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You’re running out the door, driving in your car, waiting for the subway, walking down the street, shuffling between meetings at work and cheering your kid on at hockey practice. You’re always somewhere and it’s often the most inconvenient thing ever when you’re hungry.
One of the worst things about being hungry when you’re out and about is the unplanned and uncontrollable mouth-stuffing that tends to occur when we finally get our grubby hands on something to eat. And it’s never the healthy stuff that takes preparation, right? Nope–it’s the processed, packaged, convenient stuff that’s easy to grab fast.
The trick to saving your waistline from those not-so-healthy indulgences is to plan ahead by having snacks on hand that are portable and can be eaten easily without heating or refrigeration. Here are 10 of your best choices.
1. Trail Mix
Trail mix that contains a variety of nuts, dried fruits, seeds and other ingredients like coconut flakes and chocolate nibs can be one of the best and most nutritious foods to take with you on the go–as long as you keep your portion size in check. Try measuring out about 1/4 cup and filling a baggie or container with it.
2. Fresh Fruit
You have to admit that sometimes, there’s nothing easier than grabbing an apple, a banana, a pear, an orange or a bag of grapes. Although juicy, these fruits are relatively mess-free. They’re also full of fiber, water, nutrients, antioxidants and of course natural sugars that can give you a boost of energy when you’re feeling sluggish.
3. Dried Fruit
4. Fresh Veggies
Believe it or not, being busy and hungry at the same time is a great excuse for upping your veggie intake for the day. Try bringing along some cucumber slices, celery sticks, baby carrots,and bell pepper pieces in a baggie or container that you can gnash on to fill you up with lots of water and satisfy any crunch cravings.
5. Jerky
There are some really clean and healthy varieties of jerky you can find at health food stores these days, which are perfect for a protein boost that may leave you feeling fuller than anything else on this list. Look for turkey jerky or grass fed beef jerky with sea salt and no nitrates.
6. Homemade Energy Bites
There’s this DIY protein/energy ball trend going on right now, which often includes chocolate and healthy fats like coconut. Most recipes don’t require any baking either. Here’s a no-bake date and chia energy bite recipe you can try. Drop them into a baggie or container when you’re heading out pop them into your mouth when you feel those hunger pangs start to set in.
7. Homemade Protein Bars
Like the homemade energy bites suggested above, homemade protein bars can be just as good and deliciously filling. Best of all, you know exactly what goes into them when you make them yourself. Check out these 10 raw homemade nutrition for recipes for ideas that suit your tastebuds.
8. Spinach or Kale Chips
Potato chips are one of those forbidden foods we love to reach for when we’re too busy to prepare something healthy, but planning ahead by baking a healthier version and bringing them along with you in a container will save you from those added calories. Here’s how you can make your own crunchy kale chips with sea salt and sesame seeds.
9. Nut Butter and Honey Wraps
Wraps are perfect for portability, but the fillings usually require refrigeration and often get mushy when not eaten right away. To solve this problem, fill your wrap with your favorite all natural nut butter and some honey. To add a little extra crunch to the filling, add some mixed nuts and maybe some dried fruit like cranberries.
10. Dark Chocolate
Here’s an easy and healthy snack idea that takes next to no preparation: a couple squares of at least 70% dark chocolate and some water to wash it down. Chocolate is actually an appetite suppressant, so you won’t need much of it. You’ll also get an added mood-boosting effect!
What’s your favorite healthy snack from this list? Anything else you’d say is super portable that was left out?
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