Dad Snacks: Fuel Your Day with Protein-Packed Beef Jerky Bars
As a busy dad, finding the right fuel to keep you energized throughout the day can be a challenge. Between work, family, and everything else life throws at you, it’s easy to reach for quick, processed snacks that don’t do much for your body. That’s why we’re kicking off our Dad Snacks series with a nutritious, protein-packed option that’s perfect for dads on the move: Homemade Beef Jerky Bars.
These bars aren’t just your average beef snack. They’re loaded with beef mince, ox heart, beef liver, and bone broth concentrate—all powerhouse ingredients that offer serious benefits for your health. If you're looking to boost your energy, muscle recovery, and overall vitality, this is the snack for you.
Why Organ Meats?
Organ meats like ox heart and beef liver are nutritional powerhouses that many of us don’t include in our diets. However, these meats are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help support your energy, health, and recovery. Here’s why they’re key ingredients in this recipe:
Beef Liver: Considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, beef liver is loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Folate, and Iron. These nutrients are essential for boosting energy levels, supporting brain function, and improving red blood cell production. For dads feeling the strain of daily life, beef liver can provide the lift your body needs to keep up.
Ox Heart: Ox heart is rich in high-quality protein and CoQ10, a compound crucial for heart health and energy production. It’s also a great source of Zinc, which supports immune function and muscle repair, making it ideal for dads trying to maintain strength and resilience.
Bone Broth Concentrate: Adding bone broth to these bars boosts their collagen content, which is great for joint health, skin, and muscle recovery. Bone broth is also a good source of amino acids, helping to repair tissues and support digestion.
Beef Mince: Alongside organ meats, beef mince provides a good source of lean protein, essential for building and repairing muscle tissue, which is vital when you’re balancing physical activity with the demands of fatherhood.
Together, these ingredients create a nutrient-dense, high-protein snack that will help you stay energized throughout the day.
The Benefits of Organ Meats for Busy Dads
As a dad juggling multiple responsibilities, proper nutrition can make the difference between feeling drained and staying productive. Including organ meats in your diet provides numerous benefits, including:
1. Boosted Energy Levels
With its high concentration of B vitamins, beef liver helps fight fatigue and supports your body’s natural energy production. You’ll notice the difference in your stamina and focus, especially during those long days when you're balancing work and family life.
2. Improved Muscle Recovery
Protein-rich ox heart and beef mince provide the amino acids necessary to repair muscle tissue after physical activity. Whether you're hitting the gym or just keeping up with the kids, you need these nutrients for effective recovery.
3. Stronger Immune Function
Beef liver and ox heart are excellent sources of Zinc, which helps bolster your immune system. For busy dads who can’t afford to be slowed down by frequent colds or illness, this is a game-changer.
4. Better Joint and Gut Health
The addition of bone broth concentrate in these bars provides collagen and essential amino acids that support joint health, which is crucial for staying active and pain-free. Bone broth also promotes healthy digestion, helping you feel more balanced overall.
Beef Jerky Bar Recipe
Ingredients:
2 kg of grass fed, pasture finished beef mince
1 ox heart - fat trimmed off
500gm of beef liver
4 teaspoons of sea salt
2 tablespoons of ground black pepper
4 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
Grab a big bowl (or, as we like to call it, the “Dad-Sized Vessel”) and toss in your mince.
Trim the fat off the heart—just the thicker bits, no need to be fancy. Slice it up, run it through your mincer, and add it to the mince.
Next up, the liver. Give it the same treatment—mince it, then mix it in with the heart and mince combo. Yeah, you’re basically a butcher now.
Add your spices and Worcestershire sauce, because flavour is life.
Glove up, Dad. Now, massage that meat/organ/spice mix like you're kneading out the stress of the day. Get everything well combined—you want this stuff mixed like a boss.
Load up the sausage gun (trust us, this is a real thing, and you can grab one for $12 at Bunnings – link HERE). Now, squirt out neat little jerky lines onto your dehydrator trays. Don’t have a dehydrator? No worries. You can dry them in the oven on the lowest temp with the door open—but seriously, consider investing in a dehydrator. It's a dad essential.
Dehydrate for 7 hours or until you hit the perfect texture: dry to the touch, easy to snap, but still soft enough to chew. (Kind of like Dad jokes—just right.)
Store your masterpiece in sealed containers and enjoy the fact that you’ve just made a snack worthy of any busy, health-conscious dad.
Nutrition Matters, Dad: Fuel Your Body to Beat Burnout
Proper nutrition isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling good and staying energized so you can show up fully for your family. These Beef Jerky Bars are the perfect snack to keep in your back pocket (literally) when you’re on the go. Not only do they fuel your body with the right nutrients, but they’re also an easy and tasty way to incorporate more organ meats into your diet.
By focusing on snacks that are high in protein and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, you’ll have the energy to beat that 3 PM slump and still have plenty left in the tank for family time.
Want More Dad Snacks?
If making these yourself feels like too much effort, we’ve got you covered! We stock the most amazing beef brisket bars from Chief Nutrition in flavors like Traditional, Chilli, Chipotle Lime, and Smoky BBQ—check them out in our online shop here!
We’re just getting started! Keep following our Dad Snacks series for more easy, nutritious recipes that’ll help you stay energized, healthy, and ready for whatever fatherhood throws your way.
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