This morning mother stepped onto the weighing scale and instantly decides to go on a diet; having a bowl of veggies or a platter of sprouted salad. All that goes in vain due to busy routine and time constrain.

Different individual in the family with different problems and diet requirements and cereal bar is answer to all those problems. Cereal bar is that magic bullet that will allow you to tailor it according to your needs. Whether it is for trim belly of mummy or for the craving of gym freak or for a mid- session munch of corporate professional, cereal bar is a solution for all.

Since its inception, cereal bars have been an issue of chaos. Some pose it as multitude of calories, some as secret to good health, while some as deceiving temptress. Cereal bar indeed is an instant and tasty snack which can be made to suit our requirements accordingly. It is probably the only food product which allows high degree of experimentation with it. The ease of preparation makes cereal bar an instant rage for those who are juggling between responsibilities and yearning to maintain healthy lifestyle.

Among cereal bars, granola bars are popular ones which usually consist of rolled oats, puffed rice, nuts, honey and dry fruits.  For preparing cereal bar we can select any bizarre combination of ingredients to suit our requirement and taste. In preparation of cereal bars puffed rice remains base material. Rolled oats have become popular choice for base material along with rice puffs due to its exceptional health benefits. Jaggery and honey are used for binding to give shape to cereal bar. Raisins, prunes, dates, dried figs are popular dry fruits being added and are good source of fibre, minerals and antioxidants. They help in maintaining good digestive health, nutrition and prevent diseases.

When cereal bars are targeted for attaining lean body, one can go for addition of wheat bran in the cereal bar, whereas for perfectly chiselled body and for gaining weight, nuts and sesame seeds are added. Millets like ragi can also be used in the preparation of cereal bar due to its high energy and nutritional value with regard to protein and mineral content as compared to other cereals. They can be used by toasting or puffing.

“A Making cereal bar is piece of cake”

· Toast rolled oats and other cereals

· Mix with rice puffs and dry fruits

·Addition of wheat bran or roasted nuts

to suit your requirements

·Addition of jaggery syrup of medium

thickness

·Setting in greased moulds and pressing

using butter paper

· Baking at 160 degree Celsius for 20

minutes

· Cooling and de-moulding

· Alternatively you can mix all the ingredients in thick hot jaggery syrup and set in greased moulds followed by refrigeration for 20-30 minutes.

You can spice it up by adding cinnamon/ cardamom or nutmeg powder.

So keep your magic bullet for fitness in your pocket, handy, everywhere!

 -Prashant Sahni

( Food Technologist)