Healthy Packaged Snacks
By Marci Lutsky
How are you New Year’s resolutions going? Was one of them to eat better? If so, smart snacking is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy diet. I eat breakfast around 7am and lunch around 12 pm. I can not go all morning without a snack. Most of the time I am busy and on the go so I always have healthy snacks in my bag. If I don’t, I make unhealthy choices and then get off track. I don’t always have time to cut up apples or peel hard boiled eggs (my two favorite snacks) so I need good options available as I’m running out the door. They need to be small, full of good ingredients and a balanced amount of calories and fat for a snack. Here are some of my favorites.
A few years ago I discovered Health Warrior Chia Bars. Here is what I love about them. They are 100 calories, packed with chia seeds and are so tasty. My daughter also loves them. Her favorite flavor is acai and my favorite is apple cinnamon. These bars completely satisfy my hunger mid-morning and help me get through until lunch. Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants and are high in protein.
If you grew up enjoying Fig Newtons, you will love Fig Bars. I bought a variety pack recently and all of the flavors are delicious including blueberry, lemon and apricot. Each package contains two stone ground whole wheat bars and each bar is 110 calories. These bars are vegan and contain no artificial flavors or colors.
Another favorite brand is called Made Good. They make granola bars and granola bites. The nice thing about Made Good products is that they are free of allergens like dairy and nuts. If you or your kids are around people with allergies, you can feel good having these without putting anyone in danger. My kids like the strawberry granola bites and I like the banana chocolate granola bites. The package is small and can usually be found in my bag.
We do a lot of outdoor activities which require a good amount of fuel for our bodies. While I’m happy to snack on plain almonds and cashews, my kids prefer Sahale snacks. They make delicious pomegranate vanilla cashews that I usually throw in my bag before we go hiking or biking. They are the perfect balance of sweet and salty that we all enjoy.
Shoprite carries an excellent line of products called Wholesome Pantry which is free from artificial ingredients. I usually stock up on Wholesome Pantry snacks like dried fruits, trail mix and nuts. They sell small bags of nuts which are extremely convenient for your carrying in your purse.
Making sure that you have healthy snacks available is the key to staying on track during busy days on the go. As a mom, I constantly hear my kids asking for snacks (even when they just finished eating a meal). Not only do I keep healthy snacks in my bag for myself, but for them as well. I want to keep them well-fueled for all of our busy activities. Have a healthy snack that you love? I would love to hear from you!
Marci Lutsky is a food blogger at Vegging at the Shore, www.veggingattheshore.com and can be reached at veggingattheshore@gmail.com.
