Favorite Snacks and Protein Bars
Happy Sunday!! As I have been trying new snacks and bars I wanted to share my favorites. I love a good snack, especially a high-protein, nutrient dense one. Snacks and bars are great for on the go when you need a little fuel, but you don’t have time for a full meal.
Food is our fuel, it is what keeps us going throughout the day with energy. To be able to excel in our endeavors we need to feed ourselves and who doesn’t love a tasty snack? I love to eat a snack before or after a workout to build muscle and for workout energy or post-workout recovery.
My parents have always emphasized the importance of protein in getting you through the day. With my intense workouts, I have realized that I need a lot of protein to sustain my body and mind. The more protein, the more muscle, and the longer you stay full. Eating more protein will also help reduce your cravings.
The key things you want to look at are protein, sugar, and ingredients. Packaging has gotten really good at making us think products are healthy when in reality they have the ingredients of a candy bar. Shoot for 7+ grams of protein and less than 10 grams of sugar. Typically, I try to make sure the protein is more than the sugar. I also look at the ingredients. Is the snack filled with natural foods or fake ingredients?
There is a fine line between being hungry and being hangry. If I am on the edge of being hangry I need to fix it right away before the world collapses. These are all quick snacks that will do the trick.
Bars:
Fro Pro:
Let me tell you guys, this is by far my favorite snack and bar ever. If you like peanut butter this is the bar for you. There are a variety of flavors to choose from, all with a hint of peanutty goodness. They have 10 grams of protein and are both satiating and satisfying. I legitimately crave these bars and go to sleep dreaming of them. I am still waiting for my Fro Pro package to come in and I am having withdrawals. My favorite flavors are birthday cake, toasted mallow, and tropical dream. I have yet to try the sweet coconut and the pumpkin pie, but I am cannot wait. I love that Fro Pros have great ingredients, are good for you, taste amazing, and fill me up.
Rx Bars:
These are delicious, but not for everyone. I personally love the texture but they are chewy and will get stuck in your teeth. Rx bars also have a great variety of flavors with great ingredients and protein. I love the peanut butter, sea salt, and raspberry. They use egg whites and nuts as protein and crunch and dates for a bit of natural sweetener.
Barebells:
The barbells bars are super tasty. A little too tasty that I get suspicious. I don’t know 100% how healthy they are, but I have tried to do a little research. They have 20 grams of protein and have sugar alcohols instead of sugar. Sugar alcohols can cause digestive upset when eaten in excess, but are low calorie sweeteners. In my opinion, balance is always the answer. So, don’t eat them too often, but you can definitely enjoy this yummy source of protein.
Vital Performance:
One of my new favorites! The taste is similar to the Barebells, but it doesn’t taste as sugary. I have tried the peanut butter one and the coconut one. The peanut butter is defiantly better, but the coconut is subtle and tasty.
Other Snacks:
The New Primal Meat Sticks:
I know everyone raves about chomps and yes chomps are good, but The New Primal is better. Perfect for high protein, low calorie savory snack. If I’m hungry at around 4 pm and I don’t want to ruin my dinner, but I can’t wait, this snack is the way to go. A little something to keep you going.
Dates with Peanut Butter:
Quick, easy, healthy, and delicious. Grab a date, open it up, throw some peanut butter on it and there you go. This is also something I crave and I even eat it as dessert sometimes. I have really noticed that dates give me a lot of quick energy and peanut butter fills me up. The perfect combo.
Hummus and Veggies:
I have fallen in love with raw broccoli and cauliflower dipped in hummus. I just found individually packaged hummus which is perfect if you don’t want to open an entire package. This is a great way to get my protein in as well as my veggies. Tons of nutrients from the vegetables and plant protein from the hummus. Key tip, make sure the hummus doesn’t have seed oils in them because a lot of brands like to sneak that in.
Bare Bones Bone Broth:
Especially with the fall coming up, this hot drink/soup warms your body from the inside out. These packets are super easy to pour in hot water and get 10 grams of protein right there. It is a nice snack to pair with something that didn’t quite fill you up.
Hard Boiled Eggs:
I love 2 hard boiled eggs as a fast snack. I recommend making a big batch or buying some from the store. Make sure to peel them before you know you need them.