Many of my posts are about feeding children-which is of course difficult and important. However, many of us “big people” are trying to make changes in our lives as well. One of the hardest challenges we face are time constraints. It is hard to live “primally” in a fast paced world. We reach for convenience foods. However, these are the foods that are hurting our bodies and making us feel sick. We are tired most of the time. We are over weight, and we have aches and pains. Many of us chalk it up to being just how it is or “getting old.” However, we are not designed to feel this way. We are designed to eat nutrient dense real food, and we are designed to feel good. We are use to feeling off so that becomes the norm to us. When you start to feel good you will be pretty shocked at how nice it feels to have stamina, energy, and be in a good mood. Sure eating healthy might not be the panacea of life, there are many other factors that come into play here (relationships, sleep, career, etc.) but it sure makes living easier and more enjoyable. When you feel good in some areas of your life, it helps motivate you to make changes in other areas as well. Things start to happen for you.

I’m in the process of working on a couple big projects for you that I am very excited about! One is a free 5 step guide to converting yourself or your family to a primal diet. It is in the works and I am almost done with it. I am also working on an e-book which I am keeping secret at the moment (but I promise you will like it).

In the meantime I’ve had several people asking me about adult snacks! I recently wrote a blurb on my facebook page about avoiding fast food establishments. I never want to come across as pretentious…but I also want people to be aware of the ingredients in the items they are purchasing and trying to nourish their bodies with. These establishments tend to list salads on their “health” menu as a healthy alternative. However-anyone can claim something as healthy. The first ingredient in the dressing they use is almost guaranteed to be soy oil. Soy wreaks havoc on the body. The oil is rancid factory produced oil that causes inflammation in the body. Having a salad with this oil does more harm than good for your body. However, many of us are just not aware of this when we think we are making healthy choices.

I always advocate packing your own snacks and lunches. Get yourself a lunchbox!!! I highly recommend the planet box!  link here: http://bit.ly/Z2sjgo

It comes in a kid size and a big person size. You can fill the big compartment with leftovers from the night before (because with my 5 step guide you will be cooking some easy meals 😉 and the side compartments with different colored fruits and veggies. Get creative! There is no room in this lunchbox for packaged foods. Just fill it with fresh whole foods.

Here is an example of one of my son’s lunches packed in the planet box:

Now…for when you are in the car and rushing from meeting to meeting, or rushing the kids to soccer, or on your way home with an empty stomach. You need some snacks to keep in the car or in your bag/briefcase/pocketbook/man-bag…lol.

I hope this helps and keep a look out for my other upcoming posts/e-book!

Although fruit is more healthy than some packaged items, it still contains a lot of sugar. Sugar is digested quickly and can leave you feeling hungry. I recommend reaching for snacks that are high in fat and protein. Maybe with a side of a low-sugar fruit like berries or green apples. Having the fat and protein with the fruit sugars helps slow the insulin surge as well, and can leave you more satiated.

One thing I would like to mention is that when your body adapts to eating a higher fat/protein diet and you avoid processed refined grains your body adapts to not needing to snack that much. When you eat grains they are broken down into sugar. The blood sugar spikes and plummets that follow leave you frequently hungry. When you are eating real whole nutrient dense foods you many find that snacking is no longer necessary. I know many paleo eaters who can go several hours between eating and feel just fine. I use to have to eat something every single hour or I would get dizzy and shaky. I would tell everyone that I have “low blood sugar.” Now I no longer snack that frequently and rarely get hungry between meals. However, if you are just converting yourself to this lifestyle and your body is use to snacking on refined grains for energy, you may be hungry until your body adjusts to using fat for energy. Therefore, these are some better snacks to reach for. Hopefully you won’t need to reach for them all the time once you have adjusted!

So here are some of my suggestions. Please feel free to add to this list in the comment section if you have other ideas! I hope this helps and keep a look out for my other upcoming posts/e-book!—Kathryn

Avocados. Avocados make a great high fat tasty, creamy, satiating snack. I love mine with sea salt on it. How do you pack an avocado? I usually put it in a brown paper lunch bag with a knife and a spoon. Make sure it is ripe-it should be mostly firm with a little give. If it is too mushy it is beyond ripe. If you remove the little “nub” on the top and it is green underneath it is still good. If it is brown under the nub, it is over-ripe and no longer good. I cut it in half when I am ready to eat it, and twist it open. I scoop out the seed and eat it with a spoon. You could also cut it in half ahead of time, and drizzle it with some lemon or lime juice to keep it from browning.

Hard Boiled Eggs. Peel them at home, put them in a container with a little salt and pepper. There you have a nice fat and protein nutrient dense snack to keep you satiated. Throw a handful of raspberries on the side if you’d like!

Beef Jerky. Good beef jerky is expensive and the stuff at the store is just gross (loaded with textured soy protein and industrial oils which are bad bad bad). Did you know that it is quite easy to make your own beef jerky? You don’t need a dehydrator, you can do it right in the oven. Do it over the weekend to make your jerky for the week.

Here are a couple of recipes that I use:

http://www.againstallgrain.com/2013/01/07/smoky-beef-jerky/

http://stupideasypaleo.com/2012/04/18/recipe-beef-jerky/

Nuts and Seeds: I try not to go crazy with nuts because of the high levels of omega 6 and the phytic acid in them. Phytic acid can be reduced through sprouting and soaking. This article may be helpful. However, the occasional handful of nuts and seeds on the go can really help satiate you. Almonds are my go-to nut when I’m feeling like a nut ;), and sunflower seeds or pumkin seeds are my go-to seed. Peanuts are actually legumes, not nuts. They tend to be inflammatory and allergenic so I avoid them. This article explains further about peanuts, legumes and inflammation.

