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What snacks give you energy? Almost anything with added sugar does. That sugar immediately goes into your bloodstream and floods it with a boost of energy. However, what goes up rapidly, also goes down rapidly, so within a short period, you find yourself depleted. Food with added sugar affects your health negatively adds extra calories and has few redeeming qualities. There are some healthy energy snacks that will not only add that get-up-and-go you need, but keep you feeling energized and full longer.

Look for premade snacks, like protein bars, with little added sugar.

While granola bars, energy balls and protein bars are often loaded with added sugar, there are some that use the natural sweetness of dates, figs or dried fruit to give a quick boost. You can also buy combos of dried fruit and nuts that will boost your energy immediately from the natural sugar in the fruit and keep you going longer thanks to the fats and protein in the seeds and nuts. Dark chocolate covered almonds are another choice, but make sure it has high cacao content.

Try a dish of cottage cheese with a topping of fruit.

It’s the combination of carbohydrate and protein that boosts you up and keeps you going longer. You’ll also feel full longer, thanks to the protein. Yogurt, fruit and nuts are another combination you can make at home. Don’t buy the low fat yogurt with added fruit. When they take the fat out of yogurt, they make it palatable by adding extra sugar. If you aren’t sure, read the label. For a super tasty treat, mix yogurt, a half a ripe banana, frozen dark cherries and chopped walnuts. It energizes and is extremely healthy.

Make a Mediterranean salad jar, deviled eggs or homemade trail mix.

When you make your own trail mix, you control all the ingredients. Buy nuts, dried fruit and maybe a few dark chocolate morsels. Your Mediterranean salad jar can contain whatever ingredients you want. You can start with cooked quinoa or chickpeas, and pile in the other ingredients often found in the Mediterranean diet. One egg can make two deviled eggs, which have about 126 calories.

• Choose peanut, almond or other nut butter with a piece of fruit, like an apple. Cheese and fruit is another good choice. The fruit is the instant energy carb and the nut butter or cheese is the long-lasting protein.
• Making egg salad and putting it on one slice of whole wheat toast cut in half for a sandwich, can be satisfying and provide instant energy that lasts.
• Combine peanut butter, a bit of honey and toasted oats or wheat germ. Form a ball, then roll it in either the toasted oats or wheat germ to take away the stickiness. It’s the perfect bite that boosts your energy that lasts a long time.
• Make a smoothie from your favorite fruit and vegetables. Toss in some protein powder, Greek yogurt or add nut butter for protein. You can also make your own ice cream from frozen rounds of bananas. Just put them in the blender and top the creamy goodness with nuts for added protein.

For more information, contact us today at Team Worx

I love the holidays and it’s that time of year to start planning for them. I have a lot of clients at The Worx in Alexandria, VA, that want ideas for healthy meals and sugar free snacks kids love. Of course, they also want ones they’ll enjoy eating, too. Let’s face it, even if you made a spaceship out of Brussels sprouts, that wouldn’t encourage kids to eat them. Children have a more vivid sense of smell and taste than adults do, so many of the foods we love, they hate. Here are some ideas that will be healthy options for both kids and adults.

How about turning a veggie tray into a scary scene?

While some kids automatically love veggies, not all kids do. You have to entice them. Get creative with the food and even let them help. For Halloween, you can make spider deviled eggs. Make the deviled egg, placing half a black olive on top for the body and cutting eight slices from the other half for the legs. You can also make eyeballs by cutting cheese and topping with half an olive cut lengthwise to eat plain or put on top of a healthy dish.

Make the turkey the center of attention with creative snacks that are healthy.

A half a pear can be the turkey’s body with edible candy eyeballs and two thin slices of cheese for feet. Create the tail out of other sliced fruits for a colorful display. If you want a veggie turkey, make a healthy dip and top it with the bottom of a three lobed orange pepper. Put two lobes on the bottom for the cheeks and one lobe on top for edible candy eyes. Slice holes for two small yellow pepper slices for a beak and one for a red pepper waddle. Fan out cut veggies for the tail. Healthy pumpkin oat cookies and cinnamon apple chips are easy to do. Coat apples with cinnamon or a cinnamon/sugar mixture and dry in the oven at 200 degrees for 2-3 hours.

Green grapes topped with a banana slice and half a strawberry make great Grinches.

You just need toothpicks, a banana, strawberries, green grapes and a mini marshmallow for the ball on the end of Grinch’s Santa hat to make a treat perfect for watching the holiday special. Frozen Greek yogurt bark is also a special holiday treat when topped with kiwi slices shaped like a Christmas tree with dried cranberry and strawberry decorations. Spread out the Greek yogurt in a pan, decorate and freeze.

Pecan pie snack bites just takes five ingredients and no baking. Use a cup of medjool dates that are pitted, ¾ cup pecans, ¼ cup rolled oats, ½ tsp cinnamon and 1 TBSP maple syrup. Then use a food processor to mix it, processing the dates first, and form into balls. Chill and store for up to a week.

• Homemade microwave popcorn just requires a small brown paper lunch bag, some coconut oil and popcorn. You can even add toppings like Parmesan or American cheese.
• Create your own trail mix and let the kids help. Have nuts, dried fruit and even some dark chocolate bits ready to mix together. Let the kids help with mixing and dividing into individual bags for snacks.
• Pull open the end of string cheese to create a string cheese octopus. Lay the legs over a slice of apple for a tasty, healthy treat that will boost enjoyment and creativity.
• Banana ice cream takes nothing more than bananas sliced into small coin shapes and frozen. When you’re ready to make the ice cream, throw it in the blender until smooth. It’s ready to eat.

For more information, contact us today at Team Worx Fitness