I supplement my 3 meals a day with a variety of snacks. It's important to me to keep my body fueled and energized. So, I thought I would put together a list of some snacks that I like to eat throughout the day.
Bars:
Lara bars - I like to eat these during the day as a snack or in between training sessions for quick fuel. They do not contain much protein so I usually don’t reach for these to if I’m looking for something with a more protein. I really like the chocolate flavors as they are like a mid day treat or dessert if I’m craving something sweet.
Kashi bars - classic cereal bar.
Kind bars- These are easily obtainable as they are sold in most stores, airports, gas stations, etc. Perfect for a snack anytime of the day. My favorite flavor is the dark chocolate cherry. Or the Kind protein line, they come two bars in a package and the almond butter is my favorite flavor.
4. Trader Joes Peanut and Date bars- I absolutely LOVE these bars. made with just 4 ingredients. These are a great snack size and to have in my bag for anytime i need a quick pick me up or my energy is feeling low. I would carry these around in my purse, skating bag, lunch box.
5. Liv bars- I also make my own energy bar that I enjoy as well. I know the ingredients that go into them so I know I am getting clean fuel for my body.
6. Homemade energy balls or protein balls- if I make a batch of these I store them in my freezer and are an easy quick source of fuel during the day.
Nuts:
I like to buy bags of trail mix consisting of raw nuts, dried fruit and seeds in bulk. I usually always have a container of trail mix or mixed nuts in my lunch box. Nuts and seeds are a great snack that is full of protein, carbs, fat, and sugar from the dried fruit.
Emerald makes little snack size packages of almonds or mixed nuts. These are super easy to keep stored in your purse or gym bag for a quick snack. My favorite is the cocoa roasted almonds.
Nut butter:
Rice cakes with nut butter and banana
Carrots and Celery with nut butter
Apple slices with peanut butter
Sesame rice crackers with peanut butter. I like to make little peanut butter cracker sandwiches.
Toast with peanut butter and banana
Hummus:
Veggies and hummus are one of my favorite snacks to eat in the afternoon. Usually before dinner or while I am cooking I enjoy snacking on some fresh vegetables with hummus.
Fruit:
My go to fruits that are easily packable as snacks are apples, bananas, mangos, and watermelon in the summertime. Fruits are full of natural sugar to keep your energy up during the day. When I am at home I enjoy lots of berries in the morning with breakfast or throw them in a smoothie. Or in the evenings I will add fresh berries to some yogurt for an after dinner snack.
Milk
A glass of regular milk, preferably 2%. Or a glass of unsweetened almond milk with a scoop of vanilla Bipro protein powder. I like to drink this if I feel like I need a little something just as I’m getting ready for bed. I never like going to bed on an empty stomach and this is something that tastes good and provides quality protein while I sleep.
Toast
Daves killer bread makes thin slices of bread that make great snacking toasts. I would top mine with peanut butter, banana, and chia/hemp seeds and a drizzle of made syrup. Or if I am feeling savory, mash some avocado with a little greek yogurt, lime and top with nutritional yeast and red pepper flake.
Popcorn
Popcorn is another one of my favorite snacks to munch on. I either make it on the stove with coconut/olive oil or in my large Stasher bag in the microwave for a quick personal serving. You can get creative with the toppings. One of the ways I enjoy popcorn is by tossing it in some melted Kerrygold garlic and herb butter and sea salt. Another way I like to eat popcorn is tossing it in melted Kerrygold butter, then adding Trader Joes chili lime seasoning, and nutritional yeast. Another good way to dress it up is adding grated parmesan cheese as it is a fine grain cheese and already salty. The possibilities for dressing up your popcorn is endless, be creative!
Yogurt
I opt for Fage 2% Greek Yogurt. I like to eat this with fresh berries and some chocolate granola. Or with peaches and honey or maple syrup. Its a refreshing snack that satisfies my sweet tooth after dinner. Have you ever had berries and cream? Well this is a protein packed version of berries and cream dessert. If I have leftover roasted sweet potatoes in the fridge I like to through those with yogurt as well. Yogurts can have a lot of sugar, so try to go for a plain yogurt and add things like fresh fruits, granola, honey for a more natural sugar source.
I never travel anywhere without a snack. My body is actively recovering and working as an athlete and I have found it super important to not let my blood sugar level get too low. My advice to you is find a couple snacks that you enjoy and are portable so that you can make sure your body gets the fuel it needs when hunger strikes!