Attention all busy moms looking for quick, simply and healthy snack ideas for you and your family:
As a busy mom myself with a husband, home, 4 kids, 5 dogs and a full time business, I get it! I understand that there’s so much on your plate already and the thought of taking on even one more task may be just enough to create complete overwhelm. I also understand that you want to feed your family and yourself healthy, delicious real food but when you’re pressed for time, you often need to cut some corners. Some of us may drive to the drive thru or grab a bag or box of some nutrient void, high calorie/high sugar/highly processed food that leaves us overfed yet undernourished but as we all know, we pay a big price for those few extra moments we save. Is there a way busy moms can snack healthfully and encourage their family to do the same? Of course and I’ve made it really easy for you.
Here’s a list of my 10 favorite “go-to” snacks. These are all packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and nutrients that will keep you and your family fueled, nourished and energized. All you need to do is print out this list, leave it in your car and be sure to take it with you into the supermarket when you do your grocery shopping. Sound good? Check them out in the slideshow above.
Power-Packed Snacks for Busy Moms
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Lettuce Protein Wraps
Roll up nitrate/nitrite free turkey, roast beef or free range and hormone free chicken in a big crunchy leaf of lettuce. Add mustard, avocado for a dose of healthy fat or hummus if you’d like. Roll, wrap and enjoy!
Or, make the Thai basil turkey wraps ppictured here.
Photo Credit: Steamy Kitchen
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Spinach Dip with Cut up Veggies
It’s so easy to make your own dip by heating up some frozen spinach and adding it to low-fat sour cream and a package of ranch dressing mix. Want even more of a health boost? Try adding some frozen kale along with the spinach—it's packed with nutrients!
Or, make the spinach dip pictured here.
Photo credit: The Healthy Foodie
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Yogurt Parfait
Create your own yogurt parfaits—it's a family favorite. We use Greek Yogurt (which has more protein and less sugar than regular yogurt). Then I put out a few bowls of blueberries, strawberries, almonds and KIND Healthy Grains which come in 6 flavors and are gluten free, non-GMO, low glycemic index and have no trans fats. We “assembly line” as we go from bowl to bowl and create our favorite combinations! My personal favorite is plain, unsweetened Greek Yogurt, which I top with KIND Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds. Then I add a few blueberries and almonds for extra protein and crunch-yum!
Or, make the parfait pictured here.
Photo Credit: Lake Shore Lady
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Apple Slices with Nut Butter
The danger here is overdoing it on the nut butter, so grab some snack-sized on-the-go peanut butter or almond butter packets. This makes it portion-friendly and perfect for your busy lifestyle. This is so simple if you’re taking your kids to games or practices and want to feed them something healthy and extremely portable. It’s also a healthy and filling snack when the kids get home from school, when you need a late afternoon energy boost or when you’re looking for something sweet, filling and crunchy.
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Sliced Peppers and Hummus
Yes, when I see them already sliced and packaged I buy them that way. Maybe it’s a little more expensive but you’ll save time slicing and they’ll be readily available when hunger strikes.
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Shakes and Smoothies
While smoothies can be great for you, sometimes it can get complicated if you need to have many ingredients on hand. Here’s a really simple solution and what you’ll need:
- A shaker cup (plastic cup with spiral ball inside to thoroughly mix ingredients)
- A quality shake mix with whey protein concentrate, pea or rice protein that’s low in sugar)
- Unsweetened coconut or unsweetened almond milk.
If the unsweetened almond or coconut milk has been refrigerated, you don’t even need ice. Simply add the shake mix to the milk, snap the lid shut, shake and go!
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Mixed Nuts
Raw (unsalted) nuts are packed with protein and healthy fats. They keep us filled and fueled and different types of nuts provide different nutrients so variety is great. For example, Brazil nuts are an excellent source of phosphorus and magnesium which helps maintain healthy bones, teeth and energy metabolism. Walnuts can help improve heart health and brain function while reducing risk for certain cancers and diabetes. Among many other benefits, almonds are a great source of fiber and Vitamin E. Keep servings to a small snack sized baggie.
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Beefsteak Tomato and Mozzarella Stackers
Slice a Beefsteak tomato and a few very thin slices of mozzarella cheese, alternating slices of tomato and mozzarella so it’s in a colorful stack. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette for a sweet, tangy, filling and colorful treat (you’ll feel like you’re at a fancy restaurant and it’s so easy!) You can also sprinkle on a little basil too. Delicious!
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Sunflower Seeds
They come in a variety of flavors and are super healthy. They’re a great source of Vitamin E, which is anti-inflammatory and helps protect against free radical damage. Sunflower seeds also contain selenium which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate, colon and bladder cancer. In addition, they contain magnesium which can reduce the incidence of migraines as well as tryptophan which helps produce serotonin-the neurotransmitter that gives us a sense of calm. If that weren’t enough, sunflower seeds keep our hands busy and give us something to do which is helpful as a first step for those of us who eat mindlessly!
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Water, Iced Tea & Lemonade
So often we think we’re hungry and in fact, we’re thirsty. If you want to boost your fluid intake and don’t drink enough water here’s another simple and healthy solution. Instead of adding drink mixes loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners, squeeze some lemon juice or liquid green tea mix into fresh, filtered water. Add some liquid stevia to sweeten (available online or at your local health food store), mix and enjoy!
