Back To School Snack Ideas

It's that time of year... classes are starting back up and the days seem to never end. Also, it's the time where packing snacks become a necessity. This is my first year living off campus, which means I don't have a meal plan anymore. To save money, bringing my own food to campus is crucial. Here are some of my super simple, and cheap snack ideas I like to throw in my book bag before heading out the door to class.

Energy bars:

One of the easiest packaged snacks ever are energy bars. They are so convenient and delicious, but can often be filled with preservatives and unnecessary added sugars. That's why I recommend LARA bars, they only have a few simple ingredients that taste delicious, with amazing flavor combinations. Although they can be expensive, they are worth it because you are paying for good quality, wholesome ingredients. But they are usually on sale, so keep your eye out for a good sale, or buy in bulk online!









Baby food:

Okay, so you might get slightly judged for bringing this snack to class, but baby food is seriously incredible. It is super cheap, and is almost always made without preservatives, and you can usually find an organic brand on sale. These squeeze packs are so useful, and compact to take with you on the go. They don't need to be refrigerated so you can just throw them in your bag and go! I would definitely suggest sticking with the fruit flavors, unless you're super brave and want to try out the carrot or beet ones. Baby food is just like flavored applesauce and is a great way to squeeze some fruit into your diet!

Rice  Cakes:

I mentioned rice cakes in my July Favorites  (http://cookinglittle.blogspot.com/2014/08/things-i-loved-in-july.html ) because they are such an easy snack to bring. I like them plain, but you could also pack a little container of peanut butter if you want to add some flavor. Make sure you check the ingredients on your rice cakes and only get the ones with rice as the only ingredient.








Dried Snacks:

A not so guilty pleasure of mine is dried fruit, especially dates. It is just like eating candy, and it is such a great snack because they are packed full of nutrients and carbohydrates for your body to use as quick energy. I also recently discovered these Carob Spirulina Energy Squares that you can find in most health grocery stores, or online. They are so delicious to snack on, and are bursting with nutrients and flavor. Another dried fruit that I love are dates, especially the coconut rolled dates. They have the perfect combination of fat and carbohydrates which makes them the best snack ever! Dried fruit makes a great snack to pack because you don't need a lot of it to fill you up, so it doesn't take up a lot of space.


Portable Fruits/Vegetables:

Some of my favorite portable vegetables and fruits are cucumbers (don't even bother cutting them up, just take a few bites from one throughout the day to kick any cravings), apples (again, you don't need to cut these), bananas (be careful not to squish them!), and carrots. All of these are great to throw in a little bag and snack on throughout the day.


 

Things I Loved In July

Rice Cakes:

This month I haven't been able to get enough rice cakes! They are so delicious, and I love how they only have ONE ingredient: rice! I've been getting the Full Circle Organic Rice Cakes (unsalted) and have been either just eating them plain, crumbling them up to put onto of things, or smashing a banana ontop. They are such a good base for just about anything; jam, fruit, hummus, or nut butter.

Asian Food:

At the beginning of the month my mom and I took a trip to the Grand Asian Market in Cary and I fell in love! I had never really enjoyed Asian cuisine, but once I had the "proper" ingredients I've really enjoyed incorporating Asian foods into my diet. I've been making sushi (without the fish) every so often, and also made a really delicious miso soup. The Grand Asian Market also had a really good selection of teas, so I've really been enjoying those as well (especially chamomile green tea).

 

 

Frozen Grapes:

I've been loving cold treats all this month, to stay cool, and frozen green grapes have been my favorite! All I do is rinse the grapes off and de-stem them and then put them in a jar and stick them in the freezer overnight. They are the perfect sweet, cold treat to suck on and enjoy throughout the day!



French Pressed Coffee:

I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize how amazing a french press is, but this month I came to that realization. French pressed coffee is so much better than drip coffee, it is so much richer and creamier. Also, it doesn't take up as much room/energy as a bulky coffee maker does.




Master Chef:

I've always enjoyed watching Master Chef, it's so entertaining and I love trying to create recipes in my mind from the ingredients the contestants are given in the show. It's definitely been one of my favorite TV shows this summer.









