Being a first time mom really left me in a whirlwind for the first several months — and lets face it, still today. I was coming off of all those pregnancy cravings where I told myself “it’s ok to have that 5th box of Oreo’s”, and I was stuck somewhere in the middle of oh my goodness I am so tired and hungry let me just live a little and I need to get back to a healthy lifestyle I better do good.
I found some go-to’s on this journey that helped me stay energized, full, and still satisfied. Here’s why I run to these items when I have those super-busy-need-to-be-in-5-places-at-once kind of days.
Bananas: banana’s are one of my favorite fruits because they help in so many ways for me. They first fill me up way better than some raspberries or strawberries. They are easy to eat with one hand because lets face it, that’s how mom’s eat a lot of the times. They provide a lot of health benefits like good fiber, potassium and antioxidants. And really they are just genuinely yummy. Banana’s for the fruit win.
Nuts but primarily pistachios: I am a sucker for a bag of mixed nuts. I keep them unsalted which yes I know isn’t as “yum” but still just as good. Throw in some pecans, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, the works. They are convenient to take places when you zip them up in a bag, and again super convenient to eat with one hand free. When I have a little more sit down time though I love pistachios. They are a little more leg work yes, but they are high in fiber and unsaturated fat that helps with blood sugar & pressure (which my new mom bod needs assistance with). Nuts pack protein as well which help with that get-you-full-fast feeling.
Larabars: This is where I walk that line between healthy and ‘meh’. But I love these. They are only made with a few ingredients - fruit, nuts and some spices, which are said to be raw and natural. They are vegan. And they are GOOD. Seriously, really good. Yes, they do have some sugar and fat which some people may not want to turn to, but honestly for how good they taste and how I do sometimes need a sugar pick-me up to get me thru that last hour in a in a day, these hit the spot every single time. Grab and go, easy peasy, and indulge a little in this energy fake dessert bar thing.
Justin’s Almond (and Peanut) Butter packets: I love grabbing both the almond & peanut butter packet from Justin’s because I am in general a huge PB lady. I grew up eating PB sandwiches, dipping the spoon right in the jay, spreading it on celery, it’s just the best. Justin’s packets like this are so useful for many different outings — need to eat the packet while driving? You got it. Have some veggies or an apple you want to spice up some? Bam there they are. They provide that protein and healthy fats we all need, and to me the sugar level is fine. These are delicious, convenient, and keep me moving.
So there you have it, a couple of my go-to food snacks for those extra busy mom on the run type of days, hope it may spark some ideas to try! I’d love to hear what else makes good snacks for busy moms — or just busy humans in general because let’s face it, we are all hustling hard out there most days. What do you grab on the go?