After being on the road for a very short time, you hear someone’s stomach growl (maybe your own) or a little voice in the back wailing, “Mom! Dad! I’m hungry!” It is in this moment that you realize in all of your planning you somehow forgot about snacks.
At this time, you have two choices. Option one, pull over to the closest fast-food restaurant and grab something quick and cheap. Option two, take the next exit with a gas station and snag some prepackaged chips or crackers.
There is a third option. Create a healthy snack bag and throw it in the car with everything else. Fast food and prepackaged snacks aren’t good for you or your kids, so why not assemble healthy snacks as part of your packing routine before hitting the road?
Teaching kids healthy eating habits, especially when it comes to snacking, will be beneficial to their health for the rest of their lives. Having healthy snacks on hand can keep younger children from becoming too hungry and cranky, and it can help older children eat appropriate portions at meal time. Healthy snacks at the right times can manage appetites, boost nutrition, and ensure kids get the nourishment they need.
For adults, healthy snacks can decrease hunger and prevent overeating too. According to MedlinePlus, healthy snacking is an important part of your diet and a great source of energy.
Taking nutritious snacks on your travels will help you dodge the sugar and/or salt contents in prepackaged snacks. Snacks can be as simple as apple slices and peanut butter, or cheese sticks. Easy-to-make combos such as celery, peanut butter, and raisins; veggies and hummus; and yogurt and granola are effortless to assemble and taste good.
If packing fresh ingredients is off the table, lightly seasoned popcorn, trail mix, granola bars, and cheese sticks are alternative options you can find in your grocery store. Because snacks low in sugar, fat, and salt are the healthiest, fresh vegetables and fruits, and foods containing whole grains and protein are the best choices.
These no-bake, four-ingredient peanut energy balls are a simple recipe to start with. At only 108 calories each, they are packed with protein and chocolate chips. So they taste good and are good for you.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add all 4 ingredients to a large bowl and mix until well incorporated
- Cover and chill mixture in a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
- Take about a tablespoon of the mixture and press it into a ball with your palms
- Repeat with entire mixture; should make about 16 energy balls
- Store in a sealed container in refrigerator (or cooler on your road trip!)
Recipe from http://www.thewholesomedish.com/no-bake-4-ingredient-peanut-butter-energy-bites/
Fact from MedlinePlus https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000338.htm