Don't Toss Out Those Used Coffee Grounds — Turn Them Into A Healthy Snack Instead

For years, we've heard about the benefits of putting used coffee grounds in the garden. That evolved to not tossing out used coffee grounds when you could use them to keep cooking odors at bay. This led to inventive uses for your pressed Arabica as a cooking ingredient, including putting used coffee grounds on roasted veggies for extra flavor. Then used coffee grounds went viral as a granola ingredient, which has naturally progressed to including them in granola bars. 

Why are they trending? For starters, it's yet another way to use coffee grounds rather than adding them to landfill. Also, they add a deep mocha flavor and touch of bitterness to your homemade granola bars, which gives them more complexity than what you'll find in a grocery store offering, especially if store-bought brands are too sweet for your palate. Plus, there's the added bonus of incorporating more antioxidants into your healthy snack: According to a 2013 study by the American Chemical Society, used grounds are a great source.

For a healthy recipe that you can zhuzh up with coffee grounds, try this nutty granola bar as a base. When combining the dry ingredients together, add 3 tablespoons of dried ground coffee. Prepare everything else the same, but expect a more complex end flavor. You can also adapt this recipe with your favorite granola-bar ingredients, such as dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.

There are a few things to keep in mind to master this coffee-spiked granola bar trend. Recipes online use dried or wet grounds. If you're not using the grounds right away, keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you use them to avoid the grounds going moldy, which can happen if left out. Or dry them for future use by baking in the oven on its lowest setting. Spread the grounds out in a thin, even layer and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, with a stir halfway through to ensure even drying. Once done, allow to cool, then store in an airtight container for future use.

Used coffee grounds still have a moderate amount of caffeine in them. So if you love the idea of adding roasted depth to your granola bars but don't want a caffeine kick, or want to serve them as an afterschool snack but don't need the kids bouncing off the walls, use decaffeinated grounds instead.

To store granola bars, keep them in an air-tight container for up to a week. To extend the life of these buzz-worthy bars, individually wrap in wax paper and secure with a small piece of tape. Or store in the fridge or freezer, and allow a few hours to defrost at room temp. And then enjoy this coffee-meets-granola snack you can carry in your hand. No mug, bowl, or spoon required.

For a chocolate-topped version of coffee ground-infused granola bars, check out this easy recipe, which uses fresh ground coffee, but spent grounds will work just as well.