Healthy Homemade Snacks: Homemade Granola Bars

The more my kids grow, the more they eat. Here's a well know fact among all moms: It's hard to keep those little darlings' tummies satisfied for very long and it doesn't get any easier as they grow up. But if your family is like mine, the problem with filling that need is constantly evident in your wallet. Money- or the lack there of.
Plus there is always the worry of whether it's healthy enough for your kid, right? It is a continual struggle for me to find a snack worth buying for its nutritional value but still will not burn a hole in my pocket.
So I have recently turned to homemade recipes. I find they are much healthier because I can control what goes in them and they are also much more economical. My kids LOVE them! Here is one of our new favorites. I will have to continue to add more. We have several favorites now.
(Picture to come soon)
Homemade granola bars  ( I like to double this recipe and make half with one type of mix in and the otehr half with another)
3 1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup Whole Wheat flour (or all purpose)
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 T Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups "stuff" (chocolate chips and marshmallow; raisins and applesauce and apple pieces; dried cherries and choc.chips; coconut and dried mango or other tropical fruits- the sky is the limit)

Preheat the oven to 335.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour,baking soda,and any spices you want to use.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine vanilla, oil (or applesauce), and honey.
Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir to combine.
Stir in the "stuff" you want to use. Note: If your batter seems a bit dry like it may not hold together, go ahead and add more honey. Sometimes it needs it, sometimes it doesn't, so you'll need to make that call.
Spray an edged cookie sheet or pan with cooking spray. Just like when making rice crispy treats, use a cold hand to press the mixture down very firmly. A 7x11 pan is a great size of pan to use- or two if you're doubling it.
Bake at 325 for 18-20 minutes until top is turning golden brown. Remove from oven and firmly press bars down again with a spatula. Allow to cool for only 10 minutes and then cut into bars. They are hard to cut when completely cooled.
Allow to finish cooling before removing them from the pan.
I like to individually wrap mine in wax paper or plastic wrap- whatever you have on hand. Then I stick them in a covered container to save for snack time!