Healthy Snacks for Busy Days
While most days in my house consist of meals made from whole foods and fresh fruits and veggies, I’m not ashamed to admit that I sometimes need to supplement those wholesome meals with wholesome, packaged snacks and other easy-to-eat-on-the-go-goodies. Hey, sometimes the five minutes it takes to pull out your smoothie ingredients and get them blended is four minutes more than you have, you know?
So, instead of sharing my eats from one specific day, I thought I’d share some of the items that have gotten me through the past couple of weeks. (And I PROMISE to hit the grocery store and stock up tonight. I swear.)
My On-the-Go Nutrition Solutions
Clementines, bananas and almonds. These are two of the easiest fruits in the world to take on the go. I can toss them into my purse without worrying about them getting dirty (although getting smooshed remains a concern), and, best of all, I always look forward to eating them. And almonds? Well, that’s just a no brainer, right?
Justin’s Nut Butters. I have Justin’s handy dandy 1.5 oz squeeze packs in a few flavors, including some that are special treats like Vanilla Almond Butter and Chocolate Hazelnut Butter (as well as my tried and true faves, Classic and Maple Almond Butters!), and I love keeping these in my gym bag or purse. I love these even more when I have a banana on which to spread ’em, but in a pinch, I’ve been known to just snack on my nut butter plain.
Yuve. I rarely make a smoothie without adding chia seeds, but on days when I find myself running for the door at a dead sprint with no time to make a proper smoothie, I’ll grab a pack of Yuve and a bottle of ice water. Yuve is a high-protein, low cal shake mix that’s free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, dairy and soy. It’s full of chia seeds and provides fiber (which helps me feel full!), vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and all I have to do is shake it up. Oh, and it’s tasty, too — not quite a chocolate shake, but I’d say chocolate shake-adjacent.
Clif Bar. Clif often surprises me with its flavors. I mean, loving the Pumpkin Spice? That was a no brainer. But I was a little more skeptical about Nuts & Seeds — I mean, it doesn’t exactly sound exciting, does it? I was proven totally wrong on that, though — it’s got sweetness, saltiness, and a great, crunchy texture that I honestly found myself craving.
Vinia. This “biofood,” as it’s called, is red grape powder designed to provide the health benefits of red wine without the calories, sugar and alcohol. It can be mixed into just about anything or consumed directly (which I tried and … well, I don’t think I’d recommend that route, personally). I’ve tossed it into a few of my smoothies and and it doesn’t affect the taste or texture in any noticeable way, and I imagine it would stir into yogurt, oatmeal, or just about whatever food you like with ease. I can’t say I’ve specifically noticed an increase in blood flow (the primary health boost it claims), but I love the idea of getting those red wine benefits prior to happy hour. (You know, so long as I can still get them through actual wine on occasion, too!)
What do you rely on when the going gets super duper crazy busy? I love finding easy, portable, nutritious snacks, but they’ve got to taste good, too! —Kristen