Guiding Stars: Easy Snack Options for Busy Holidays
Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News
The holiday season can be an endurance event. Days often include extra errands or commitments, and somehow it seems like the usual errands and commitments just take longer, adding to an exhausting day. When life gets busy (likely interrupting your meals), I highly recommend planning balanced snacks. If not, you may find yourself grabbing fast food or a decadent choice as an afternoon pick-me-up.
Star-Worthy Snacks
Here are some ideas to stay energized while shopping, wrapping, decorating, traveling, or trying to make it to your child’s poorly timed school event. Whether you’re at home or on the go, there’s a snack for that:
- Single serve guacamole with Guiding Stars earning multigrain chips
- Sliced cheese, low-sodium turkey breast, and Guiding Stars earning crackers
- Guiding Stars earning toasted whole grain waffle topped with chocolate sunflower seed butter
- High-protein yogurt drink
- Guiding Stars earning oatmeal cup topped with nut butter and seasonal fruit
- Sliced banana and peanut butter (for a more filling snack, spread on a slice of whole grain toast)
- Single hummus serving with carrots, sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes
- No-sugar-added, Guiding Stars earning Greek yogurt topped with 1/3 cup high-protein granola
- “Sippable” soup like tomato or butternut squash soup that can be enjoyed in a to-go cup
- Mashed avocado, sliced hard-boiled egg, and sliced baguette
- Small serving of blueberries and lightly salted almonds
- Granola bar (aim for 7 grams protein, 5 or more grams fat, minimal saturated fat, less added sugar)
Keep an Eye on Your Beverages
This time of year, it’s easy to have beverages with more added sugar and calories than we realize. Consider your choice before ordering a coffee drink, picking up a bottled beverage, or going for a mocktail. Choose an alternative or adjust ingredients if needed to reduce the calories, added sugar, or saturated fat in your drink.
Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.
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