It’s back-to-school time again! Parents everywhere are getting ready to start shuttling kids to and from school and extracurricular activities. It’s no surprise then that among all the chaos, moms often don’t have a lot of time to make healthy snacks. But we know that snacks can be a great way to keep energy levels up and hunger at bay on a busy schedule. So how can we make it work?
Luckily, we have plenty of ideas for healthy snacks for adults that can be made quickly and easily.
First, we’ll talk a bit about the anatomy of a healthy snack.
Snack 101:
If you want healthy snacks that will keep you satisfied longer, there are three things to make sure you include:
Healthy fats
Protein
Fiber
Healthy fats include things like avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and nut butter. When you combine fiber, protein, and healthy fats, you’re sure to have a snack that will keep you feeling full longer so you will have the energy for the schlep across town to get your kid to soccer practice.
Some good options include:
-Nuts and seeds
-Almond butter paired with apple slices
-Hard-boiled eggs (sprinkled with salt and pepper)
-Veggie snacks like carrot sticks, celery sticks, and hummus
-Greek yogurt with fruit
-Whole grain crackers and cheese
-Popcorn with sea salt
-Cottage cheese and fruit
-Peanut butter and celery sticks
Many brands of Microwave popcorn are full of undesirable ingredients—choose from these or make your own on the stovetop with non GMO corn:
Pointers for selecting healthy pre-packaged snacks
Look for snacks that are high in protein and fiber and low in sugar.
Snacks that are high in fiber will keep you full longer and slow digestion resulting in fewer blood sugar spikes.
Avoid snacks that are high in saturated fat or trans fat.
Some saturated fat in our diets isn’t worrisome, but too much over time can impact cardiovascular health.
Trans fats are vegetable oils that are chemically altered to stay solid at room temperature, giving them a longer shelf life. Trans fats are especially problematic for cardiovascular health and should be avoided in pre-packaged foods.
Avoid or limit processed, prepackaged baked goods and fried fast foods, both of which contain trans fats that form during the frying process.
Even though trans-fats have mostly been phased out of food products in 2022, its important to check the labels on a few just to be sure.
Double check the label on the following:
Vegetable shortening
Microwave popcorn
Margarine
Vegetable oils
Baked goods
Packaged foods such as crackers and chips
Choose minimally processed snacks that don’t contain a lot of artificial sweeteners or added sugar.
Examples of added sugar include:
Brown sugar
Cane juice
Corn syrup
Dextrose
Fructose
High-fructose corn syrup
Malt syrup
Maltose
Curious about the best-tasting least processed protein bars? Here are our top picks. (these options are also gluten free)
RX Bar
Go Macro
Perfect Bar
If you have a little more time on your hands, you can also make some easy healthy snacks from scratch. Here are a few recipes to try:
Homemade Trail Mix
Ingredients:
-1 cup nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc.)
-1 cup dried fruit (raisins, apricots, dates, etc.)
-1 cup whole grain cereal or oats
-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store them in an airtight container.
- This trail mix is perfect for on-the-go snacks or an afternoon pick-me-up.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Ingredients:
-1 cup dry roasted peanuts
-1/2 cup chocolate chips
-1/4 cup honey
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined.
- Form the mixture into small balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
- Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
These energy balls are perfect when you need a quick snack or an extra energy boost.
Fruit and yogurt parfait
Instructions:
Layer plain greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola in a mason jar for a filling and satisfying snack.
Mason jars are inexpensive and make a great portable container for many snacks.
This cooler bag is an excellent option for taking snacks that need to be chilled. Throw a couple of icepacks in, and taking yogurt, cottage cheese, or cheese slices is easy.
Healthy snacks can be an important part of any diet. As you can see, snacks don’t have to be unhealthy or loaded with sugar.
There are plenty of healthy snacks that busy moms can make quickly and easily. So next time you’re headed out the door, try one of these easy snacks for moms on the go.
Many of these healthy snacks for adults are suitable for kids too!
Save even more time with our Food Hacks for Busy People!
