Hey Plant Trainers: What Are Some Healthy Snacks For The Summer?

Summerlicious asks:

Hey Plant Trainers, I’m totally ready for my health to be a priority and choose a healthier lifestyle. I’m #TrainingForLife. What do you suspect I do to help me choose healthy snacks?

Thanks for your question, Summerlicious.

Summer is a great time to take your health and your choices to the next level for you and for young kids. There are so many fresh fruits and veggies that are in season to keep your momentum going. So here are our summer tips for snacks for both adults and kids!

#1 – Make a list of options. Simple. Take 10 minutes out of your day so you don’t spend 6 minutes a day trying to figure out what to eat for snacks. And if you make this list when you’re not so hungry, even better. You’ll make choices that are acceptable, fit your values and help support your goals. But what should go on the list? Read on my friends.

#2 – Smoothies. It’s summer. Let’s get hydrated and nourished at the same time. We have a ton of smoothie recipes on the Plant Trainers website and a delicious Orange Creamsicle one in our cookbook. Want to save more time and make your kids happy? Freeze those smoothies into popsicles. Done and done.

#3 – Fresh fruit. Screw this ‘fruit has sugar’ rumor going around. Of course, fruit has sugar…real sugar and fiber, and water, and vitamins and minerals. Get your energy from real food so you can do the things that are important to you and your kids don’t get hangry.

#4 – Use the 5 ingredient rule, or 3 if you want to be hardcore. If you need to use packaged snacks, try to choose the ones that don’t have a laundry list of ingredients and that don’t have added sugar or oil. Some good options to carry along or send with your kids are unsweetened applesauce, organic rice cakes, guacamole… the more natural the better and the less ‘questionable’ ingredients added, the better.

#5 – FOOD. What? You can have a salad, leftovers from the night before, veggies and dip, a bag of snap peas…snacks throughout the day can really take any shape or form that a regular meal does too. Just think about how much food you really need and what key food groups you need to get in and then just eat. The more time and energy we spend focusing on this, the less time we have to get out there and make the world a better place.

We want to know what you’re looking forward to enjoying this summer. Post your ideas below.

Want a few more ideas for snacks? Check out these recipes:

Frozen Smoothie Bowl

Green Monster Morning Smoothie

~ Plant Trainers