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No-bake lactation energy bites

by 96 Comments

Need a boost of energy?  These no-bake lactation bites are what you need!

lactation bites

Hey friend!  I’m here today to tell you how these lactation bites saved my life.  And yes, I am being dramatic but for good reason.  (Not really.  I’m just normally dramatic.)  While we were waiting for Ryder to make his appearance I started doing some research on lactation cookies.  With my two older kiddos I wasn’t able to breastfeed very long.  Maybe a month or so with each of them.  Looking back it was lack of education on my part.  But I wanted to be prepared for the new baby so I looked into lactation cookies to help with milk supply. 

While looking through the recipes I saw a few common ingredients – brewers yeast, rolled oats and flaxseed.  (These are affiliate links to the products I used.)  I grabbed the rolled oats and flaxseed from my local grocery store but had to buy the brewers yeast on Amazon. 

easy lactation bites

 

While I was making a double batch of How Sweet Eats lactation cookies, I started thinking about post-delivery hunger.  I knew the hospital wasn’t going to let me eat anything so I wanted to pack some snacks for after the baby was born.  I had made energy bites before so I decided to toss in the milk making ingredients found in all the lactation cookies.  I made a double batch of the energy bites and left them in the fridge for snacking. 

When we were heading to the hospital I grabbed a bag of the bites and tossed them in my bag. 

homemade lactation bites

Best.. idea.. ever!  After Ryder was born I was SO HUNGRY.  I knew I couldn’t order food til I was moved to postpartum so I snacked on my bites.  They were such a life saver to have.  I recommend every new mom pack snacks in there hospital bag and these no-bake lactation energy bites were perfect.  

Also, if you are worried about the ingredients that make these bites “milky”, feel free to omit them.  They are a great snack for everyone.  And yes, they really do help with milk supply!  I eat 2 bites a day and can tell a difference when I haven’t had one. 

If you are interested, I created a nursing log printable to go along with these lactation bites. I used one for all three kiddos and it helped me see how long they nursed each day. You can grab it below.

Be sure to check out these easy lactation recipes as well! There are more yummy ways to help naturally increase your milk supply.

No-bake lactation energy bites

No-bake lactation energy bites

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons brewers yeast
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine the oats, brewers yeast and the flaxseed.
  • Mix in the honey, peanut butter, vanilla and coconut oil.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Press and roll into balls.
  • Enjoy!

    • Notes

    Will keep for up to two weeks in a sealed container in the fridge.
    Use cooking spray to coat your hands before rolling into balls.

    © Kelley Grant
    Like this recipe?  Be sure to check out:

    Kelley

    Kelley

    Hey y'all! I'm Kelley. I'm a recipe making, picture taking, coffee drinking momma to 3 crazy kiddos. Join me as I share our family favorite dinners and my copycat coffee drinks too!
    Kelley

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    2. Megan

      October 13, 2017 at 2:27 pm

      I made these! They taste great! How many should I take a day to notice an increase in my milk? Also do you have nutritional content for them?

      Reply

    3. Lauren Taylor Crespin

      October 31, 2017 at 10:04 pm

      Made these tonight and they are yummy! I got sick over the weekend and my supply slightly dropped. Hoping these help!

      Reply

    4. Lauren Williams

      November 2, 2017 at 2:28 pm

      So most moms usually call for a tablespoon PER DAT? Did you find these bites did enough with on 2 TBSP per recipe? Ty 🙂

      Reply

    5. Randi

      November 12, 2017 at 5:57 pm

      I made this recipe and loved it! The second time I made them I switched out the chocolate chips for dried cranberries and it makes for a delicious surprise!

      Reply

      • Kelley

        December 5, 2017 at 1:43 pm

        You should get close to 20 balls with the recipe. I have not used an electric mixer so I can’t say if there is a benefit. It may make them more crumbly, but that’s a guess. Hope that helps!

