5 Deliciously Simple Summer Picnic Snacks
Accessing healthy foods on the go is not always easy, so planning ahead for healthy snacking is paramount. If you're headed out for a picnic or a full day of festival fun this summer, why not take your good eats with you? When packing your picnic basket or cooler think of these snack options to help keep you satiated throughout the day. Here are 5 deliciously simple ideas:
1. Almond Butter - I've always been ambivalent about peanut butter. Sometimes I'd want it, and sometimes I couldn't stand it. But with almond butter, I've not had that issue. I want it ALL THE TIME. It is so yummy and creamy and packed with protein. It's perfect as picnic fare because it doesn't need to be refrigerated. And it tastes amazing with all kinds of fruit, including strawberries, apples and pears. My favorite is Woodstock's All Natural Raw Unsalted.
2. Fresh or dried fruit - Fruit is probably the obvious choice for a portable snack because in general, it's easy to grab and go. Make a fruit salad combining all your favorite fruits, or just add handfuls of berries to easy-to-pack plastic baggies. And dried fruits are fantastic too! Depending on the fruit, they can cure your sweet tooth, or give you that crunch of a chip that you're craving. I love the sweetness and crunch of apple chips.
3. Nuts or trail mix - The Fresh Market is one of my favorite grocery stores, partially due to their bulk bins of nuts and trail mixes. There are bags at the ready for you to mix up your own favorites, as well as pre-mixed ones. My favorite is the Women's Vitality Mix that has treats like raisins, sunflower seeds and unsalted almonds--and I get tons of energy from the protein.
4. Cheese and crackers - Though I've mostly cut diary from my diet, I still love a good snack of cheese and crackers. I die for a good wedge of laughing cow cheese (I had ONE wedge at the wine festival on Sunday and I savored that bad boy for as long as I could!) and the pita crackers at Trader Joe's are the perfect complement--they're light and crispy with just the right amount of salt.
5. Health food bars - I tend to keep pre-packaged health food bars around all the time because they're individually wrapped, filling and fall somewhere in the 150 - 220 calorie range. My favorite brands are KIND, Larabar and Raw Revolution. All have a plethora of flavors and combinations and all are good sources of protein.
Don't forget to take lots of water to keep you hydrated!
What are your favorite "healthy-on-the-go" snacks? What simple snacks would you add to your cooler? Give me some great new ideas in the comments!