Hey everyone! Ok so here's the problem lol, i go to school and i get really hungry during the day. Instead of snacking on unhealthy foods i really want to try and incorporate more veggies into my snacks to take with me but i'm not really a fan of celery or carrots. Any ideas for snacks to bring?
gosh, i'm sorry i can't help you, but i have exsactly the same problem...i HATE carrots. No really i get really hungry at school, and all they have at college to eat is crap. i would love to snack on veggies all day but i don't know how. i'm can't wait to hear all the suggestions.
Pretty much any crunchie veggie can be packed as a snack. Do some experimenting and see what you like. Some things that I like to put out on veggie trays besides carrots and celery include:
raw broccoli (blanch it in boiling water, then ice water, just to give it that vibrant green color)
raw cauliflower
jicama sticks
cucumber
sliced zucchini or yellow (crookneck) squash
turnip
radishes
sugar snap peas
You can also roast veggies and throw them in a tupperware container to take with you - things like hard winter squash, green beans, any of the above veggies, my new favorite brussels sprouts (who knew), cubes of sweet potato, etc. They're good even cold - or room temp and they'll keep in a container in your backpack or case w/out needing refrigeration.
One thing that I take to work with me a lot - and I never refrigerate it - is a vinegar/dressing based cole slaw. Shred cabbage, carrot, jicama and top with Kraft light Asian sesame dressing. Throw it in a container and schlep it with you. YOu can add whatever other veggies you like to it. It doesn't need to be chilled and you can chow down on it with a sandwich or on it's own.
You can easily cut up a cucumber, green or red pepper, and broccoli.
All good stuff!
Another idea, though some will think this is really weird...but you can buy little jars of baby food. Most of them do not have anything else added to the fruit or veggie. This is a great way to get fruits or veggies on-the-go!
jicama
orange and yellow bell peppers
cucumber (seems to be a love 'em or hate 'em thing)
radishes (I like just a few thin slices to spice it up)
grape tomatoes (in a hard container)
Fruit's quite portable as well--apples, bananas, oranges, tangeries, you can even peel and eat a grapefruit. Then there's dried fruit--apricots, raisins, prunes.
And don't overlook nuts as a very portable source of protein and good-for-you fats. Try dry roasted peanuts or cashews, or raw almonds.
Lots of good ideas already.
Roasted chickpeas
Whole small tomato
Raw rutabaga (for those who like carrots - peel & grate with equal amount of carrots and add your favorite coleslaw type dressing)
I'm working on adding more veggies as well. It's definitely not the healthiest selection but I think I saw some veggie chips at the store the other day...I wonder about their nutritional value & taste. I love the baby food idea, I'll have to try that!
Last edited by butterflygurl; 12-08-2008 at 08:18 PM.
Yeah that's a good question about the veggie chips ..i've had some before and they're awesome but idk about nutritional value haha it'd be awesome to see what you find!
Thanks so much for these suggestions guys!! it really helps me out a lot =) i'm actually going to the supermarket tomorrow so i'll pick some stuff up.
Oh yeah! mescelestus maybe since we're not a fan of carrots and they're supposedly good for you haha we could use that tip on the cole slaw and sneek some in without even realizing it lol thanks photo chick!
My 14 y/o loves the little grape tomatoes after school.....in fact once she ate an entire Costco container of them! Yikes!!!
I'm lucky that both my girls love veggie snacks -- what they love the best is multi colored bell peppers (red, orange, green) with hummus or cottage cheese to dip the into, and the afore-mentioned baby tomatoes. They also love carrots cut on a slant like chips, and dipped into salsa. Don't knock it til you try it!
The veggie chips that I've found are extremely high calorie and high sodium. They're nowhere near the same nutritional value as fresh/frozen veggies.
The thing about veggie chips is that unless you dry them yourself, anything you buy is going to have some quantity of oil on it, whether it's baked or fried. And by the time you eat enough dried veggie chips to get the equivalent nutrition of fresh veggies, you've consume several tablespoons of oil and salt.
They're good for a snack, but don't be fooled into thinking they're that much healthier than regular chips.
Lots of vegetable based salads are good at room temp. Broccholi salad, carrot salad (shredded carrots, yogurt, splenda and a few rains or craisins), etc- helpful to have a little protein in them too. Those little ice packs you freeze can be tucked in with a container of something good and keep it safe for you for hours. I agree- preparation is key to avoiding mindless scarfing when you are overcome with hunger.
Veggie snacks??
thanks photo chick!
