Its probably fair to assume most humans lose track of the day, time and a lot more during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. For better or worse, we have a lot going on. So when it comes to taking care of yourself, YOU NEED EASY, YOU NEED QUICK and you need CONVENIENT.
NOT feeding yourself will result in:
- low energy
- crappy mood
- face planting into donuts or chips later on when the hanger hits (amirite?)
So- save this for 5 easy, convenient and nourishing snacks that you can put in your go-to pile.
BUT FIRST – what are we looking for in these snacks?
4 things
1- Protein. Think of your snacks as mini meals. You likely wouldn’t eat ONLY baked potatoes at dinner. So why is a bag of chips or pretzels enough of a snack. NOPE. No more. Mini meals require you to prioritize protein each time you eat. Even if its not a protein SOURCE (like meat) be sure it has protein IN IT (like broccoli, peanut butter or hummus).
2- Fat. This is going to help keep you fuller. longer. And if you are choosing the right kind of fat, you are also giving yourself essential nutrients that can keep you energized for hours.
3- Fiber. Heart health. Fullness. Consistent BM’s. Fiber also can often encourage you to eat more real, unprocessed foods (think berries instead of those dang pretzels).
4- TIMING. This one is tricky. In an ideal world, you will eat big enough meals, balanced enough meals, that you are satiated until the next MEAL. and also- life happens. Sometimes you get hungry between meals. Ideally you will have 3 hours between times of eating. And focusing on the above (protein, fat, fiber) you are encouraging balanced blood sugar.
So, what are these snacks? Wait no more, friends!
1. No Bake Chocolate Protein Peanut Butter Balls (from Eating Bird Food)
- ▢1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ▢1 cup natural peanut butter
- ▢¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- ▢2 scoops, about 50-60 grams chocolate protein powder
- ▢2 Tablespoons chocolate chips
*mix, roll into balls and enjoy!
2. Hummus, veggie and pita snack plate
- ▢1/2 yellow pepper
- ▢1/2 red pepper
- ▢1/2 cup snap peas
- ▢1 handful pita chips or pretzel
- ▢2 large carrots
- ▢2 tbps hummus
*arrange cute, or not, on a plate
*dip and enjoy
3. Greek yogurt and berries and chia seeds
- Fage
- Siggis Skyr
- Siggis plant based
- 2 good (low sugar)
Top with 1 tsp chia seeds and 1/2 cup mixed fresh or frozen berries
4. Protein Chia Pudding (from Eating Bird Food)
- ▢1 scoop (25 grams) vanilla protein powder
- ▢1 ¼-½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plus more as needed
- ▢4 Tablespoons chia seeds
- ▢½ Tablespoon maple syrup, honey or sweetener of choice
- ▢¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- ▢½ cup Greek yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt)
- In a bowl, whisk together almond milk and protein powder until protein powder has dissolved. If you’re using a mason jar, you can put the lid on and shake the mixture to combine.
- Add chia seeds, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir or shake mixture until well combined. Once the chia pudding mixture is well combined, let it sit for 5 minutes, give it another stir/shake to break up any clumps of chia seeds.
- Let sit 1-2 hours or overnight
5. Apple Sliced and almond or peanut butter
- Dip apple slices in almond butter for a satisfying combination of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
BONUS
Conquer that sweet tooth with some chocolate mint or chocolate raspberry electrolytes
SURE, some of these (like the protein balls and chia pudding) require you to plan ahead a bit. And maybe you are telling yourself “i will be fine”. YOU WILL NOT BE FINE. Take the 5 minutes and make these. OK?
A fed human is a happy human. Dont forget that.
