Top 5 Energy Boosting and Economical Snacks

By Sarah Matheny on November 3rd, 2009

• Share
• Link to StumbleUpon
• 2 Comments

It’s 3:30 p.m., you are at work, and your stomach is growling like mad. You could hit the vending machine or the Starbucks around the corner, but neither one of those moves is going to help your waistline OR your pocketbook. There IS a better way however. With a little planning ahead, you can easily prepare healthy and cheap snacks that will keep you moving all day long. Here are the Top 5 Healthy and Cheap Snacks that you can easily stick in your purse, desk drawer or office fridge for when your hunger strikes.

1. Apples and Nut Butter: This snack has it all, it’s sweet, salty, crunchy and satisfying. Simply portion out your serving of nut butter in a reusable container and stash it in your desk. Easy.

Calories: 1 apple has ~80 calories, 1 T. of nut butter has ~ 100 calories

2. Makeshift Trail Mix: The key is portion control to this energy-dense snack. Nuts and dried fruit ARE high in calories, but you can beef up the volume by adding a 1/2 a cup of high fiber cereal to the mix.

Calories: 1/2 an ounce of almonds (12 nuts) has ~80 calories, 6 apricots has ~100 calories, 1/2 c. high fiber cereal ~80 calories

3. Crudite and Hummus: This is a fantastic choice for volume eaters. Cut up your veggies in the morning, portion out your hummus, and get ready to crunch your afternoon away.

Calories: 1 carrot has ~35 calories, 2 stalks of celery has ~20 calories, 2 T. hummus has ~60-80 calories

4. Popcorn: No need to shell out the dough for those expensive and chemical filled mini bags. Just grab a brown paper sack and a few tablespoons of popping corn. Put the corn in the sack, fold down the top and microwave for approximately two minutes.  Add salt, cinnamon or whatever spice blend you like.

Calories: 3 c. of popcorn ~ 100 calories

5. Sprouted Grain Bread with Banana Slices and Nut Butter: For those days when you are extra hungry, half of an Elvis sandwich should quell your stomach’s cries. Both the bread and nut butter pack a protein punch, and the combination of protein, carbs and fat are extra satisfying.

Calories: One slice of sprouted grain bread has ~100 calories, 1/2 a banana has ~50 calories, 1 T. nut butter has ~100 calories.

(Pic courtesy of www.womansday.com)