Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal Bars

Name: Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2½ cups rolled oats or quick oats (not instant); ¼ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar); 1½ teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon salt; ½ cup mashed ripe banana; ¾ cup cooked, cooled, mashed sweet potato (if using canned sweet potato puree, reduce to ½ cup); 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ cup raisins (or to taste)

by Taesha Butler on Jul 25, 2022 (updated Nov 30, 2022)

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4.60 from 10 votes

Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal Bars the the perfect grab-and-go breakfast! Made with oats, mashed banana, cooked sweet potato, a touch of coconut sugar, egg and optional raisins, they are easy to throw together during meal prep to have on hand for a delicious, healthy breakfast on those busy mornings.

Weekday mornings are hectic. I get it. The delicate balance of schedules, making sure everyone has what they need for the day, making meals…all while keeping room for the inevitable hiccup (where did that shoe go??) that makes the morning that much more of a hustle.

Yep. We have those mornings too. And while I can’t help you organize schedules, hit the snooze button less, or help you find that lost shoe…I can help you with the meal part.

These Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal Bars are the perfect thing to make as part of your meal prep! Throw them together in 10 minutes, let them bake for 30 minutes, and you have a delicious and healthy breakfast to quickly grab on those wacky weekday mornings. Eat it in the car while sipping coffee in morning traffic or pack them in those lunch boxes for the kids (they are nut-free, so school friendly!). Made with oats and naturally sweetened with banana, cooked sweet potato, and a touch of coconut sugar, these oatmeal breakfast bars are held together with an egg and taste like you are eating an oatmeal cookie for breakfast.

Naturally gluten free when you use certified gluten free oats, these bars are also dairy-free and vegetarian. Make a batch today and store them in your fridge or freezer for when you need one most! You’ll be so grateful to have them on hand to make mornings easy, delicious, and veggie-loaded.

Dry ingredients for sweet potato banana oatmeal bars in a bowl before mixing.

Wet ingredients for Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal bars in a large mixing cup before mixing.

How to cook your sweet potato for these banana oatmeal bars.

Here are a few ways to cook up your sweet potato for these bars, but don’t forget to let it cool before adding it to the mixture!

Oven: Preheat your oven to 425℉. While the oven is preheating, wash your potatoes well and poke them 3-4 times with a sharp knife. Line a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up. Bake until fork tender, about 45 minute. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Instant Pot: Wash medium whole sweet potatoes and poke them several times with a sharp knife. Place steamer basket in your Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup water. Place sweet potatoes in the pressure cooker in a single layer. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes. Once cooking time is up, carefully quick release the pressure. Once pressure is released, carefully remove lid and use tongs to carefully remove the hot cooked sweet potatoes.

Slow Cooker: Wash your sweet potatoes really well and leave them wet. Not dripping wet, just however wet they are from washing them. The moisture will help in the cooking process. Using a knife, puncture the clean sweet potatoes skin multiple times. Arrange the sweet potatoes in your slow cooker in a single layer. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You’ll know they are done when you can easily puncture the skin of the potato with a fork.

Microwave: Wash a medium sweet potato thoroughly. Using a sharp knife, pierce the potato 3-4 times. Place the potato on microwave-safe plate or bowl and microwave for 5 minutes, turning halfway through. Test to see if your potato is fork tender. If not, continue to cook for 30 second increments until it can easily be pierced with a fork.

Wet ingredients for sweet potato banana oatmeal bars mashed together in a large measuring cup with a potato masher.

The ingredients for sweet potato banana bars in a bowl being mixed together with a wooden spoon.

Suggested Adaptations

Use applesauce instead of banana.
Replace the raisins with chocolate chips.
Omit raisins entirely!
Add in chopped nuts if nut free isn’t needed. Walnuts, slivered almonds, or pecans would be a lovely addition to these banana oatmeal bars.
Use canned sweet potato puree. Just reduce the amount of sweet potato to 1/2 cup, since the canned puree tends to hold more liquid than homemade does.
Replace the sweet potato with 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree.

How to store these oatmeal bars

Because these Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal Bars are loaded with fruit and veg, they are moister than a granola bar. They are okay on your counter top for 24 hours, but to keep them fresh longer… I suggest slicing them and storing them in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 5 days. If you stack them in a container, place a layer of parchment paper in between the layers to prevent sticking.

You can also freeze these oatmeal bars after slicing. To thaw, place on the counter overnight.

The mixture for sweet potato banana oatmeal bars in a bowl with raisins on top and a wooden spoon.

Sweet potato banana oatmeal bar mixture being spread into a prepared baking pan with a wooden spoon.

More easy veggie-loaded breakfast ideas

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Sweet potato banana oatmeal bars sliced into squares on a marble top.

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