Aug037 Great Healthy Snacks For When You’re On The Go
Eating healthy is simple, but sometimes requires a bit of planning. What happens when you are swamped with work or personal matters, but still want to properly fuel your body? Well, the best option is to meal prep in advance, as you can always pack your meals and that negates this whole problem.
Even still, sometimes life gets in the way. So what do you do? Do you resort to fast food drive-thru?
Here’s a better option: pack some healthy snacks next time you think you’re going to be busy. It’s quicker than meal prepping, and healthier than most fast food drive-thru chains. You might be wondering what some good options are; fear not, dear reader, for in this post we’re going to go over 7 great snacks that you can eat while on the go. These tasty treats are on this list for the nutrients they provide, and the ingredients that they consist of.
But First: What Are We Looking For in a Snack?
What makes a snack “healthy”? Many companies make a product look “healthy” by creating a package that exhumes a healthy and fresh image. Often, though, those products are full of sugars, sodium, extra calories, or other things that you might want otherwise want to cut down on. For a healthy snack, we look for minimally processed products, and also products that have protein, fiber, and other nutrients that are going to keep you fuller for longer while your on the go.
#1 Fruits, Veggies, and Nuts
First, these snacks take the top spot, I know, they’re boring, but they are going to be the healthiest on this list. Things like apples, bananas, carrots, almonds, etc.
You could eat them plain, or combine them for something a bit more exciting. Check out some recipe ideas below:
- fruit medleys
- nut and fruit mixes
- apples and nut butter
- carrots and hummus
- banana ice cream! (just blended frozen bananas, nothing fancy)
It just depends on the type of activity you plan to be busy with, so plan accordingly.
#2 Overnight Oats
Like cereal, but looking for something a bit healthier? Throw some oats, fruit, and milk into a container and set it in the fridge overnight. Boom! The next day you’ll have some overnight oats ready for you, no cooking required. Because they sat in the fridge overnight, the oats had time to soak up all the milk.
Want something even simpler? You could even buy these oats pre-made. One brand I really like is called Mush Overnight Oats. These are great little pre-packaged oatmeal containers that come in a variety of flavors, and they have 7 or fewer ingredients, so it’s minimally processed. They are also made with dairy-free milk, so lactose intolerant people need not fret. For the size, it packs a decent punch of certain vitamins and minerals, protein, and fiber.
#3 Protein Bars
This is an obvious one, as protein bars are a go-to-snack for most people who are health conscious. There are many protein bars out there, but not all are equal. Many of the mass bars out there are full of sugar, and other processed junk. For healthier options, check out these bars below:
- Jimmy! Clean Protein Bar: This is a tasty protein bar that I actually had just found out about. It’s minimally processed, and actually tastes good (none of that chalky protein taste)
- RX bars: clients at H4 know that we like these! The ingredients are simple, only consisting of a handful of regular food ingredients.
- GoMacro bars: These bars are another minimally processed bar, and offer a decent amount of protein and some quality calories for some energy.
- Go Raw Sprouted Pumpkin Seed bars: These little bars don’t truly count as a protein bar, but besides the 9 grams of protein, they offer a host of other helpful nutrients. They have omega 3s from the flax seed, a good amount of fiber, and low sugar.
#4 Jerky
Jerky might not seem like the healthiest option for a quick snack, and I would mostly agree. Most jerky has insanely high amounts of sodium, as the salt is what preserves the meat. But nowadays, as people are becoming more health conscious, companies are listening. There are a variety of healthy options for some tasty jerky. One brand that is great for that is Epic Jerky, since they offer lower sodium options for their jerky. They have beef, lamb, turkey, chicken, bison, and more flavors. For you meat lovers out there, this one is for you!
#5 Boiled Eggs
While your traveling companion might loathe you for it, boiled eggs are a great option for a quick high protein snack. You can easily make these the night before, store them in the fridge, and have them ready for your busy days. Good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
#6 Puffed Rice Cake
These are a pretty low calorie food, and are often eaten as a healthy snack. While they may not provide much in the way of nutrients, they are a great snack to curb that crunchy-sweet urge. Top them with fruit or nut butter and you have a decent little dessert!
# Nut Butters (Or Nut Free)
Nut butters are usually eaten in conjunction with other foods, so that’s why I’ve listed them here. While you could just grab a jar and spoon bites out of the container, it’s not recommended; nut butters are high calorie, and if you’re looking for weight loss, it might be best to use sparingly. Use them in a sandwich with banana, or as a dipping for fruit. Peanut butter is a great option, but you’d be missing out on all the great flavors if you didn’t experiment. Take a look at these options:
- cashew butter
- almond butter
- pecan butter
- hazelnut butter
- half-and-half butters
Need some nut-free options? Try sweet potato butter, coconut butter, or even sesame butter. The options are endless, you just have to be on the look out! A favorite of mine is pecan butter, which is a very rich nut butter.
Wrap Up
At the end of the day, there are so many options for healthy snacks. These are just some ideas that we like at H4, but there are plenty of options out there, just make sure you are looking at the nutrition labels on the back if it’s a pre-made product. Even if you’re living a busy lifestyle, there are countless options to help you stay healthy along the way!