snack attack!

Ravenous?

And dinner is still hours away.

Maybe you just have the munchies.

Or just need something to keep on hand for when your blood sugar starts to plummet?

Snack time--not just for preschool!

Snacking (within reason i.e. keep them the 250 calories or less-much more than that and you've eaten meal) is a great idea.

It keeps you from getting SUPER hungry in between meals which usually results in inhalation (rather than calm chewing) of food.

If you are too hungry to slow down in between bites your body will give you the "Yo! I'm full" signal but you won't get it until you've probably eaten enough to make yourself uncomfortably full.

Here are a few healthy, portable, gluten free options for when the urge for snacking strikes:

1. 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter or other nut butter and celery or an apple....I also like celery and low fat cream cheese.

2. Fruit. Simple enough--doesn't get much easier than grabbing a banana or apple on your way out the door

3. Dried fruit and nuts. Save some money, buy your favorites and make your own mix. Maybe throw a little dark chocolate in there as well for good measure. One of our favorites is cranberries, dark chocolate, and pecans. Put some (1/4 to 1/2 cup per serving) in a ziploc, and roll on with your day.

4. Popcorn. I. love. popcorn.

5. Corn Tortilla Chips and Salsa. Opt for the baked kind if you can, saves on calories and fat and for my tastebuds you don't lose much taste at all.

6. Rice cakes (smear a little nut butter on these too if you need a little extra protein).

7. A (small) handful of Peanut M&Ms. A portion control tip from a friend: use old pill bottles that have been washed and labels removed to store M&M's.

8. Hard boiled eggs. Easy, portable, protein source.

9. Edamame (make sure if you purhcase from the store that it doesnt have some added dusting of flavor with wheat or gluten compoents)

10. Kind, Lara, or Raw Revolution bars--tasty and not loaded with a bunch of chemicals and preservatives! (Lara Bar even makes small snack size versions of their bars).