Snacks

Today’s post is inspired by questions I’m often asked about suggestions for healthy snack ideas.
When thinking healthy snack options keep in mind the following:
Balance – include lean protein, healthy fat and fiber in each snack
Quality – seasonal, organic, unprocessed, local foods
Quantity – serving size – this is a snack not a full meal
Here are some helpful suggestions to have food prepped to grab and go:
Clean & prep celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, jicama, red bell peppers, etc. Keep in snack baggies in the fridge
Make a batch of your favorite hummus, guacamole, and/or dip for dipping vegetables
Keep a dozen hard-boiled eggs in the fridge
Pre-measure 1-ounce of nuts in snack baggies
Cut up fruit or have whole fruit on hand – ½ cup or a whole piece of fruit is one serving
Keep a cooler in the trunk of your car filled with healthy snacks.
More ideas:
8-oz plain yogurt with a sprinkle of hemp seeds or ground flax and 1 tablespoon honey
Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons nut butter, sprinkle with a few raisins
Carrots with 1/4 cup hummus, guacamole or favorite dip
1/2 cup plain frozen yogurt with 1/2 cup berries & 1 tablespoon cacao nibs or sliced almonds
3 tablespoons each raisins and raw pistachios
½-cup grapes, 1.5-oz Swiss cheese, and ½-oz raw almonds
1.5-oz cheddar cheese, 6 whole grain crackers, and 1 pear
1 apple sliced into quarters with 1 tablespoon nut butter
1 rice cake with 1 tablespoon nut butter and 1/2 sliced banana
15 baked tortilla chips (about 1 ounce) with 1/4 cup fresh or pre-made salsa
½ cup cottage cheese with ½ cup of your favorite berries
Edamame eaten out of the pod – 1 cup offers about 17 grams of protein
Protein smoothie. Checkout www.kerrymcclure.com for recipes
Acai Bowl: https://www.kerrymcclure.com/acai-bowl/
Chocolate Acai Energy Bars: https://www.kerrymcclure.com/chocolate-acai-energy-bars/
Chocolate Power Balls: https://www.kerrymcclure.com/chocolate-power-balls/
A few more ideas:
Mixed Nuts or Trail Mix: Choose from bulk bins any combination of raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts; pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds; dates, dried cranberries, raisins or apricots
Vegetable Skewers: Skewer together sliced peppers, cucumbers, tomato chunks, and any other favorite vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil & Italian seasonings. Or, dip sliced vegetables in hummus or dip.
Yogurt Sundae: Mix ½-cup sliced strawberries and blueberries into plain yogurt. Top with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds or ground flax.
Peanut Butter Crackers: Top whole grain crackers with your favorite nut butter. To satisfy your sweet tooth, top the nut butter with strawberry or banana slices.
Grape and Cheese Sticks: Dice a 1/2-inch thick slice of sharp cheddar cheese (1-oz) into squares (6 small pieces), and rinse 6 grapes. On toothpicks, alternate the grapes and cheese. Enjoy!
Mini Black Bean and Salsa Taco: Heat ½ cup black beans with 1tablespoon salsa. Mash with a fork and fold inside a small warm corn tortilla.
What are some of your favorite snacks? Enjoy!