Get Your Nosh On! Healthy Springtime Snack Ideas

Get Your Nosh On! Healthy Springtime Snack Ideas

The weather is starting to turn and the days are getting longer. Spring is finally here, yay! That means cleaning out the garage, planting flowers, and all kinds of fun outdoor activities to enjoy the nice weather. While you’re outside soaking up the sun, you’re going to need something to munch on to keep you fueled up and full of spring energy! Here are some healthy snack ideas to keep in mind while you’re outside enjoying the fresh air and sunshine!

 

FRUIT

 

Why not celebrate the colorful spring season with some colorful snacks from the rainbow? No, we’re not talking Skittles. Fruits are loaded with nutritional value in the form of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that you can’t find anywhere else. What does all that mean? It means that eating fruit can help reduce your risk of harmful diseases and conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Not to mention, adding fruit to your day as a snack is as easy as bringing an apple, pear, or banana with you on your travels. Or if you want to have a little more fun, try snacking on a berry medley of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries! Just make sure to wash them thoroughly with our Eat Cleaner fruit + vegetable wash and storage system to remove that unwanted residue and help them last up to 5x longer, and help protect those fragile berries during the wash. You can also keep Eat Cleaner Biodegradable Wipes with you for convenient snacking on the go – just wipe an apple, peach, plum or any other firm fleshed piece fruit and you’re ready to roll.

 

Hint: Did you know avocados are actually a fruit? They’re loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins and minerals. They even have more potassium than bananas! You can add some avocado into your diet by slicing it onto salads or just drizzling with a little balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper.

 

NUTS

 

Speaking of healthy fats, nuts are chock full of them! With all of the healthy fats they contain, almost every kind of nut you can think of is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. They’re also a prolific source of a wide variety vitamins and minerals. For example, pecans are packed with calcium and zinc, pistachios have copper, vitamin B6, and manganese, and brazil nuts have selenium and phosphorus. Aside from all of the vitamins and minerals nuts have, they’re also good sources of fiber and protein which helps suppress hunger. Among the nut family, almonds are one of the most potent sources of fiber and protein; a single serving has a whopping six grams of protein and four grams of fiber.

 

Nuts are also easy to bring with you on your springtime adventures. Just throw some in a bag or to-go container and you’re all set! Try creating your own little mix of nuts to add a little variety and get the health benefits of more than just one kind.

 

VEGGIES

 

You’ve been hearing it since you were young, and some things just never change. You need to eat your vegetables, and bringing them along as a snack is an excellent way to pack some more into your diet. Vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world with tons of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Some veggies that make for great on-the-go snacks are things like carrots, celery, broccoli, and peppers ( which can all be sliced up and brought along in bite-sized pieces. If you’re not too fond of raw veggies all by themselves, then try eating them with some hummus, avocado, or my homemade ranch dressing (recipe below).

 

GRAB N’ GO SNACKS

 

It would be nice if we could always have wholesome foods like fruits, veggies, and nuts on hand to snack on, but that’s not always the way life works out! Sometimes when you’re on the run to your next destination you need to work with what you’ve got. So when you’re in a convenience store trying to grab something in a hurry, here are a few pre-approved healthy snack foods to be on the lookout for!

 

  1. RxBars. RxBars are awesome because they’re made with wholesome ingredients that are proudly displayed right on the front of the package. There are a bunch of different flavors, most of which have over ten grams of protein and fiber to boot!

 

  1. SkinnyPop. Unlike most popcorn products that are loaded with fake cheeses and sweeteners, this brand’s popcorn only uses three simple ingredients: popcorn, oil, and salt. Most people also don’t know that popcorn is a whole grain and a quality source of fiber.

 

  1. Mary’s Crackers. If you like crackers, Mary’s crackers are the way to go. Mary’s crackers are made with real quality ingredients compared to most other crackers on the market. Some varieties even have flax seed in them, which provides a nice boost of omega-3’s!

 

  1. Larabars. Very similar to RxBars, Larabars are also made with whole food ingredients that make for a quick healthy snack. Larabars also come in a plethora of delectible flavors like cashew cookie, banana bread, and coconut cream pie.

 

When it comes to the best spring snack options, whole foods are definitely the best choice. Plus, you don’t even have to worry about reading nutrition labels! Nothing will give you more of a nutritional punch than real foods like fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

The Fit Foodie’s Rockin’ Ranch Dressing

1 cup clean mayonnaise (no artificial ingredients or soybean oil)

2-3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (add to desired consistency, will thicken in the fridge)

Juice from 1 small lemon plus 1/2 teaspoon grated zest

1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons fresh dill, minced

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

12 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

  1. Wipe or wash lemon peels and wash fresh dill with Eat Cleaner.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, almond milk and lemon juice/zest until smooth. Add in remaining ingredients and allow to thicken up in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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