Quick and Healthy Snack Options

Most people can benefit from eating more than 2-3 times per day.  Most people cannot utilize more than 30 grams of protein per meal; yet, their daily protein requirements may be higher than 90 grams of protein.  This is where healthy snacking comes into play.  Here are several snack options that are fairly well balanced and have a higher amount of protein.

Snacks

The same rules apply to snacks as they do to the other meals: they must be balanced (protein, carb and fat) and depending on your daily protein requirements, you might need up to 30 grams of protein.

Apple + Almonds

This is a balanced snack that is easy to plan for.  On Sundays, buy 5 apples and a bag of almonds and just have them at your office. I prefer the large Honeycrisp apples.  They are a bit more expensive but worth it. 

A ½ cup of almonds is a lot of almonds!  But, just having them at your desk and grazing on them will get the job done.  Together, that’s 13 grams of protein.

Consider having a protein meal replacement shake at your office as well.  I prefer the single serving Juice Plus meal replacements. Add one of these in with your apples and almonds to boost the amount of protein.

Fruit/Veggie + Beef Jerky

You’ve gotta like beef jerky for this one!  But, this is an easy way to get in the protein requirement for a snack.  A typical single serving of beef jerky has 12 grams of protein. Any healthy carb will do: apples, grapes, oranges, or any type of berry, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.

Trail Mix

Trail mix is another very easy snack to keep handy.  You can buy in bulk and keep a measuring cup at your office.  I like this mix from Amazon, because it has variety.  If you need to up the protein, consider having two servings or keeping meal replacement shakes on hand.

Here are a few additional healthy snack options that have protein:

• Sardines
• Seasoned Tuna in a single serving
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Peanut Butter on a fruit or veggie
• Nuts/Seeds
• Protein Bars

If you have more questions about nutrition or the snacks you should be eating, please call to schedule a nutrition consultation.

Written by: Randy Moyer, DC, NSCS

Photo Credit: Randy Moyer, DC NSCS

Photo Credit: Photo by Juan José Valencia Antía on Unsplash

Read More from Our Blog