
July 5, 2015 at 8:29 amThese look amazing. My boys will love them.
David @ CookingChat says
July 5, 2015 at 8:43 amThese look good! something I tend to buy as opposed to make but this could inspire me to do it myself.
Cynthia L says
July 5, 2015 at 9:04 amI always have a bag of sunflower seeds in my home. They are so great for snacking and salads. Now I have new reason to love them.
Shelby says
July 5, 2015 at 9:04 amThe moment I saw this photo in the round up I knew I was going to be looking forward to your recipe. I’m going to make these for our family reunion! They look yummy and I love how they are something different!
Christie says
July 5, 2015 at 11:28 amI am always munchy in a car. This is the perfect snack to take along.
Chris Baccus says
July 5, 2015 at 11:42 amSunflower seeds are so good. Will have to use them this way next time! Travel or no travel.
Tara says
July 5, 2015 at 2:05 pmMy daughter eats in the car as I think she would die from that 5 min. ride home after school if she wasn’t pounding the rest of her lunch box into her. If it is empty I get a text “bring food”. I have given up on that battle years ago. If she is hungry she needs to eat and NOW! She would love these bars and for road trips we pack food for the long hauls. These are a must try.
Hezzi-D says
July 5, 2015 at 3:05 pmThese look like the perfect snack anytime. Love everything in them!
Caroline | carolinescooking says
July 5, 2015 at 3:17 pmThese look great and sound nice and easy to make. Love the packing tips too!
Laura Dembowski says
July 5, 2015 at 4:14 pmI used to eat in the car all the time, but now I try not to. I enjoy the time to just relax and sing too loudly to music 🙂 I’m always looking for a new twist on granola bars and this is so it!
[email protected] Freshman Cook says
July 5, 2015 at 7:40 pmThese look great and sound amazing. I don’t like to eat in my car either. except on very long road trips.
Shaina says
July 5, 2015 at 7:54 pmThese sound delicious! Great for keeping in your purse during a long day.
Liz says
July 5, 2015 at 9:26 pmOatmeal, coconut, sunflower seeds??? I’d be all over these delicious bars!
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
July 5, 2015 at 9:38 pmI love bars like these for snacks. Hopefully I’ll have a crop of sunflower seed to make a batch!
Sarah Reid, CNP (@jo_jo_ba) says
July 6, 2015 at 6:53 amKnowing us, these would never make it to the destination – they’d be completely eaten on route!
Terri Oliver Steffes says
July 6, 2015 at 10:05 amLOL, I travel a lot for work so eating in the car has to be done but you are right, it is a mess. I think these bars look so good! Thanks for stopping by my blog, banana pie in a jar!
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
July 6, 2015 at 10:22 amThese are definitely a treat that is right up my alley. I am drooling here.
Mary Ellen says
July 6, 2015 at 8:58 pmThese look delicious Renee! I think they’d be a great hit wherever you took them. My parents didn’t let us eat in the car either growing up.
Teresa says
July 7, 2015 at 7:49 amThanks for this recipe, Renee. Had everything on hand so I made them yesterday. If I make them again I’ll try pressing the chocolate chips into the dough after sprinkling them on, and/or may reduce the amount of sunflower seeds. Too many chocolate chips didn’t adhere, and fell off while cutting. It probably would have helped to follow the order given in the recipe as the chips might’ve adhered just fine if I’d put them down before the sunflower seeds. Oops.
Renee says
July 7, 2015 at 8:14 amYes, sprinkling the chocolate chips on first definitely helps. I didn’t have any to fall off. The amount of sunflower seeds is something that can be adjusted to taste. I really enjoy them and so I loaded them on. I hope they do better for you next time.
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
July 7, 2015 at 3:50 pmThese bars look so good! There’s no way they would make it to our destination still in their container!