The Goldilocks Kitchen

The BEST food blog for EASY wholesome, rustic, country recipes and Southwestern recipes!

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipe Box
    • Weeknight dinner
    • Slow cooker
    • Dessert
    • Bread
  • Cookbook
You are here: Home / Sides / Switching Raisins for Dates makes ‘Ants on a Log’ 10 times better

August 23, 2016 By Emily

Switching Raisins for Dates makes ‘Ants on a Log’ 10 times better

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

So, you’re out on a group date. Someone wants to take a selfie with everyone and you all sit down on a nearby fallen tree…wait, what!? I’m not talking that kind of dates on a log. (I couldn’t resist hahaha! Please don’t quit reading my blog.) I’m talking a recipe for celery sticks smothered in peanut butter and sprinkled with sweet, mild, dates! (As in the fruit.) A simple and delicious variation of the classic lunch box recipe for Ants on a Log.

Celery sticks made into Ants on a Log, substituting dried dates for raisins. Colorful carrots and whole dates can be seen in the background.


Personally, I’ve been making my ants on a log with dates instead of raisins for years. Ever since I learned about the nutritional value of dates. My kids just gobble these celery sticks up! I know it’s a healthy snack and it makes me feel like a good parent to see my kids eat healthy!

A closeup picture of a celery stick with leaves still attached at one end, filled with peanut butter and dried dates to make Ants on a Log.

I find that I prefer the more mild-tasting dates to top my celery instead of raisins. They’re also great if you’re trying to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Dates are much higher in fiber and lower in sodium than raisins. Dates have lots of other great nutritional value, plus some benefits I was surprised to learn about! You can learn more here.

Looking down on an array of celery filled with peanut butter and dates to make Ants on a Log.

Along with adding sticks to lunch boxes, this recipe for Dates on a Log could be a great party appetizer, after school snack, or picnic treat. Have issues with peanut butter? No problem, just substitute sunflower butter instead of peanut butter. We do it all the time just because Sunflower butter is so yummy!

 

Green celery filled with peanut butter and dried date pieces.

Not sure where to find chopped dates? Sunsweet sells bright yellow 8 oz packages next to the raisins in just about any grocery store. They also sell bags of whole pitted dates. If you accidentally grab this one by mistake, just run the whole dates in your food processor for a few pulses and you have chopped dates you can empty right back into the bag. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. So try this little variation of dates on a log today! It’s a tasty snack that I think you’ll love and your healthy kids will love too.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Dates on a Log


  • Author: Emily
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 14-18 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

This recipe variation for ants on a log will be a new favorite hack for a back to school treat or a healthy snack.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bunch of celery
  • 1 jar of peanut butter
  • 1 8 oz bag of chopped dates

Instructions

  1. Wash, dry, and chop celery sticks in half.
  2. Spread peanut butter inside each celery stick, and top with chopped dates. Serve and smile.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: side
  • Cuisine: American

Star Ratings give me Warm Fuzzies!

Support The Goldilocks Kitchen by simply giving this recipe a star rating in the comments section! Your comments and star ratings are greatly appreciated by me AND the Google Algorithm. Thank you!

 

  • Jacks Links Jerky
    Jacks Links Jerky makes The Best snack!
  • Easy-Peel Boiled Eggs
  • Bacon Guacamole
    Bacon Green Chile Guacamole
Like this snack idea? Try Jacks Links Jerky, Easy-Peel Boiled Eggs, or Bacon Green Chile Guacamole!

Filed Under: Sides Tagged With: celery, dates, Healthy, peanut butter, school, snack

« Rocky Road No Bake Cookies
Corned Beef Hash Huevos Rancheros »

Comments

  1. Rumiel Daymiel says

    May 24, 2019 at 7:21 am

    Great recipes, healthy and delicious.

  2. sellyourbags says

    January 23, 2020 at 8:46 pm

    amazing recipe!

    can you do a blog on bags? would love that!

logo
Food Advertisements by

Hi there!

Thanks for stopping by The Goldilocks Kitchen, the place for wholesome, rustic and foolproof country recipes. Enriching lives one great recipe at a time. Meet Emily...

Food Blogger Pro: Video training and blogger community helping you to start your food blog.

You might also like

Weeknight Taco Soup

Chocolate Cinnamon Bear Cookies

Tapioca Pudding Brûlée

Simple and Delicious Oven Fries

Simple and Delicious Oven Baked Fries

Breakfast Omelet of Champions - The Goldilocks Kitchen

Healthy Start Omelet

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in · Privacy Policy