My husband and I are working on buying our first house. So far we have done a ton of research, taken carloads of stuff that we don’t want to move to Goodwill and pulled way back on our spending in order to save every extra penny for this giant purchase.

One way we’re tightening our budget is by focusing on our food expenses. I’ve given up $4 cups of pour over coffee, and my husband is taking his lunch to work most days. We're focusing on meal planning, reducing waste and eating less meat.

I’m also trying to make a few snack-y convenience foods to replace the ones I might otherwise buy while I’m out running errands, which is how Trisha Yearwood’s Power Balls came into my life.

Over the years, I’ve made a handful of different homemade bars and balls, each to varying levels of success. Oven-baked bars have the benefit of holding together well, but they are often so crunchy that they’re hard to eat without making a mess. Balls bound with pureed dates fall into crumbs at the slightest provocation.

But a ball that is mostly oats and sunflower seeds, held together with generous portions of honey and peanut butter? That seemed more promising.

Luckily, my instincts were correct. Once pressed together, these balls hold their form nicely (though they do store best in the fridge or freezer) and when stashed in a small container, they travel well. Mix up a batch as your Weekender!