You’re on the go, and you only have time to eat or drink something quickly. That doesn’t mean you want some greasy burger or some other type of junk food. You want to avoid the highly caffeinated or sugary beverages and focus on getting nutrients and wholesome food.
Is that even possible? The great news is you can get healthy snacks. And these snacks will not have to cost you a fortune. Some of them you will need to make in advance, but you can store them relatively easy to take them on the go as you need to. They’ll be worth making, as they’ll be suitable for everyone in the family.
Here’s a look at 13 perfect snacks you need to have that are healthy, cheap, and easily portable.
Start with the Easy Bananas
Let’s stock up on one of the easiest snacks to get your hands on right now: bananas.
You can usually pick them up for a couple of dollars, depending on size and weight, and you’ll get a bunch that will last you a week or so. There are just so many ways that you can enjoy this nutritious snack.
Firstly, one banana has just 105 calories. While this can sound like a lot for a piece of fruit, it’s worth noting that there are many nutrients that you get with the 105 calories. The number of calories is also far less than your traditional snacks of crisps and chocolate, making it an excellent choice.
Bananas are known for their high potassium count. Potassium is needed to help the body convert calories to energy. You’ll boost your metabolic rate, helping you to burn a few more calories in the day. Eating a banana before your workout will also help to fuel your body throughout while reducing the risk of lactic acid building up (causing cramps in the muscles).
Bananas are also excellent for the probiotics. They will help to keep the level of good bacteria in the gut up, which in turn keeps the level of bad bacteria down.
The fiber count also cannot be overlooked. Bananas have three grams of fiber, helping to balance out the natural sugars, like the intestines, and keep the digestive system working effectively.
Of course, bananas are easily portable. They’re covered in a skin that you just peel when you want to eat your snack.
Stock Up on Honeydew Melons
You want to stock up on any melon that you can. They’re all excellent when it comes to snacks and extremely easy to take with you. All you must do is chop up the melon into cubes, pop in a portable tub, and you’re on your way!
All melons are affordable. They are also packed with vitamin C, which is a necessary vitamin for fighting stress and keeping your immune system supported. When you have less stress in the body, the immune system’s inflammatory response is less likely to kick off. Less stress also helps to keep your digestion working, which means you’ll find it easier to absorb more nutrients.
There is absolutely nothing fattening in melons. In fact, they’re mostly just water with some fiber, which offers the benefits of better hydration, improved digestion, and better satiation. You won’t want to eat as much because you will feel fuller quicker and for longer. You’ll be able to get rid of that feeling of bloating after you’ve eaten.
Honeydew melons tend to have the most vitamin C, but you really can get all the benefits from others.
Enjoy Your Oatmeal
Buy large bags of oatmeal and start using the ingredient throughout the day. You don’t just have to make porridge on a morning!
Oatmeal is extremely cheap, especially considering the bulk bags that you can get. It’s packed with fiber, which will help you lower your cholesterol levels, lose weight, and lower your risk of developing Type II diabetes.
But how is it a snack on the go?
Well, oatmeal can be added to some Greek yogurt and fresh/frozen fruit and placed in a tub. You let the ingredients mix together and eat it all cold. The yogurt will help to soften the oatmeal.
It’s also possible to create oatmeal bars, which you can take on the go with you. Wrap them in tin foil or cling film to carry them around and eat on the go.
Make sure you prepare these for your breakfast overnight. Add a layer of oats, a layer of fruit, and then a layer of yogurt and put in the fridge. The next morning, you’ll find the yogurt and fruit juices have worked their way into the oats, and you have a breakfast to take with you.
Get the Nuts
If you’re not allergic, you want to stock up on some nuts. Walnuts, almonds, and pistachios tend to be the best, but you can get so many benefits from the others. In fact, if you have a selenium deficiency, you want to look out for Brazil nuts, as just one will give you your daily recommended amount!
Nuts can be the more expensive snack of the lot, but they’re still relatively cheap. This is especially the case when you just need a handful to make you feel satisfied.
