Snacks Can Be Nutritious and Delicious

Even though snacking on a regular basis is not what I find to be what works for me, it is sometimes necessary.  There are plenty of reasons to have some good easy to eat nutrient dense snacks on hand, for example:

• • • Road trips
    • Hiking
    • Long bike rides
    • Camping out
    • Don’t want an entire meal
    • Just because!

Remember how I told you that I used to HAVE to eat all the time, every couple hours or else I got HANGRY?  My go to snacks at that time were things like crackers, cliff bars, granola bars, luna bars, M&Ms, cookies, graham crackers, chips, peanuts & raisins, etc.  You get the idea – lots of refined carbs.  No wonder I was eating every 2 hours . Throw some exercise in there and I was constantly craving the carbs!

I have since found other “snack” options that nourish me when it is needed.  This is not intended to be a complete list, but one to get you started.   Knowing what “grab and go’ foods work for you is key.  I’m sharing with you what I have found to be nourishing and delicious snack options.

Nuts & Nut Butters

All nuts are slightly different in the amount of nutrients they contain, but here is what they offer in general.  Nuts are high in fiber, protein, wonderful fats, and have a variety of vitamins and minerals. This makes them an excellent choice for a snack!  To select the nuts best for you, check out this nutrition comparison chart by The Spruce Eats.  Another thing to know about nuts is that they are more easily digested AND they taste better when soaked or sprouted.  It is getting easier and easier to find these in the stores, but you can also soak & sprout on your own.  I’ve been making “Wilma’s Walnuts” for years now after a friend of mine turned me on to the benefits of soaking and dehydrating instead of roasting.  Not only do they taste absolutely delicious, but they are also dried at a low temperature protecting their fragile oils.  If you don’t have access to soaked or sprouted nuts, then look at the labels to make sure you are getting only nuts and not a lot of added oils if roasted.

Eat Nuts Mindfully – Easy to Overdo

A little caution about nuts – they are so easy to overeat, am I right?  How many times have you found yourself mindlessly snacking on nuts to find that they are all gone AND you don’t remember eating them?  This is a real phenomenon – I’ve experienced it plenty of times.  So, what do you do?  If at all possible, take a break from your activity and enjoy eating your nuts one at a time.  Chew them really well so they can be easily digested and your body benefits from the nutrients absorbed.  If you know that you are not going to be able to stop what you are doing and take a break, then consider nut butters instead.  No need to purchase those single serving packages, just put some in a small jar or tin and enjoy.  Same for nut butters, read the label and look out for added sugars and oils. I personally like to have some Granny Smith apple slices along as well to eat with my nuts or nut butter, it is a match made in heaven.

Jerky is another wonderful snack choice full of protein and fat to keep you going.  I am pretty particular about my Jerky, as you will see.  It must come from a source I trust, have minimal ingredients, be easy to chew, and be delicious.  With that said, there are a few options that meet all of my criteria.  I’m providing links to their sites so you can read all about them to see if they meet your criteria as well.  My current favorite is the Wild Buffalo Snack Sticks!  I just found this farm in South Dakota where they are 100% Grass-Fed / Finished, 100% Antibiotic & Hormone Free, 100% Herbicide & Pesticide Free, 100% GMO Free, And 100% Humanely Field Harvested.  I also really like the fact that they aren’t individually wrapped.  For me, this requires shipping, so what I do is order the larger box to minimize shipping.  All of their packaging including the freezer bags are compostable or easily bio-degradable.

This Meat Snack is in Local Grocery Stores

Another favorite of mine is CHOMPS, which comes in several varieties like turkey, venison and beef.  CHOMPS is another company that goes to great lengths to source from farmers committed to treating their land and animals right.  Protecting the environment is a big part of their sourcing decisions.  As of now, I like all the different options and they are available in many local grocery stores.  Chomps and this next option are both individually wrapped, which isn’t preferred, but sometimes extremely convenient.

Looking for a Softer Texture?

The last meat snack I’m going to share now is from Wild Zora.  They are quite a bit different from the sticks in that they are flatter and much softer.  They are high protein meat bars with responsibly sourced, free-range meat from American farmers, paired with a serving of organic fruits and veggies for a tender, balanced snack.  Again, lots of options as you can see in their store PLUS many of them are approved under the Auto Immune Protocol, the AIP diet.

Of course, you can choose to make your own as well.  I’ve never tried it and don’t think I will in the near future.   I would love to hear about any other environmentally and animal conscious meat options out there.