The holiday season is here, and with it comes a plethora of sugar-filled snacks and goodies. I typically indulge as often as I can because I really enjoy all of the treats that are associated with the holidays. I love pies and fudge and all of the random treats that we are gifted that end up on our kitchen counters. However, I also try to make sure I’m making good choices when it comes to snacking so I don’t over indulge. It’s so easy for me to be getting ready to walk out the door to run errands and want to grab a cookie for the road so I plan ahead to be prepared to select one of these five favorite protein-packed snacks instead.
- Beef jerky sticks. My favorite beef jerky that I like to keep my cabinets stocked with travels well so I can throw in it my bag and go. With zero grams of sugar and ten grams of protein, it makes for a filling snack. There are a few local food stores that carry them as well as on Amazon.
- Fuel for fire. This is a smoothie in a pouch. Hear me out on this one. It looks a lot like a baby food pouch but it’s so yummy. They have ten grams of protein, no added sugar, contains all nine essential amino acids and are gluten free. My favorites are the tropical flavor and the banana cocoa. My kids love these as well and I don’t feel bad giving them one of these because they have less sugar than the applesauce pouches that they usually want us to buy. You can buy them locally at sprouts or order in bulk from Amazon. If I can buy it on amazon it’s a major win for me!
- A hard-boiled egg. I love eggs and as a nursing mom I try to eat as many as I can because they’re an easy breakfast food as well as lunch or for a snack. At the beginning of each week I try to boil at least a dozen of them to keep in the fridge. Then I like to peel them that way they’re in a baggy and easy for me to grab one or two when I need a quick snack. Sometimes I’ll even add some fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries or blueberries to the bag so this satisfies my sweet tooth.
- Trail mix. I’m not a huge fan of nuts but they’re full of healthy fats that our bodies need. I do a lot better when I mix them with M&Ms! Sometimes I make them on my own at home with peanuts, almonds, raisins, and M&Ms but more often than not I buy the pre-mixed kind from the store. I also put a scoop in little bags so they are ready to be eaten. That way I feel good knowing that I’m some protein as well as healthy fats.
- One bars. I’ve tried numerous kinds of protein bars and these are by far my favorite. So many protein bars are packed with more grams of sugar than protein but these only contain one gram of sugar and TWENTY grams of protein! The chocolate chip cookie dough and salted caramel are the two that I keep in my cabinet, car and diaper bag at all times.
These snacks are great choices and my favorites when it comes to looking for something quick, easy, and filled with protein to keep me satisfied until my next meal. My kids love all five of these as well so I feel good about their endless snacking when they can be kept healthy!