Why nuts? They’re full of healthy fats and protein. The two macronutrients will help to energize you for the long term. They break down slowly to keep you feeling full while supporting your muscles and organ health. Walnuts and almonds tend to be the best for these two nutrients.
Pistachios are beneficial for the shell peeling. You’ll realize just how many you’re eating, making you more mindful of your food. This offers some extra benefits when it comes to weight loss since you have the time for your stomach to tell your brain that you’re full.
Eggs
It’s time to boil some eggs hard and take them on the road with you. Just pop a couple in a sealable tub, and you have an excellent and cheap snack. After all, you can get packs of 30 eggs for a few bucks!
Eggs have had a bad reputation for years, but the reputation isn’t exactly fair. Because of the protein and cholesterol, eggs have been labeled as bad for the heart health. The truth is eggs are full of good cholesterol, the type that lines your arteries with a protective, smooth lining to help your blood flow well. The good cholesterol gets rid of the bad.
Of course, you need to watch the amount you eat. Even too much good cholesterol can be bad. The benefit is you get something that is packed with nutrients that your body desperately needs.
The eggs are also packed with protein, which helps to build muscle. More specifically, they have an amino acid known as choline. This is a nutrient that specifically targets the fat and encourages the metabolism to take from the fat instead of the muscles.
If you don’t fancy carrying around hard boiled eggs, you can also make egg mayonnaise for some wraps and have them as your snack!
Stock Up on the Goats’ Cheese and Crackers
Make sure you get the right type of crackers for this snack. You want whole grain crackers, which have more fiber and are healthier options. Look out for the non-salted variety. Watch out for labels that say “enriched” crackers. They’re made with white flour and can cause some issues for your digestive system.
With whole grain crackers and goats’cheese, you’ll get both the fiber and protein that your body needs to feel fuller for longer. Goats’ cheese is better than other cheese when it comes to fats. Yes, there are some fats, but goats’ cheese doesn’t have as many saturated fats, which means fewer issues with blocked arteries and high bad cholesterol levels. Out of all the cheese in the world, goats’ cheese is the healthiest.
The snack is relatively transportable, especially if you’re taking out a picnic. Make sure you transport the two separately. The crackers will become soggy if you put the cheese on them.
Take Chocolate Milk with You
Instead of stocking up on lots of bottles of water, opt for a bottle or carton of chocolate milk. If it remains cool, it will be good to drink on the move. You can keep it cool in cooler bags when you’re in the car!
It can sound hard to believe, but chocolate milk isn’t as bad as many people would have you to think. This is especially the case when you opt for low-fat or almond chocolate milk. It’s a perfect mixture of nutrients, carbs, protein, and electrolytes, making it especially good for the after-work out treat or snack.
Studies back up the idea of drinking chocolate milk as a healthy snack. Drinking it after exercise helps to improve muscle mass, reduce fat, and improve training times compared to those who drank the typical sports drinks. There are fewer sugars in chocolate milk, and most of them are natural sugars.
Even if you’re not going to drink it yourself, don’t stop your kids having it at school. They can have normal white milk whenever they’re at home.
Pull Out the Cottage Cheese
While goats’ cheese is good, you can also get many of the same benefits from cottage cheese. This is lower in saturated fats than traditional cheese, mostly because you end up eating less of it! You can find it easier to control your portion sizes, so you end up eating a healthy amount. There are also low-fat options, but you will need to watch out for the sugar content in these!
Add some cottage cheese with your fruit. It’s especially delicious when mixed with apple slices, banana chunks, or even strawberries.
The protein in the cottage cheese will help to satisfy your hunger cravings and look after your muscles. With the fruit, you also get the fiber and extra nutrients to satisfy you until your next meal. Keep the fruit and cottage cheese in separate tubs when traveling.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try adding some cottage cheese to some crushed whole grain crackers with some fruit on the top. You can add a little Greek yogurt in too. The mixture will have a similar texture and taste to cheesecake, but it’s so much healthier!
