Hi guys!  I have another food post for ya!  It’s been a few weeks since my salad blog post, so today I’m back with my favorite healthy snack ideas!  We don’t have Trader Joe’s here in Hawaii (so sad, right?) so most everything I’m sharing was bought at Target, since that’s where I seem to grocery shop most of the time.

Quick and Healthy Snack Ideas

Greek Yogurt with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips:

We LOVE yogurt in this house, and I always try to choose some with a little fat in it (helps your body absorb the calcium and vitamin D) and without any artificial sweetener in it.  Coconut, Key Lime and Pumpkin (since it’s officially fall now) are my favorite flavors to enjoy with walnuts (I buy them in the baking section) and a small handful of chocolate chips!  This is a great snack that feels like a decadent dessert.

Popcorn with a fun Seasoning:

We buy loose popcorn kernels (microwave bags are a waste of money!) and either pop on the stove or lately I’ve been putting 1/4 cup of kernels and a spoonful of ghee in a large tupperware container (yes I know I should upgrade to glass…that’s on the to-do list!) and then cover it loosely with the lid.  Then I’ll microwave for a while until the pops get a couple seconds apart (the popcorn button actually seems to be the correct time on my microwave).  Then I’ll sprinkle with some sea salt and Old Bay or Chili Lime seasoning (ours is Trader Joe’s that I bought on our most recent trip to the mainland).  Another variation is truffle oil with salt, pepper and freshly grated parmesan.  So good!

Apple with Peanut Butter:

You can’t beat this elementary school combo!  Nice and simple and the combination of the two is great for controlling blood sugar and giving you a good dose of nutrients.

String Cheese with Sliced Turkey:

Sometimes when I get home from the gym or Caroline’s school I’ll have to focus on fixing her lunch but it hits me that I’m starving.  I’ll often wrap a string cheese with a slice or two of turkey meat.  It’s a great dose of protein and super quick too.

Parmesan Cheese, Apple, Walnuts and Crasins:

When I’m cooking dinner and want to set out a little snack this is almost always what I come up with.  Parmesan cheese is high in calcium, walnuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids and protein, apples are high in fiber and antioxidants (I normally buy pink lady or fiji), and I love the tartness that crasins add.  Combine all 4 and it’s delicious and you don’t even need crackers!

Spoonful of Peanut Butter:

When my blood sugar drops (I’ve had hypoglycemia since I was in 5th grade) the thing I always want immediately is a spoonful of peanut butter or a glass of OJ.  Not sure why but that’s what my body needs ASAP to get me out of my slump.  Sure, peanut butter is full of fat, but it’s good to have a little fat in your diet and it’s a yummy source of protein and vitamins and minerals like magnesium, potassium and zinc.

RXBars:

I’ve always struggled with hypoglycemia and sometimes low blood sugar hits me out of nowhere or I’ll realize all of the sudden that I’m famished.  I always keep an RXBar in my bag for moments like this.  I try to not eat them every day because they are pretty dense, but I like that they’re made with just a couple simple ingredients and the taste is good too.  I buy the box of Chocolate Sea Salt and Peanut Butter Chocolate RXBars at Costco, though the other flavors I’ve tried are good too.

Cashews, Pistachios and Coconut:

I got this idea from my friend Kait when we went to the beach together a few months back.  Just combine cashews, pistachios (unshelled if you want to eat a little slower), and pieces of sweet coconut (not the shredded stuff…it’s more like slices and can be tough to find and I have to go to Asian/local section of the commissary (military grocery store) to find it).

Sunmaid Sour Rasins:

If I’m craving something sour then I’ll grab a pack of these!  They sounded slightly weird yet intriguing to me when I first found out about them so of course I had to try them.  They really are a good fix if you like sour things but try not to eat candy.  The best thing is that they’re flavored with natural flavors!  (Sour foods are a pregnancy craving of mine, and these have been a good option!)

Loaded Hummus:

I love to make my own hummus but these days I often just grab some spicy hummus at the store.  I like to top it with a bunch of veggies (like red onion, garbanzo beans, cucumber, avocado and tomato) and feta cheese too.  Then eat it with carrots or celery or pita chips I make at home.  It’s so good!  This recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking is a great one if you’re looking for more thorough instructions.