        Reply

      • Katharine

        October 3, 2018 at 9:54 pm

        Grocery stores don’t generally carry the brewers yeast. I found it at my local health food store. It’s cheap and it makes all the difference!?

        Reply

        • Kelley

          October 6, 2018 at 7:03 pm

          I’ve found it at bigger grocery stores down here. I think it just depends on the store. But you’re right, local health food stores are probably your best bet. Or Amazon 🙂

          Reply

    11. Lucy

      December 18, 2017 at 7:18 pm

      The smell of the brewers yeast I bought makes me want to gag. Do you think mixing it in this recipe will take my gag reflux away?

      Reply

    12. Cindy

      January 1, 2018 at 10:35 pm

      Best recipe I’ve found yet! A dear friend of mine found this recipe for me and couldn’t be more thankful! How much of a boost in your supply did you see? Also, do you know if it is possible to take too many supplements to boost supply? I as because I am taking fenugreek and brewers yeast in a vitamin supplement form also. Thanks for your help!

      Reply

      • Kelley

        January 21, 2018 at 7:27 pm

        You should be fine to take these and the additional supplements – I did when I was nursing. I don’t remember how much of a boost I saw from the bites. I just remember they helped increase it a bit.

        Reply

    13. Tina

      January 6, 2018 at 4:20 am

      Thank you SO much for the recipe! These are WONDERFUL!’I made these for my daughter today to help her with her keep up her milk supply for my new grandson and they are totally awesome! I like the dried cranberry idea someone had posted, I will totally try that in the next batch. I added about a 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to this batch as well for a little extra crunch (& the fact that nuts are good for the milk supply too is an added BONUS!). I used a cookie scoop to portion out the bites a bit better (dang OCD) and we got a good 32-33 out of them this way and still seem to be a pretty good size as well (about 3-4 bites big)!

      Reply

    14. Jenn

      January 15, 2018 at 9:43 am

      You mentioned that you consume 2 a day. Is that all at one time or do you spread it out? Meaning one in the morning and one later in the day.

      Reply

    15. Jerica

      January 15, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Have you seen an increase in your milk supply as a result of these? I bought the stuff tonight to make a giant batch (some to freeze and some to eat) but I was just wondering how effective they are at boosting supply.

      Reply

    16. Amanda

      January 16, 2018 at 8:21 pm

      Can my kids and my husband also eat them or are they just made for nursing mother’s i know it might sound like a dumb question but i just had to ask

      Reply

      • Kelley

        January 21, 2018 at 7:22 pm

        Not dumb! They can eat them with all the ingredients listed. They only help lactating mothers produce more milk – they won’t do anything for kids or husbands. 😉 They are super healthy and I hope yall enjoy!

        Reply

    19. Tina

      January 24, 2018 at 10:10 am

      These taste great! I added 1/2 tes almond extract just beacsuse I have it and it added good flavor. I missed the part about spraying hands before rolling the balls so it was a hot mess! I had to cool it in the refrigerator before trying again because it was so warm and crumbly for some reason. Still worked and taste great. Thanks for the recipe!

      I also looked up if brewers yeast had to be cooked for its benefits and it actually is better for you raw, so double score! Hope these work!

      Reply

    21. Lindsay

      February 5, 2018 at 6:25 pm

      Hi!

      I’ve been making these balls for weeks now and love them! Do you always cook your oats first or can they be raw?

      Thank you!

      Reply

      • Kelley

        February 20, 2018 at 6:10 pm

        I don’t think steel cut oats would work with this recipe. The oats need to be able to bind together. You can try quick oats though – they would work better.

        Reply

      • Kelley

        March 4, 2018 at 4:50 pm

        I haven’t tried anything else as the honey helps bind everything together. Agave or chopped dates might work as a substitute. I hope that helps!