Sardines: for those of you saying “GROSS” keep an open mind here. I have to be honest-I can’t even yet stomach the ones with bones and skins on them. If you can…that is awesome because the bones are loaded with minerals the body needs like bio-available (easily used by the body) calcium. However, Trader Joe’s makes these boneless and skinless sardines in olive oil and I was brave once and decided to try them. They did not taste fishy at all-they were actually slightly sweet and very satiating. This is now one of my favorite go-to snacks. Sardines are nutrient dense powerhouses. They make the perfect snack. They are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids.

Canned Wild Salmon: Just remember to pack a fork and a can opener. It tastes very mild-similar to tuna fish. It is high in omega 3. I get the Trader Joe’s brand. You can also get a good sustainable source such at: http://www.wildplanetfoods.com/

Leftover Meat: If you can get use to eating meats cold (which we do when we eat things like deli meats and chicken salad) leftover cold meat makes a great on the go snack. Pack it with an icepack to keep it cold so it doesn’t go bad. Leftover pieces of chicken, chicken legs, roasts, burgers…any meats can be cut up and made into a quick snack.

Coconut Butter: I eat this stuff by the spoonful. It is the actual meat of the coconut made into a butter. It is actually a bit dry and crumbly, unless warmed. I usually dig a spoon right in and eat it. It’s a nice concentrated source of fat for energy, and it is very satiating. It can also be used to make homemade energy bars (which I will get into next…)

Homemade “Lara” Bars:  I like This Recipe from Everyday Paleo. Or you could try my blood orange coconut balls *these types of snacks are still sweet and tend to be best at replacing energy after intense exercise*

Quality Deli Meats: Applegate Farms makes ham (pastured, humane, nitate free) that you can roll up around a piece of avocado and pack for a snack when hungry

Olives: ummmm….they taste good-good fats-satiating…

Grass-fed Cheddar and Apple Slices: Kerrygold brand cheddar or dubliner cheese is really good and from 100% grass-fed cows. It is high in CLA a potent cancer fighter. You can find it at most grocery stores. A slice of that with a slice of green apple (low in sugar) taste great together and makes a great on the go snack to pack.

Almond Butter and Green Apple Slices: A nice satiating fatty snack with a low sugar fruit-cut up the apples in the container and put a dollop of almond butter right in the middle

Cut Up Vegetables With Guacamole: Cut up some carrots, celery, peppers cut up into stick. Guacamole is so easy to make. It is one of my favorite snacks. Take a ripe avocado and mash it up with a fork. Add sea salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and chopped fresh cilantro. If you like it smooth put it all in a food processor. Otherwise just mash with a fork. Scoop it up with your cut up veggies.

Dark Chocolate: Sometimes we just crave something sweet. Find the darkest chocolate you can find and have a few little pieces. Let it slowly melt in your mouth and enjoy it. I like Green and  Black’s organic 85% dark chocolate. YUM!

Sweet Potato Chips: I found this recipe  and it looks like they are thin, crispy, and can be carried on the go. You can also dip these in the homemade guacamole!

”Popcorn” Cauliflower:  Set oven to 400 Degrees. Cut up a head of cauliflower into small florets, spread onto a cookie sheet. Melt about 1/4 cup of coconut oil and drizzle over the cauliflower. Season with sea salt and pepper, as well as any spices you enjoy such as cayenne pepper or paprika Roast in the oven for approx 45 minutes to an hour stirring frequently-we like it golden brown all over.

Roasted Broccoli: Set oven to 375 cut up 1 or 2 heads of broccoli-spread on a cookie sheet-drizzle with 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil, sea salt, and pepper. Roast stirring frequently 15-20 minutes or until it starts to brown

Kale Chips: Oven to 350 degrees chop Kale into chip sized pieces and spread on a cookie sheet. Melt 1/4 cup of coconut oil and drizzle all over kale. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven stirring frequently. These cook fast and can burn quickly. You want them crisp to touch and they just start browning.

Plain Full-Fat Grass-Fed Yogurt (raw if you can find it): Although I am not big on conventional dairy, I am a little more lenient when it comes to yogurt as the enzymes and probiotics help pre-digest the casein. However, there are a lot of real junky brands of grain-fed, low fat, sugary yogurts out there that claim to be healthy. This brand: http://www.sevenstarsfarm.com/about.html comes in plain and full-fat. It is 100% grass-fed. You can add a tiny drizzle of maple syrup or raw honey if you need some sweetness.

Fresh Coconut: Crack open a fresh coconut! You get all the benefits of CLA (cancer fighting fat) and nutrients.

Bacon: Bacon is tasty and satiating. Try to find local pastured bacon when you can. You can cook up a pound and pack a couple pieces throughout the week. It also tastes great with guacamole!

Baked goods with Coconut Flour and Almond Meal: My friend over at Just Eat Real Food on Facebook shares tons of recipes everyday. There are always several different recipes for baked goods with alternative flours like coconut flour and almond flour! These can help satiate when you have that craving for something baked liked muffins or cookies. She also shares several breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes everyday!

 

That is all I have for you 🙂 Feel free to add on your suggestions in the comment section! Good luck with your healthy changes!

 

 

* Please note: This is a personal blog. I am not a Doctor or a Dietician. All data and information provided on this site is for informational/educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitution for professional medical advice.