Healthy snack ideas for ‘on the go’

  8 Minutes

Our busy schedules may look like carting children around, business travel, busy days in the office, one meeting after the next and then… hunger strikes! You may not be near a shop or convenience store, can’t leave the office or possibly stuck in a car, so it is a great idea to have healthy snack options at hand for times like these.

If you don’t eat, blood sugar levels may dip, metabolism can drop, you could start to enter a negative mindset, often referred to as ‘hangry’, you may battle to focus and anxiety can set in. This can impact your thinking and behaviour.

Don’t let the stress of trying to keep up with the pace of daily life compromise your nutrition and eating options. Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is crucial for maintaining good health, preventing chronic diseases, and feeling your best. You need to look after your health and support your body during these stressful situations, and health indeed begins with what you eat.

It is often easier to fall into unhealthy eating habits and reach for an energy bar or packet of chips at the convenience store instead of opting for nutrient-dense snacks such as fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Try to steer clear of opting for those store-bought snacks – yes they are convenient but they are often not so healthy being packed with sugar, fat, preservatives, additives and colourants. Not to mention, costly!

Health begins with good nutrition – ‘you are what you eat and what you absorb’. With a little planning and budgeting, you can have healthy snack options within reach, when needed.

Living Naturally recommends the following nutritious ‘on-the-go’ snacks

• Medjool Dates
  One study concluded that dates are almost an ideal food because they contain a wide range of essential nutrients and potential health benefits. They are loaded with dietary fibres and packed with vitamins and minerals. Dates also boost energy as they contain vitamins which improve metabolic processes, thus reducing tiredness and fatigue.
  Note: when consumed excessively, dates can lead to weight gain due to high caloric content. So, it is essential to consume dates in moderation.
• Nuts & Seeds
  Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein, healthy fats, fibres, vitamins and minerals.  Due to the protein and healthy fat content, they will keep you fuller for longer. Nuts and seeds contain unsaturated fats and other nutrients that provide protective effects against heart disease and diabetes.
  Note: always opt for raw or dry roasted instead of roasted in oil with sugar or salt coatings.  Enjoy in moderation.
• Raw Vegetables & Hummus
  Hummus is a smooth and creamy puree traditionally made of cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), sesame paste (tahini), lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Cut cucumber, celery, carrots and red peppers into veggie sticks to dip into the hummus, yum!
• Apple & peanut butter
  Cut an apple into wedges and enjoy it with raw peanut butter – make sure it doesn’t contain added sugar, salt or oil. Full of nutrients, with the fibre in apples and the protein in peanut butter, eating these together can help you feel fuller for longer. This snack may help reduce inflammation, balance blood sugar levels, support heart and digestive health, and promote a healthy weight.
• Roasted Chickpeas
  Oven-roasted chickpeas are super simple to make and irresistibly crispy and delicious! They still have all the protein and heartiness of regular chickpeas, but once roasted, they become irresistibly salty and crunchy. To roast chickpeas all you need is a hot oven and three key ingredients: 1 can of cooked chickpeas, olive oil, and salt. There are various recipes out there to roast chickpeas but here is one for ease of reference:
  1. Step 1 – Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
  2. Step 2 – Drain and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas. The most important step is to make sure the chickpeas are completely dry. Use paper towels to dry them well and then leave them in a colander for a while to release any excess moisture. The drier the chickpeas, the crispier they are once roasted.
     Some recipes recommend a drying time of 2 hours before roasting.
  3. Step 3 – Spread chickpeas onto a lightly sprayed baking tray (preferably with olive oil spray) and bake until crunchy and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  4. Step 4 – Turn off the oven – stir chickpeas and place back in the turned-off oven for 5 minutes with the door slightly ajar for cooling.
  5. Step 5 – Whisk 1 tablespoon olive oil, A.Vogel Herbamare sea salt and black pepper together in a bowl.  Stir in chickpeas and mix until well coated (add additional olive oil if required).
     Top tip: – don’t pre-oil the chickpeas before roasting, they tend to cook faster and burn.  Dry roasted results in an even, crunchy consistency. Dry roast and then add the oil and seasoning at the end when they are still hot out of the oven.
     Storage – They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days but are best eaten within the first 2 days.
• Boiled egg, tomato & spinach.
  Add a hard-boiled egg to one chopped medium tomato and a handful of chopped spinach leaves, and drizzle with olive oil or A.Vogel Kelpamare sauce. Add some diced red onion for some crunch!
• Fresh fruit
  Fruits are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, and they are high in fibre. Fruits also provide a wide range of health-boosting antioxidants. Easy-to-carry options for snacking include apples, bananas, blueberries and naartjies.
  Note: – When buying dried fruit, always choose the unsweetened varieties, as excess sugar can cause your blood sugar levels to crash after an energy spike.
• Cottage cheese and tomatoes on rice cakes or provitas
  Whether opting for rice cakes or provitas, spread some low-fat cottage cheese, then top with sliced cherry tomatoes or cucumber and sprinkle A.Vogel Herbamare sea salt and pepper for a tasty snack that hits the spot! Simple as that.
• Popcorn
  At the heart of this endearing little kernel is a healthful whole grain, naturally low in fat and calories, gluten-free, and non-GMO, which makes it a great fit for today’s health-conscious consumer. Living Naturally opts to cook popcorn on the stovetop rather than in the microwave. Flavour with A.Vogel Herbamare sea salt.
• Apple & Banana Smoothie
  This smoothie is full of goodness…
  • Rich in healthy vitamins and minerals.
  • Good source of fibre.
  • High in antioxidants.

