Easy and great tasting snacks to take to work with you or for Back to School
1. Hummus and veggies.
Hummus is quick and easy to make if you have a food processor. To jazz it up, add in roasted peppers from a jar or roasted beets or sundried tomatoes. Pack it in a small container and take along some cut up veggies (buy pre-cut at the store to make it even easier) and throw in some seed crackers. (I like “Mary’s Gone Crackers” brand). Hummus also freezes well. Pour into individual containers and store in freezer.
2. Lettuce wrap:
Turkey or chicken rolled up in a lettuce leaf. Add in some sprouts, cut up tomato and cucumber. Anything that can go in-between 2 slices of bread can go into a lettuce wrap I say!
3. Popcorn.
Cook it on the stove in coconut oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and take a baggie of it to work with you. Sprinkle on nutritional yeast for a B vitamin and protein boost.
4. Nuts and seeds:
My all-time favorite snack! It is easy-just portion control it into small Ziploc baggies to take with you (since it is easy to over- do it on the nuts). They are a great source of fat and protein to keep you fueled for the day. Mix in a blend of nuts and seeds. Choose raw and preferably from stores that keep their nuts and seeds in the refrigerator section of the store.
5. Greek yogurt (or goat milk or coconut yogurt):
Toss in a tablespoon of granola or raisins if you want. Read labels. Many yogurts are loaded with sugar. Choose ones that have more protein than sugar per serving if you can find it-not always easy. I like Maple Hill 100% grass fed whole milk Greek yogurt. It does have 14 g. of sugar and 11 grams of protein in the vanilla flavor. So this is a bit higher than I would like (of sugar contents) but if you are active and don’t eat processed foods you should be fine with this one.
6. Homemade protein bars:
They are easy to make. Make a large batch of them and store in the freezer so that you have them on hand when you need them. I have my favorite “energy bar” recipe but you can do a search and find many recipes. I like ones that contain nuts and seeds, that are gluten and dairy free and low in sugar. (or try Epic Paleo bars or Kind brand bars)
7. Beef Jerky:
A great protein rich snack and low in calories too. Read labels as many are filled with preservatives, MSG and other ingredients that we do not need to be putting into our bodies. I like “Nick’s Sticks”, “Mission Meats Graze Sticks” and “New Primal Grass Fed Jerky”
8.Hard boiled eggs:
Add some salt and pepper and eat away!
9. Fruit and cheese:
Choose raw organic cheese (if you know you do not have a dairy sensitivity or lactose issue) and 1 cup of berries of one piece of fruit such as an apple. If you can’t have dairy, have fruit with 1 tablespoon of nut butter instead such as almond or cashew butter.
10. Celery with peanut butter and raisins:
Remember that one when you were a kid? It still makes a great snack for adults too!
Make your own pesto, salsa or hummus to avoid all the additives or at least choose organic brands
Karen Brennan, MSW, CNC and owner of Tru Foods Nutrition Services, LLC believes in food first in order to take control of your health. For more nutrition information, visit her site at www.trufoodsnutrition.com
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