Healthy Snacking On the Go

Please enjoy this guest post written by Garmin Fitness ambassador @kneadtocook. 

Life happens.  We train, hard.  We run from point A to point B, sometimes countless times.  Work, appointments, school, practices… we spend a lot of time on planes, trains and our automobiles.  Inevitably, hunger will strike and having healthy and nutrient-dense food on hand is critical so we avoid grabbing empty calories that don’t support our bodies. 

I’ve pulled together a few of my make-ahead, protein-rich snacks that will keep you on track without blowing up your nutrition.  

My staple ingredients always include some kind of nut butter.  Why?  First, nuts and seeds are exceptional sources of protein especially if you adhere to a vegan lifestyle.  Healthy fats. Let’s shake that idea that all fats are bad for you.  They aren’t!  Healthy fats, like from nuts or seeds, are necessary to live.  Healthy fats provide essential fatty acids, to help keep our skin soft, deliver fat-soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sites requiring 10% of our calories from fat.  Nut butters (with only nuts as the ingredients please) also add potassium, iron and magnesium. Potassium and magnesium are critical minerals needed for all cells in the body to function properly. They also affect nerve function, muscle contraction and the rhythm of the heart.  Supporting all those miles you log keeping your body healthy from the inside out.

Almond Recovery Bars.
Seed & Nut Cinnamon Tea Granola.

Oats are another favorite ingredient that is also naturally gluten free.  Oats are fiber-rich which is known to reduce cholesterol from the digestive system.  They are also recently identified as a protective mechanism of the heart.  Evidence to support antioxidant compounds unique to oats, called avenanthramides, help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggests a study conducted at Tufts University and published in The Journal of Nutrition.

Raw Triple Chocolate Banana Bites.
Sweet & Spicy Almonds. 

Dates are a wonderful natural sweetener in lieu of refined sugars. Each little date is packed with fiber, potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium and Vitamin B6.  Fiber to keep you regular.  Magnesium is a well-known anti-inflammatory along with supporting a lower blood pressure.  

Finally, spice.  We can’t always have a sweet tooth, right? Some days you crave a savory treat.  These sweet & spicy almonds strike the perfect balance of savory notes with a little kick of heat.  Cayenne pepper aids in digestion, relieves migraines, supports weight loss, boosts metabolism (hello!) and prevents blood clots.  These nuts are shelf stable and a the perfect snack idea to keep in your purse or gym bag without worry.  

We’ve all heard the adage that food should be your medicine.  I hope that you see that the health benefits to the ingredients I used in these snacks all play a supportive role for your body pre or post workout.  The right food can truly do amazing things for your body.