Is it just me or is all Mommies that find themselves just eating the leftovers of what their child eats? Granted, my son is only 2 years old and while discovering what he likes and doesn’t like (which can change daily), we tend to have a fair amount of leftovers. It’s amazing how even while happily eating something, he will suddenly exclaim, “I no like it” and be done with what he was just so happy to be eating. What I’ve come to discover is that my son is a snacker. Let no ‘real’ food pass those lips – no way. Just yesterday a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut in the shape of a whale held his attention for approximately 2 1/4 bites. I have become quite the snacking connoiseur. Here are some of our favorites that please both of us especially when having to run out of the house. *Note* we like to use a quick and easy lunch bag that can hold an ice pack easily.
String Cheese: I love it more than he does, but it works. Between the protein and the low in fat and best of all, the ease with which it takes to grab n’go, string cheese is one of my favorites. According to Ann Marier at Food Editorials.com ‘most string cheese in the United States is made from mozzarella, a fresh cheese traditionally made from buffalo’s milk. Because of this, it is an extremely healthy snack food, containing a high percentage of the recommended amount of calcium for individuals. In addition, it is naturally low in calories, so for those who are trying to lose weight, it’s a great snack to have without feeling guilty.’
Almonds. Most of my snack choices are built around ease and nutrition and almonds are no exception. Lucky for me (and you) Trader Joe’s sells these little delights raw and packaged in individual snack packs to easily grab n’go. According to FormerFatGuy.com, almonds provide high quality, highly absorbable protein and almonds contain six grams of protein per ounce, making them a good source of protein. With a TPD of about 88% and a PDCAAS of about 0.44, almonds offer a highly digestible and quality protein. However, the protein is incomplete so combining almonds with legumes and vegetables is a great way of enjoying a quality plant-based protein along with essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, zinc, manganese, magnesium and calcium.
