This article was contributed by Debbie M., MS, RD –
When it’s time to eat on-the-go what can you grab to tide you over? The best option is something that you have brought with you, so you get the energy benefits of a healthy snack without having to purchase from a vending machine at inflated prices. Of course, your snack choice must survive the temperature and abuse your gym bag goes through during the day…so don’t choose anything that will melt, spoil, or crumble into 100 pieces! To help you get started, here are some healthy options.
- Take a look at fruit snacks that you can pick up at the store:
| Bare Fruit® apple or pear (2.6 oz bag) |
| 174 Calories 1 gm Protein 48 gm Carb (6 Fiber, 42 Sugar) 0 gm Fat 102 mg Sodium |
| Mariani® Mixed Dried Fruit (1/4 Cup) |
| 110 Calories 1 gm Protein 25 gm Carb (4 Fiber, 17 Sugar) 0 gm Fat 20 mg Sodium |
| Ocean Spray Craisins® (1/3 Cup) |
| 130 Calories 0 gm Protein 33 gm Carb (3 Fiber, 26 Sugar) 0 gm Fat 0 mg Sodium |
- Here’s a run-down of some popular granola bar options that are easy to find:
| Kashi® Trail Mix chewy granola bar |
| 140 Calories 6 gm Protein 20 gm Carb (4 Fiber, 6 Sugar) 5 gm Fat 95 mg Sodium |
| Nature Valley® Oats N’ Honey granola bars (2) |
| 190 Calories 4 gm Protein 29 gm Carb (2 Fiber, 12 Sugar) 6 gm Fat 160 mg Sodium |
| Planters® NUT*trition Heart Healthy bar |
| 160 Calories 5 gm Protein 19 gm Carb (3 Fiber, 9 Sugar) 8 gm Fat 130 mg Sodium |
| Quaker® Sweet and Salty Crunch granola bar (2) |
| 150 Calories 3 gm Protein 24 gm Carb (2 Fiber, 8 Sugar) 5 gm Fat 210 mg Sodium |
- Here are a few salty, crunchy potato chip options:
| Rold Gold® Honey Wheat Braided Twists pretzels (8) |
| 110 Calories 3 gm Protein 24 gm Carb (1 Fiber, 3 Sugar) 1 gm Fat 220 mg Sodium |
| Smartfood® White Cheddar Popcorn (1 oz) |
| 160 Calories 3 gm Protein 14 gm Carb (2 Fiber, 3 Sugar) 10 gm Fat 290 mg Sodium |
| Somersaults crunchy nuggets (15 = 1 oz) |
| 150 Calories 7 gm Protein 14 gm Carb (3 Fiber, 1 Sugar) 7 gm Fat 260 mg Sodium |
| SunChips® Original Multigrain (1 oz) |
| 140 Calories 2 gm Protein 19 gm Carb (2 Fiber, 3 Sugar) 6 gm Fat 120 mg Sodium |
- Among nuts and seeds, these options are ready-to-eat (shelled or edible)
| Blue Diamond Almonds whole, natural 100-Calorie pack |
| 100 Calories 4 gm Protein 3 gm Carb (2 Fiber, 1 Sugar) 9 gm Fat 0 mg Sodium |
| David Pumpkin Seeds (1/2 of 2.5 oz package) |
| 140 Calories 7.5 gm Protein 3 gm Carb (1 Fiber, 0 Sugar) 11 gm Fat 10 mg Sodium |
| Kar’s Salted Cashews (1 oz) |
| 160 Calories 5 gm Protein 9 gm Carb (1 Fiber, 1 Sugar) 14 gm Fat 80 mg Sodium |
| Planters® Salted Peanuts (1 oz) |
| 170 Calories 7 gm Protein 5 gm Carb (2 Fiber, 1 Sugar) 14 gm Fat 115 mg Sodium |
Remember, you can’t eat what you don’t have. To make portioning super easy, shop for individual packages that come in single servings. Also, don’t forget to take a minute to pack your bag in the morning, or better yet, the night before. Happy snacking!
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