When hunger strikes, your body is telling you nourishment is needed! And if you’re on-the-go, nourishing, real foods can be hard to come by. (Just take a stroll down the aisle at the grocery store and you’ll see the majority of foods are ultra-processed and fake.) That’s why it’s important to plan ahead and pack real foods to fuel your body throughout the day.
Before we talk specifics, let’s get back to basics. As you assemble your snacks, remember this simple real food equation:
High-quality protein + real food carb + healthy fat
Using this as our framework, we’re able to select one real food from each of these categories (protein, carb, fat) to combine into a healthy, balanced snack. Give it a go!
| PROTEIN | CARB | FAT |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs (organic, pasture-raised) | Raw veggies (organic): cucumbers, cauliflower, celery, sugar snap peas, etc. | Nut butters (organic): natural peanut butter, almond butter |
| Deli meats (organic, no nitrates/nitrites) | Seed-based crackers | Avocado or guacamole |
| Leftover meat: grass-fed ground beef patty, organic chicken breast or thigh, etc. | Berries (organic): strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries | Nuts (organic, raw or dry-roasted, with or without salt): pistachios, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, etc. |
| Grass-fed beef stick | Leftover cooked veggies: sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, etc. | Cheese (organic, grass-fed) |
| Full-fat plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (organic, grass-fed) | Fermented vegetables: sauerkraut, kimchi, etc. | Seeds (organic, sprouted if possible): chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. |
| Beans (organic, if canned make sure BPA-free): black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc. | Sprouted oats (organic) | Unsweetened coconut flakes |
| Canned wild-caught tuna or salmon | Sprouted Ezekiel-type bread | Full-fat cream cheese (organic, grass-fed) |
Snack ideas to get you started:
- Deli meat rollups (turkey + cheese) + seed-based crackers
- Yogurt parfait (plain Greek yogurt + sprouted oats + unsweetened coconut flakes)
- Grass-fed beef stick + full-fat cream cheese spread on cucumber slices
- Hard-boiled egg mashed with avocado and spread on a slice of toasted Ezekiel bread
- Leftover meat + leftover veggies with a sprinkle of cheese on top
Feeling inspired? The combinations are almost endless! Keep mixing and matching until you find your faves; then put them on repeat. And soon, you’ll be a snack-packin’ pro!
Have a question you’d like answered? Submit yours by emailing enlightennutritioncoaching@gmail.com.
