Simple Snacks

I am super pumped to be writing this blog entry today because it is by request!  I am more than happy to oblige, so if there is anything you want to see a post about, let me know, and I'll get it done!  Today's post is all about simple snacks, a must in our busy lifestyles.  The best thing about most of these snacks is that they can be prepped ahead of time, so if you're on the run or short on time, just grab them and eat.  They are all simple and require few ingredients.  Depending on your meal plan and caloric needs, you should have two small snacks a day in addition to 3 meals.

1. 2 T hummus (homemade or store-bought) with sliced vegetables (carrot sticks, bell pepper)
2. 2 hard boiled eggs (you can take out the yolk and mix it with Dijon mustard or replace it with hummus or you can just eat the whole egg!) and carrot sticks
3. 2T guacamole or 1/4 c salsa with homemade pita chips (cut whole-wheat pita into 1/8ths, spray pan with non-stick cooking spray, lightly salt and bake)
4. 1/2 c yogurt (Greek or plain) with 1/2 c berries and 1 T sliced almonds (keep almonds separate until ready to eat)
5. 1/2 c oatmeal with 1 T chopped walnuts
6. turkey roll-ups:  3 oz. (usually about 3 slices) turkey breast rolled up with 1/4 avocado and 1/2 bell pepper
7. 1 serving of fruit with 12 almonds
8. an apple or banana with 1 T nut butter (almond, peanut, sunflower, cashew)
9. 1 rice cake or slice of whole-wheat bread topped with 2 oz. deli meat (2 slices) and 1 oz. cheese (1 slice)
10. 1 rice cake topped with 1 T peanut butter and 1/2 banana
11. 1/2 c yogurt (Greek or plain), 1/2 c berries, and 2 T granola (homemade [great recipe in Fixate] or store-bought, but make sure to check sugar)
12. 1 c high-fiber/protein, low-sugar cereal (I like Special K Protein or Fiber One Original) with 3/4 c non-fat milk
13. 1/2 c cottage cheese topped with 1/2 c fruit (I like grapes, cantaloupe, or pineapple)
14. homemade protein bars (a simple recipe can be found here:  http://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/nutrition/homemade-energy-bars--you can substitute protein powder if you do not have Shakeology)
15. protein shake:  1/2 c non-fat milk, 1 scoop protein powder (or 1 scoop/packet Shakeology), 1/2 banana, 1 T nut butter, ice, blended
16. homemade trail mix:  1 T each of the following:  pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds), dark chocolate chips, almonds
17. zucchini or sweet potato chips:  slice thinly, sprinkle with salt, and bake 
18. 1/2 c egg whites, scrambled, with 1/4 salsa

When you plan ahead and have snacks like these:
  ,
you'll be less likely to be tempted by snacks like these: 



Enjoy and if you have any other snacks to add, comment below!