Summer is here and that means lots of road trips, festivals, sporting events, summer camps, and more! For those longer days out and about, it is helpful and important to pack some healthy, well-balanced snacks to avoid blood sugar crashes or having to resort to less-than-ideal fast-food chain runs that will likely leave you feeling more sluggish and fatigued and craving more energy.
To keep blood sugar stable throughout the day, it is helpful to have a snack with a healthy carb as a base to help increase the blood sugar level. Additionally, the carb should be paired with a protein or fat to help extend the energy by allowing your body to slowly burn through the macronutrients. This is so that your energy and satiety last longer than just 30 minutes or so. Think about if you were very hungry and only ate a cup of berries; likely, you will be hungry again in 30-60 minutes however, if you have that cup of berries (carb) with a handful of nuts or cheese (fat), you will be full for a lot longer than if you just had the berries.
Use this formula (carb + protein/fat) when building balanced snacks, and you will be amazed at how much more energy and fullness you have throughout the day.
Below are a few of my favorite go-to balanced snack ideas that I encourage you to try out and find your favorites to prep each week to stay energized and fueled on your adventures! If you find yourself running out of ideas, or needing more specific nutrition support, please reach out to set up a visit with me to help restore joy through whole foods & nutrition!
Protein Bites- https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/easy-no-bake-protein-balls-4-ways/
- Egg Muffins- https://www.wellplated.com/healthy-breakfast-egg-muffins/
- Roasted Chickpeas- https://www.loveandlemons.com/roasted-chickpeas/
- Overnight Oats- https://downshiftology.com/recipes/overnight-oats/
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/greek-quinoa-salad/
- Pre-portioned Trail Mix packs- https://www.thehealthymaven.com/how-to-build-a-healthy-trail-mix/
- Meat Stick + Whole Piece or 1 cup of Fruit- my favorite meat sticks brands are: Chomps, The New Primal, Paleo Valley, Country Archer
- 5-2 oz. Cheese cubes + 1 piece/1 cup Fruit like grapes or berries
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or Cottage Cheese + Fruit or granola- Purely Elizabeth is a great brand!
- Plantain chips (Barnana or Artisan Tropics are good brands) + guacamole (Wholly guacamole or Simple Truth are good brands) or hummus cups (Simple Truth or Kirkland are good brands)
- Gluten free wrap roll ups- Siete or Trader Joes brands GF tortilla + 2 slices of Organic turkey, chicken, etc. + 1 Tbsp of hummus, guacamole, mayo, or slice of cheese + handful of leafy greens or shredded carrots.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.