It’s going to happen. It’s almost inevitable.
If it hasn’t happened to you already, it’s probably going to happen one day.
I’m talking about forgetting a snack.
And once you’re out in the real world without a snack, things can get really sticky really fast. I know once I go from a little hungry to starving, I start making really bad food choices.
Like having cookies as an appetizer to some chips.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a better way. Having simple guide to picking healthy snacks can be the difference between sticking to a smart real food choices and reaching for the first thing crunchy or chocolate thing you can find.
This list has saved me more times then I can count. It’s full of snacks you can find just about anywhere, and there’s something for everyone. Another great thing about these snack is their flexibility.
Choose whatever brand you like best. Pick your favorite flavors. Mix and match these so you’re getting the protein and fiber you need from every bite.
HEALTHY SNACK PICKS YOU CAN FIND ANYWHERE
FRUIT AND NUT BARS
Pick snack bars that are only made from nuts and fruit.
This makes them energy dense, high in fiber, and you’ll usually get a full serving of protein from the nuts. They’ll take the edge off your hunger and carry you well until you’re ready for a full meal.
They’re also easy to eat on the go, and never go bad if you’re looking for something to drop in your bag and forget about.
Try KIND bars and LaraBars. Both of these are pretty easy to find, and have a whole bunch of flavors to pick from. There’s definitely something for everyone.
GREEK YOGURT (+ an add-on for bonus points)
A Greek yogurt can go a long way when you find yourself with 5 hours between meals. Choose a 2% yogurt instead of fat-free. That little bit of fat will keep you fuller longer, and makes the yogurt taste SO much better. You’ll be surprised at the difference the extra 50 calories make (yea, just 50 cals).
If you’re really against the tang of yogurt, try the full fat kind and you’ll probably forget it’s yogurt.
Greek Yogurts like Chobani and Fage are easy to find in almost any convenience store, if you’re not where near a food market. The fancy dessert flavors are fine, just remember they replace some protein with sugar.
Instead, get closer to a small complete meal with less sugar by grabbing a bag of unsalted roasted nuts and tossing a handful into your yogurt. My all-time favorite mix is a Greek yogurt with honey and a handful of almonds.
POPCORN
We’re not talking about the extra butter movie theater. More like the plain (maybe salted) kind. Or maybe the kind that was cheesed or buttered with real cheese or butter by a company that knows what they’re doing.
Popcorn is a whole grain, which means you’ll get a full serving of fiber and about half a serving of protein per serving.
What’s one serving plain popcorn? That would be 3 cups. Yea. Enjoy that.
Try Smart Food cheddar cheese popcorn. Even Starbucks has an acceptable bag of simple butter flavor you can find almost anywhere, if you’re in a really tight pinch.
FRUIT
A good old-fashioned piece of fruit can go along way to getting you to your next meal.
It’s got fiber to fill you up and natural sugar to keep pull up your energy. And unless you’re a diabetic, it’s very very hard to over eat some fruit.
If your closest store doesn’t have fresh fruit on hand, most stores will likely carry dried fruit (think Craisins or raisins in a pinch), applesauce (look for unsweetened), or fruit cups (go for the kind in fruit juice rather than syrup).
JERKY
Beef, turkey, pork. You can even find salmon jerky. This is an extremely lean snack that will get you more than a full serving of protein and not much else. It’ll fill you up and keep you moving until you can sit down for a full meal. It’s easy to find in almost any store that sells food and it comes in a ton of fancy flavors.
The great thing about something like jerky is its shelf life. You can eat half the bag and then keep the rest stashed in the bottom drawer of your desk until you forget your lunch again.
There’s a log of junk food brands out there. Look for better ones like Perky Jerky, Country Archer, and Krave. If you’re not still unsure, take a look at this great list that breaks down the best (and worst) brands of jerky.
Just be careful if you’ve got high blood pressure. Jerky’s got a whole lot of salt in it.
Spend this week keeping an eye on your snack choices, and practice picking great ones.
Keep a few of these in the bottom of your bag, the back of your desk at work, or somewhere in your car. Most of these can last forever, and everything else is so easy to find you won’t ever worry about where your next snack is coming from again.
Snack great, guys!