Yesterday, I got back from a 1300 mile road trip. Road trips inevitably seem to go hand in hand with bad snacking…candy, chips, soda…why is it that we crave junk food when we’re stuck in the car for hours?
Never mind the summer road trips…With the whole family home all summer long, our eating habits have changed and there’s a lot more down-time when snacks seem to sneak their way out of the kitchen and all over my house (typically in front of the TV or my computer).
Eat Smart! Summer Snacking Tips:
Here are a few of my family’s smart snacking tips (though we’re far from being perfect!):
- Get rid of the unhealthy snacks in the house and replace them with foods you want your family to eat, like fruits, veggies and nuts (if the junk food isn’s there, nobody’s going to get caught eating it!).
- Set them out! Place a plate of celery sticks or fruit kebabs out on the kitchen table for the whole family to snack on and they will not only NOT reach for the junk foods but they’ll be getting MORE of what you want them to be eating.
- Set snack times – and let everyone know that the kitchen is closed the rest of the day. In our house for the summer, Dad set “popsicle hour” where the kids are free to grab a popsicle to eat. If a time hadn’t been set, I promise you that there would be popsicle wrappers littering the house all day long! Since we wanted to limit the number of popsicles the kids ate PLUS we didn’t want to listen to “Can I have a popsicle now?” all day long, we had to be very specific about when they were acceptable.
- Stay busy – I know I am more likely to snack when I’m bored or restless. So are my kids. When my mind and hands are busy, then I don’t even think about between-meal foods.
- Drink – instead of grabbing a bag of chips, grab a water bottle and fill your belly with water instead of unnecessary food.
Here are a few more tips from Hungry Girl:
I’ve long been a fan of snacking on healthy nuts (in my house nuts don’t last long at all!) but this week I was blown away by the Wonderful package we got. Not only are Wonderful pistachios and almonds a healthy choice for summer-time (or anytime) snacking, but they taste great and totally satisfy the craving to snack. I love using Wonderful nuts and dried cranberries on my salads, and POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is the key ingredient in one of my favorite crock pot recipes.
About Wonderful Brands:
Wonderful Brands makes Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Almonds, Wonderful Almond Accents, and POM Wonderful and are currently sold in the produce section in grocery stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. Not only are they a good-for-you snack choice, but they taste amazing, too! A serving of Wonderful Pistachios provides a good source of protein and fiber (contains 14 grams of fat per serving). A reduced serving of about 30 pistachios is a great snack choice at around 100 calories. The “Pistachio Principle” is a simple mindful eating concept that may help you fool yourself full without feelings of deprivation. Wonderful Almond Accents offer big flavor with around 40 calories per serving. Wonderful Almond Accents are a better alternative to croutons and other traditional salad toppings (this is ideal for those of us watching our sodium intake). All three varieties of Wonderful Almonds – Roasted & Salted, Roasted No Salt, and Natural Raw – are a great source of Vitamin E, and a good source of fiber (contains 14 grams of fat per serving).
A Wonderful Giveaway!
One Better in Bulk reader will win a Wonderful Brand gift pack, which includes a tasty sampling of Wonderful nuts (see the picture!) as well as a Wonderful Brand beach bag and beach towel. The giveaway will run through August 3 and a winner will be chosen at random and notified by email. Good luck!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
© 2013 – 2016, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
I am always looking for healthy snack options for my family.
My favorite healthy snack is making a little plate with fruit, cheese and nuts!
My Favorite Snack Is Fruit And Nuts.
There’s nothing better for my family than relaxing with a bag of pistachios. This is our idea of a treat!