"The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick":

This was the book that I read this month, and I found it so interesting as well as useful. It's an easy read and is fascinating to read about other people's regimens of how they stay healthy. Definitely a book to check out!

Eating Right: At Disney

Recently, my family and I took a trip to the magical world of Disney for Spring break. This included four days of all day walking, riding rides, hunting down characters, dancing through Mainstreet, catching monorails, and just having a blast. All of this left no time for cooking, which meant quick and easy meals/snacks throughout the day. Here are some ways I ate healthy and saved money while enjoying being on vacation at the most magical place in the world...












1. Find a grocery store, and stock up


The first thing I did when arriving at the hotel, was find the closest grocery store, and went to buy snacks and foods to last the week. I had never been to a Publix before, so I was pretty excited to go to one.

2. Eat a filling breakfast:

Each morning before we left for the day, I would make a big bowl of oatmeal with oats, almond milk, two bananas, pumpkin, and cinnamon. Then I would drink a mug of coffee to keep me going.  Oatmeal is a perfect breakfast option to start a long day of magical adventures, because it keeps you full from the fiber in the oatmeal, and the carbs from the bananas gives you energy. Also, eating a big breakfast before you leave rather than eating inside the parks is a great way to save money.


3. PACK YOUR OWN FOOD (my number 1 tip!)

Not knowing what the parks would have for food options, or how much money they would be, I made sure to pack snacks to last me all day. Mostly I packed things that would fit in my small bag and be easy to eat while walking and standing around. It is so important to pack your own food, because that way you'll always have it, and you'll know exactly what it is you're going to be eating. If you keep your hunger at bay by munching on your snacks all day it will keep you from getting super hungry and binging on not so good for you foods in the park. Also, Disney World's food options are pretty expensive, and so you'll definitely be saving money by bringing your own food.

Here are some snacks I brought:

 GMO free corn cakes from Real Foods, Kale & Spinach Chips, natural almonds, natural walnuts, and vegan edamame chips from Trader Joes.



Dried fruit, packs of raisins, dates, and apricots. Dried fruits are AMAZING snacks because they are small, delicious, and are more calorie dense and have lots of sugars/carbs for quick energy.

Fruit puree is also a great source of calories/carbs and it is so easy to eat while walking/waiting in lines, etc. Some people may call it baby food, but I call it a perfect snack. Look for the fruit AND veggie options, to get even more nutrients. 

Fruits that are easy/clean to eat are also perfect for snacks, I brought apples and cuties.

Vegetables are also great, especially frozen peas, because they have protein and fiber, also they are easy to eat. I also had carrots and broccoli packed as well, but never got a photo.

All my snacks ready to go in my bag....

Fits perfectly...

4. Look for fresh food options

There were several food options in the parks that were definitely healthy, and great food choices. In Epcot, there were great food choices in all the countries, including steamed vegetables and rice in Japan and even hummus and vegetables in Morocco! Also it was pretty easy to find fresh fruit, and even potatoes/corn throughout Magic Kingdom. Look for the words 'steamed' and 'baked' rather than 'fried' or 'breaded' and be cautious of all the frozen treats. Stick with smoothies (Tomorrowland had a great smoothie place) or juices with ice instead of sorbets, ice cream, etc.

                                  

5. Bring a water bottle

Even in March, Orlando was pretty hot and with walking so much it was pretty easy to get dehydrated, so save money on expensive bottled water, or drinks at Disney and bring your own water bottle, and just refill it with water when you're thirsty. I also found that it was pretty easy to get a cup of ice for free at most restaurants. Staying hydrated will keep your hunger at bay, and keep you from getting exhausted.

6. Coffee

If you need a pick me up in the middle of day, get some coffee. But stick to simple black coffee, or even a shot of espresso! There were tons of cafes in the park that sold coffee, it was rather expensive, but definitely worth it if you need a little boost of energy. Black coffee has no calories, and won't give you as much of a "crash" than a sugary coffee drink will. Also, black coffee is always much cheaper than the sugar filled coffee drinks.

So those are my tips for eating healthy at Disney, or at any type of theme park. The key to eating healthy is bringing your own food, so you're not tempted by all the high calorie, high fat, high sugar options that are in the parks. By having your own food you won't be as likely to spend money on the park's foods that may not be as good for you.