When I combine a full time job, blogging, my Easy store and spending time with my husband sometimes my schedule gets out of hand and I forget to do important things – like eat. I can only imagine how someone who has kids feels!
I’ve learned over time that the best way for me to avoid skipping meals is to pack a wide variety of items that I can toss in my purse or the office fridge, so no matter how crazy the day is I have something ready for a quick grab-and-go snack.
When I have downtime over the weekend I try to prepare for the week ahead by slicing up anything I want to pre-package and bring along to work. I’ve found that Hickory Farms Summer Sausage and Cheese is a great option that stays fresh all week long.
I like to slice up several types of cheese and wrap each package individually in Saran Wrap. Once packaged into portions I place all the cheese together in a Ziplock baggy.
Summer sausage goes in its own bag, sliced into perfect grab-and-go snack portions. I remove the skin before I start slicing because it ensures there is no mess to clean up when I just need a quick snack on the go.
Apple slices are great options that will round out a meal if all you have time for that day are the snack bags you prepared. Pre-cut apples from the store will save you time, but if you prefer to cut your own, lightly toss the slices in lemon juice immediately after cutting. This will help prevent browning and give you a couple days’ worth of shelf life in the refrigerator.
Some snacks require no preparation at all. Tossing a box of crackers or a package of nuts in your desk drawer can provide something to snack on while reading emails in-between meetings. I have a bad habit of eating an entire box of crackers instead of taking a break, so for me I need to portion out each snack into individual servings. Ziploc snack bags are perfect for creating your own ‘100 calorie’ packs. If you don’t have time to portion out each serving, it helps to take out what you want to eat and put the rest of the package away. This keeps me from mindlessly eating.
You’ll be surprised how full you feel after just a few snacks and you may not need to grab that unhealthy fast food lunch after all. Just like the Lunchables you ate as a kiddo, these grab-and-go snacks can provide a good balance of protein, dairy and fruits if you plan accordingly.
Don’t forget to drink water throughout the day. Often the signs of thirst are confused with those of hunger and having snacks on hand won’t prevent you from becoming dehydrated. I started using a water measure that helps keep me on track for drinking at least two 24ox bottles of water per day.
There’s no substitution for eating a proper meal, but if you don’t have time these quick grab-and-go snack options should help stave off any hangary meetings that may pop up unexpectedly. What are some of your solutions to remembering to eat when you have a busy day? Do you have any other go-to snacks you’d recommend?
Disclaimer: This post was brought to you by Hickory Farms. All opinions, ideas and writing are my own. I was compensated and received a product sample as inspiration for this post.
Mornings are hard and taking the time to eat something healthy isn’t always my top priority. More often than not I find myself reaching for a snack as I walk into the office and when that snack comes from the local coffee shop it’s usually in the form of a chocolate croissant.
We all know that eating a good breakfast is super important, but its not always possible to make something healthy before rushing out the door.
When I received the offer to try out Garden of Life’s Raw Protein Formula I was excited to test out a morning routine that would help me make smart choices in the morning. With 17 grams of protein the Raw Protein smoothie is the perfect quick breakfast I can toss into a shaker bottle as I rush out the door. For a grab and go option I really enjoy that chocolate flavor (because it tastes just like chocolate milk). When I have a bit more time, the vanilla is the perfect additional to a fruity breakfast smoothie.
8 Ounces of milk or almond milk (Almond milk adds protein)
1 scoop of Raw Protein
1/2 cup of frozen strawberries & bananas
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
For the smoothie to blend properly start by adding the milk to your blender and then layer in your fruit, yogurt and protein power.
I like using frozen fruit because it makes the smoothie a bit thicker and doesn’t water down the flavor the way ice does. Frozen fruit also stays good much longer.
Turn the blender on puree and allow to run for 2-3 minutes. All your fruit should be well blended.
Sometimes the protein powder splashes up on the walls of the blender. I use a soft spatula to scrape the sides of the blender and than turn it back on for another 30 seconds of mixing if this happens.
Pour into a to go cup and head out the door.
With the additional protein this smoothie helps me stay full until lunch but doesn’t sit heavy in my stomach as I spend the morning in front of a computer screen. An added bonus of the Garden of Life protein powder is that it includes a healthy probiotic that helps the good bacteria in your body functioning properly. The amount in the protein formula is approximately the same as what you might find in a yogurt, so if you take probiotics regularly you should still take your daily supplement.
Most people have taken probiotics after starting an antibiotic – but your body can benefit from probiotics all the time! Once I started trying out the Once Daily Women’s Probiotic from Garden of Life I immediately noticed that I simply felt better without making any other changes to my diet. Probiotics keep your digestion functioning well and that area of your body can impact all other pieces of you health. For me in particular I have a difficult time sleeping and taking probiotics has had a serious improvement on the quality of my sleep.
Have you ever taken probiotics and what has your experience been?
Disclaimer: I received a product sample for the purposes of this post. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my writing.
I have a hard time getting up early enough in the morning to have time for a proper breakfast, but if I don’t eat something I’m starving within an hour of getting into the office. I typically transition back and forth from yogurt to protein shakes as my breakfast meal that I can eat either on my drive to work, or immediately upon arriving at the office.
Grab and go breakfast bars are convenient, but I’m not a fan of how much sugar usually goes into the prepackaged options. As a heavy coffee drinker its bad enough that I need to rely on caffeine to get my day rolling so adding sugar to the mix doesn’t help.
These easy to make Quinoa Breakfast Bars are my favorite new fast breakfast option. I can mix up a batch over the weekend and prepackage them in sandwich bags so I can grab them as a I head out the door in the morning.
My family is big on family gatherings. With my mom and aunts living within several blocks of one another, getting the entire family together for a meal is a regular occurrence. With the occasional 13 plus person meal, I’ve learned that cooking for a crowd is no easy feat and I’m impressed that my Mom and Aunts both are able to do so without batting an eye.
