Top Three Healthy Snacks for Traveling

Carrying healthy snacks when traveling is important in case you’re either on the road so long that you end up skipping a meal or if you are in a situation where convenience food is needed, but no healthy options are available. Here are my top three snacks for traveling that I carried with me on my trip to Toronto. They came in handy at the photo shoot. We were shooting all day and the only snacks provided were high in refined starches and sugar. In order from the nutrition winner to the third best:

1. Sunflower Seeds are a cheap and healthy source of protein. These are a great pairing with your apple or if you are just feeling nibbly while on the go. Buy the kind without the shell for easy eating. Nutrition Totals for 1/4 Cup of Seeds without Shells: 204 Calories, 18 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 7 grams of protein. Sunflower seeds meet the daily value recommendation in vitamins and minerals of at least 5% in Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate. They also meet more than 33% of the vitamin and mineral requirement for Magnesium, Thiamin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E (sunflower seeds’ claim to fame). 

2. Clif Bars are my favorite snack bar. Clif Bars are not for everyone. They are a higher in calorie variety of snack bar, but as a triathlete and a person who likes substantial snacks, they are perfect. My favorite Clif Bar is the “Crunchy Peanut Butter” bar. It is one of the higher protein options, with more fat and fewer carbohydrates. Nutrition Totals: 250 calories, 6 grams of fat, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein. Clif Bars also contain a vast array of vitamins and minerals - for more details on Clif Bar Nutrition Facts please visit: http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_clif_bar/

3. Apples are a great fruit to carry. They don’t bruise easily so put them in your bag with all of your stuff and don’t worry! Like any fruit, apples are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Nutrition Totals (1 Medium Apple with Skin): 95 calories, 0 grams of fat, 14 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 0 grams of protein. Apples meet the daily value of at least 5% in the following vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K.

My recommendation: On a snack break - try the combination of the sunflower seeds and an apple. If you are on the run, a Clif Bar might be an easier option.

 Happy Snacking!

 References:

[1] Clif Bar. Product Website. Online Available 06/06/2014 http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_clif_bar/

[2] USDA Nutrient Database. Online Available 06/06/2014 http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods