Much like any other active family, with three kiddos ages 12, 11, and 6 our life seems to be a story of meals and wheels: hungry kids, hustling in and out of the car to and from three different schools and countless activities.
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or several snacks in between, convenience is the key. However, convenience doesn’t have to be costly. Don’t make the mistake of sacrificing your budget or your family’s health for the sake of convenience.
Tried and true, there are a handful (yes, sometimes literally!) of snacks and convenient healthy foods that my family relies on to keep pace with our daily life.
1. Fruit
My preference is to have a basket of fresh fruit within arm’s reach of the kids, giving them permission for fruit as pretty much an “anytime snack.” The key to both convenience and nutrition here is that apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, plums, etc. all come in their own natural packaging and are naturally nutritious.
Whole fruits are whole foods, unprocessed, packing a wealth of vitamins, minerals and even fiber into one perfectly portioned serving. Buying fruit in season is the best way to keep both flavor and budget in check, but apples are a staple at our house year-round. Try changing the shape of a classic fruit (core it, cube it, slice it into a sandwich) to make it even more desirable.
2. Nuts and seeds
Fruit certainly is a good choice for vitamins and an apple can even satisfy a quest for a crisp or crunchy snack, but nuts and seeds are a must have to pack a powerful protein boost with healthy fats that satisfy hunger longer.
Almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pepitas and sunflower seeds are a few personal favorites for the nutritional benefits of heart healthy fats (omega-3s & 6s in walnuts and pepitas) and as an alternative source of calcium and iron. Dress up these little brown characters with dried fruit or add an antioxidant boost with dark chocolate chips.
3. Greek yogurt
One more staple that meets the criteria of convenient and healthy – yet does require a bit more protective packaging – is Greek yogurt. It comes in many forms: plain, with fruit, blended into smoothies, spread atop pancakes… you name it, daily we are eating Greek yogurt!
I love to pack yogurt in lunches or in a cooler as a portable breakfast on an early morning trek up the mountains to ski. Lucky for me, everyone in our family loves yogurt, but with all this variety in purpose and flavor, what’s not to
love?
These healthy foods are simple in nature, nutritious, delicious and certainly convenient. Say yes to these nutritional staples and enjoy convenience while keeping pace with your own kids, their appetites and their countless activities.
Living in Parker, CO, Molly is a yoga teacher, NETA Certified Group Exercise Instructor, avid runner, wife and mother of three active, young children. With a focus on Women’s and Children’s Fitness and Nutrition as well as Cross-training for Endurance Athletes, Molly is compelled to share her passion for fitness through teaching and writing. Visit her blog.