Opt for a Bombay or Chinese Snack Mix
You’ll see these sold in stores, but likely initially think they’re bad for you. Well, that’s not quite the case. In moderation, Asian snack mixes can be excellent options. They are certainly easily transportable, giving you something that you can just throw into a bag and grab a handful of when you’re walking around.
If you don’t want to buy a packet, you can make your own. Get some Asian sesame sticks, pistachios nuts, and peas covered in wasabi. Just combine everything and pop it in small bags that you can easily grab.
You’ll get a good mixture of all your necessary food groups, without causing damage to your health. Of course, it’s not perfect, and you will need to stick to small portions. The great news with the peas and pistachios is that you’ll find the snack fills you up relatively quickly.
If you don’t fancy the spices, you can make your trail mix instead. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit will all offer a similar affect. You just don’t have the spice. It’s the spice that helps to raise your body temperature to help raise your metabolic rate.
Take a Bottle of Tomato Juice
Most juices aren’t great for you, but tomato juice is slightly different. You could also opt for a mixture of vegetable juices.
The benefit of vegetables is the lack of natural sugars. Well, not quite the lack but they don’t have as many as fruits. You get a lot of the nutrients in an easier to digest form, without causing a massive hike to your blood sugar levels.
Tomatoes are excellent for the vitamin C and other antioxidants to help fight against viral and bacterial infections. They will help to boost your immune system while helping to cleanse your body from toxins.
If you’re going to buy the juices from the supermarket, look out for those with lower sodium counts.The alternative, you can make your own.
Try adding some hot sauce for a bit of an extra kick. The spice will increase your body temperature, which will boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories.
Create a Hummus Roll Up
Hummus is one of the best dips you can get. It’s made from chickpeas, a legume that is packed with fiber and other nutrients. You will be well on your way to a supported digestive system.
The chickpeas are also packed with protein. When it comes to the after-gym period, you’ll want the protein to help repair the muscles and build stronger ones.
Making a roll up is easy. You spread hummus into a tortilla wrap and then take it on the go! Make sure you use whole grain tortilla wraps. Like with the whole grain crackers, the wraps will offer more fiber to support your health.
If you want a little extra flavor, you can add some vegetables into the middle. Opt for vegetables that won’t be over water, such as carrots, leafy greens, or peppers.
Use Nut Butter as a Topping or Filling
Not a fan of hummus? Replace it with some nut butter instead. Peanut butter is the most popular, but there are many others depending on your tastes or needs. When opting for peanut butter, make sure it is natural peanut butter. Many of the store-bought ones now contain a lot of sugar and salt, which work against the health benefits of the peanuts.
Nut butter get a bad reputation for being fitting. It’s the extra additives of the commercial varieties that cause this. When in their natural form, the nut butteris extremely good. They’re packed with proteins and healthy fats, supporting your muscle, brain, and cell health.
Allergic to nuts? Seed butter will give you some of the same benefits. They’re not as good, but they’re at least an alternative.
You don’t need more than a tablespoon of nut butter in your snack. Anymore than that and you’ll consume too many calories.
Opt for the Greek Yogurt
This is an option that has been mentioned a few times. Well, there’s a reason for this. It is an excellent option for your health.
You want to get plain Greek yogurt or natural yogurt. Avoid those with fruity flavorings, as they tend to be full of sugar. If you get one that’s sweetened with sweeteners, make sure they’re natural ones like Stevia.
Greek yogurt, like cottage cheese, is packed with protein. They will help to improve your muscle tone and build, without needing very much. Opt for it with some fruit, oats, or cottage cheese to create a powerful snack for your after-gym snack.
It’s Time to Get the Right Snacks
Snacks don’t have to be unhealthy. Cheap snacks certainly don’t have to be unhealthy! There are so many out there that you can grab and quickly eat on the go. Whether you love nuts, prefer something sweet, or are looking for a drink, there is something for you.
Make sure you choose something that offers the nutrients you need at the time. Look out for proteins and fibers for the sustained energy boosts.