  Bananas are great for the digestive system! They help aid digestion, stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut and because they are high in fibre, they keep the bowels healthy.

  • Ingredients: 1 green apple (chopped), 1 banana (sliced), 175ml fresh orange juice, 75ml milk, 1 tablespoon A.Vogel Molkosan.
  • Method: Blend all the ingredients and enjoy.

On-the-go healthy snack tips:

• When thirsty – always choose water first! Drink 6 to 8 glasses of filtered alkaline water with a pH of 7 or more a day. Staying well-hydrated helps you think more clearly and may help prevent overeating. Not drinking enough water will counteract all your healthy eating and snacking efforts.
• Everything in moderation. A snack portion should be enough to satisfy but not so much that it interferes with your appetite for a meal or adds too many calories. A general rule of thumb is to aim for about 150-200 calories per snack.
• Avoid the sugar crash! Many people think that eating sugar will give you a sudden burst of energy, or a “sugar high.” But this common belief is more myth than reality. Many people use this phrase to describe the symptoms that can happen shortly after eating a lot of carbohydrates, feelings of sluggishness or a sudden feeling of tiredness, brain fog and trouble concentrating.
• Don’t fall into the ‘health trap store-bought foods like protein bars or drinking yoghurt as they often contain added sugar, sodium and trans fats (the bad kind) and are high in calories.
• Right snack at the right time – Contrary to popular belief, you are encouraged to snack as part of a healthy diet. Snacking helps to curb cravings and manage hunger however you need to be mindful about when and what you eat. An appropriate amount of snacks is 2-3 per day between mealtimes, but be sure to eat the snack at least 1-2 hours before your next meal. Reach for the right type of snack at the right time e.g. eating a banana before a workout for an instant energy boost, and after a long and intense workout it’s important to replenish your body with carbohydrates and protein.
• Choose whole and natural foods
  If you are looking for some lunch ideas – our team put together some Work lunch ideas: Put it in a jar! to make life a little easier!

Best avoided snacks:

• Hard cheeses.
• Sugar and sweeteners.
• Excess salt – read Uncovering the truth about salt.
• Reheated foods.
• Processed meats.
• Preservatives, additives, colourants and flavourings.

Snacking is an effective way to fit extra nutrients into your diet and prevent overeating at mealtimes. By choosing whole-food healthy snacks, you can feel good eating them, knowing you won’t crash later in the day. There are many other healthy ‘go-to’ snack options out there and we hope this list has guided you in the right direction.  If you are looking for more guidance on what to eat and why, please take a look at our Diets section on Living Naturally. 

References and additional reading:

1. 14 on-the-go healthy snacks to keep your energy running high (no date) Country Life Natural Foods. Available at: https://countrylifefoods.com/blogs/country-life-feed/on-the-go-healthy-snacks (Accessed: 23 January 2024).
2. British Heart Foundation (no date) 10 quick and easy healthy snack ideas, BHF. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/weight/100-calorie-snacks (Accessed: 23 January 2024).
3. Divya Jacob, Pharm.D. and Karthik Kumar, M. (2023) How many dates should you eat a day? 18 benefits & 6 side effects, MedicineNet. Available at: https://www.medicinenet.com/how_many_dates_should_you_eat_a_day/article.htm (Accessed: 23 January 2024).
4. Healthiest fruits: List, nutrition, and Benefits (no date) Medical News Today. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324431 (Accessed: 23 January 2024).
5. Newman, T. (2023) Hunger: What happens in your body?, Hunger: What Happens in Your Body? Available at: https://zoe.com/learn/hunger-what-happens-in-body (Accessed: 23 January 2024).
6. The best and worst time to snack (no date) Boxgreen. Available at: https://www.boxgreen.co/blogs/the-pantry/the-best-and-worst-time-to-snack (Accessed: 23 January 2024).