Hi all! Staying busy means I'm all about quick meal ideas and also quick snack ideas. I like to make sure that I have a few options for on the go snacks as well. I've listed below my top ten favorite quick and healthy snack ideas.
1. Rice Cakes. Rice cakes are good when I'm not super hungry and possibly just bored because they are so low in calories. Sometimes if I am a little hungrier I'll add peanut butter for some protein. Sam's Club also has these really yummy rice rollers! Linked
here.
2. Protein/Health Bar. These are my go to snacks because they're easy to take everywhere and filing. I use to love Quest Bars but the whey bothers my stomach :( so I've had to find other bars I enjoy like Luna bars and Kind bars. Lately, I've been loving these Fig Bars!! You have to watch out for the sugar in some of the bars as it can be pretty high and then you might as well just have a candy bar, in my opinion.
3. Fruit. Another easy snack to pack for the day and it's full of nutrients. Typically, I only eat one piece of fruit per day because I don't want to have a ton of sugar even if it's healthy sugar.
4. Veggies and Dip. I really enjoy snacking on fresh carrots and celery with hummus! There are some other veggie dips out there but beware of the calories they may have.
5. Yogurt with Granola and/or Fruit. I love low fat or greek yogurt with granola or fruit for a quick, yummy snack. Again, watch the sugar here especially with some brands of granola. I actually topped my yogurt with Kashi Go Lean cereal in this picture below because it has a lot less sugar than a serving of granola.
6. 100 Calorie Nut Packs. It's easy for nuts to be a very caloric snack if you're hungry so I like the pre-packaged ones that keep my calories in check. This is the perfect small but filling snack.
7. Protein Shake. I really prefer to make these at home with fresh cashew or almond milk instead of having it on the go with water (if you can't refrigerate it). I can't have most protein powders due to the whey content but I love this vegan one below! Tastes the best out of any vegan protein powder I've tried and it's about $20 for this whole tub.
8. Veggie Straws. Every so often I just want some salt and these are pretty good. Also, they're a little better than eating traditional chips. You can buy these is smaller serving bags so you don't binge on a large bag or have to bag up some to go.
9. Cucumbers and Tomatoes in Vinegar. As weird as this sounds if you like tart or salty things, you'll love this snack. I just cut up cucumbers and tomatoes and put them in a tupperware with white vinegar then salt to taste. If you are watching your sodium intake then this probably isn't the snack for you! Plain cucumbers and tomatoes are just as delicious if you want to avoid sodium.
10. Skinny Pop Popcorn. I love the 100 calorie bags, it's the perfect small snack and the popcorn is actually really good (this is coming from a serious movie theatre popcorn lover).
I am not on any specific diet right now just trying to eat healthy and get ready for the wedding! Having these quick and healthy snacks ready to go helps me stay on track when I'm running around. There are a lot of on the go snacks out there but sometimes they are not as healthy as they advertise. Just read the labels and know what you're eating! Trail mix and dried fruit seem to be popular but those are some snacks I like to avoid because they both pack a lot of sugar. My best advice is know what your goals are, what you're eating, and be prepared so you don't find yourself hungry and slip up on your healthy eating.
xo
katie lynn