        Reply

    24. Tamara

      March 6, 2018 at 11:40 am

      Thanks so much for this recipe!!! Our newest addition just turned 3 weeks old on Sunday. I think he’s having a growth spurt. He’s now emptying both breasts rather quickly, and appears to be cluster feeding. This recipe was perfect for me. I had most of the ingredients already, it was super quick and easy which is a lifesaver because we have three other children as well. I found the brewer’s yeast at my local Wegmans, and it’s a few dollars cheaper than Amazon. I made these this morning. I also added nuts after reading it as a suggestion in the comments, they taste grea!. I had a total of 25 balls.

      Reply

    25. Paige Golden

      March 15, 2018 at 7:11 pm

      Can I substitute peanut butter for Nutella? I don’t really like peanut butter but I will eat it if I can’t substitute lol thanks!

      Reply

    27. Matheson

      March 27, 2018 at 1:26 pm

      Is it ok to add an extra Tbsp of brewers yeast? Also do you know of flaxseed has the same effect on the milk supply as ground flax? Thank you!

      Reply

    28. Gabrielle Kiggins

      March 27, 2018 at 2:50 pm

      Hi, I’m wondering the nutrition facts for these? Particularly sugar, carbs, protein, and calories. Thanks

      Reply

    29. Ali

      April 1, 2018 at 2:30 pm

      Just made these! My son is 10 months and I’m trying to pump more and hoping to up my supply! I got debittered brewers yeast and only tasted peanut butter and chocolate! Yummy 🙂

      Reply

    30. Crystal

      April 8, 2018 at 12:22 am

      I love this recipe! I eat 2-4 bites everyday. I notice a big difference when I don’t. They are so much easier than waiting for cookies to bake and they store well in the fridge and freezer. I like to mix up thr flavor by changing up the “butter” and “chips.” I have made them with nutella, hazelnut spread, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, & cashew. I have also substituted canola oil and olive oil when i was out of coconut oil. They are quick and easy to make and have quickly become a must have for me.

      Reply

      • Kelley

        April 10, 2018 at 10:04 am

        That’s awesome Crystal! I love all the different varieties you’ve made! I think I need to try the almond butter version. Mmmm! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply

    32. Crystal

      May 1, 2018 at 8:56 am

      I was so impressed by this recipe. I made some changes to it to make it easier for me. I left out the coconut oil. Added all the ingredients into a blender with a little bit of milk. I blended it to a thick, but smooth consistency. I put some of it i a bowl and microwaved it to warm it up. Then used it as a spread on crackers, toast, and biscuits to change it up. It was delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

      Reply

    33. Alisabeth

      May 5, 2018 at 2:41 pm

      I love this recipe! I’m always super hungry during my early morning pumping sessions and these are handy to have made in advance. I added some chia seeds that I had on hand. I ran out and didn’t have any for two days. I definitely noticed a difference in supply.

      Reply

    34. Rachel Lazzari

      August 17, 2018 at 10:02 am

      These are so delicious! I’ve even served them as a snack when non-nursing friends come over and they love them. All the ingredients are so healthy and it still satisfies this nursing mama’s sweet tooth 🙂 the ingredients have become must-haves…and when I’m running low I go ahead and make another batch (or a double). Hehe. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply

      • Kelley

        August 18, 2018 at 5:29 pm

        Yes! Everything is so good for you in them! I am so happy that you like them. And they really are great for non-nursing friends as well. I pack them in the kids lunches too.

        Reply

      • Kelley

        October 23, 2018 at 1:04 pm

        The flax seed acts as binder so maybe a little more oats or a touch of flour will help. I wouldn’t add the whole 1/2 cup of flour but a little at a time until it binds together. I hope that helps! Let me know how they turn out!

        Reply

    38. Lauren

      February 20, 2019 at 9:20 am

      I was at the grocery store in a snow storm so I couldn’t be running all over town especially with my LO with me.. they didn’t have Brewers yeast so I hot nutritional yeast flakes or something.. it’s active dry yeast (same strain as Brewers) with added niacin and B12! O read that’s the reason Brewers yeast is beneficial for lactation, bc of the b vitamins! So we shall see! Also, you will need to cut back on the yeast if you’re not using actual brewers

      Reply

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