Wednesday September 15, 2010

Back to Reality - Healthy Fall Snacks

Summer has come and gone and it is officially mid-September. For many of us that means back to school, and for most of us that means back to reality. We’re here to help you transition back into reality and routine with some helpful tips for snacks. Whether you are packing snacks for a school lunch box or stashing your own desk with snacks for work, here are some ideas to help you snack and store smarter.

Some of these products are now available in our Foodtrainers Shop! Be sure to check in often as we will be adding new products to the shop frequently!

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"Mini Meals"

Snacking isn’t just for kids. Snacking often gets a bad name because snack foods are usually associated with processed junk. But eating the correct meal-like snacks is beneficial in stabilizing blood sugar, and with the right snack style it’s a great way to get fruits and vegetables in.

Snacking should be treated as a "Mini Meal" - be sure you are sitting down and have portioned out your snack. You shouldn't be standing or multitasking while eating your meals, and the same goes for snacks. Our favorite snack ideas:

• Sunshine Burger (we like falafel patties) & organic ketchup
• 1-2 Country Hen Omega-3 Eggs & a pear
• GG Bran Cracker (sold on Foodtrainers Shop) with Smoked Salmon or Lean Ham
• Small Sweet Potato & sliver of butter or drizzle of honey
• Siggi's Yogurt & 1 tsp Chia Seeds (sold on Foodtrainers Shop)

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Snacks for Kids

In the same way that we prepare healthy snacks for ourselves, be sure to break the notion that snack food = junk food for our kids. Kids are growing and need the right kind of energy for optimal cognitive and physical function.

Here are some of our Foodtrainers favorite snacks for kids*:

• Celery Sticks & Nuttzo (sold on Foodtrainers Shop)
• Sabra Individual Hummus Cups & Red Peppers
• Dakota Gourmet Sunflower Seeds (1 oz individual packs) & 1/2 oz box of Raisins
• Sea Point Farms Edamame Packs (1.5 oz bags) featuring Dora the Explorer
• Food Should Taste Good Chips (1.5 oz bags) & GoGo Squeez Applesauce

*Note: adults can have kids snacks and vice versa. Fun factor may be the difference, but no compromise in terms of nutrition.

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Best Snack Containers

No matter your age, having your food prepared and presented in a fun way makes eating more exciting.

• Bento Boxes are a great way to exercise portion control and encourage variety. With varying size containers in bento boxes, the larger ones can be used for salads and vegetables, and the smaller ones can be used for toppings and treats.
• At Foodtrainers we encourage using reusable and recyclable products whenever possible. Choose stainless steel water bottles like Klean Kanteen (sold on Foodtrainers Shop) for liquids, smoothies and soups. For plastic items, be sure to choose those labeled #2, #4, #5 as they do not transmit chemicals into your foods, and are usually recyclable.
• Reusable sandwich bags called LunchSkins are another great and fun way to package snacks.

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