These balls will keep for about a week, in a sealed tub in the fridge. I use gluten-free rolled oats, but any oats will do (as they will be blended anyway). If you prefer to cook your oats, you can also toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes before using. I don’t add maple syrup or any additional sweetener to my energy balls. I think the dates and strawberries are sweet enough. If you have a particularly sweet tooth feel free to add a tbsp or two of maple syrup.