Health Snack Ideas (that don't taste awful)

When you make a great effort to be healthy the snack options can seem totally unappealing or become boring really quickly.  Raw almonds instead of chips? An apple instead of chocolate?  Ya, that's not going to cut it.  There are ways to eat delicious and satisfying foods that don't sabotage your health goals.  First, you need to consider the WHY of your cravings (is your body is giving you some kind of message? Most definitely).  Then, you can find replacements that best serve you.  Your food should leave you feeling comfortable and energized, not bloated and ashamed.
Cravings

• Salt 
  Why: essential for nerve function and stress hormones
  Missing Nutrient: chloride, sodium
  Solution: add Himalayan sea salt to food, meditate, deep breathing, foods: olives, pickles, tomatoes, seaweed, celery, seafood, ocean fish
• Carbs (bread, pasta)
  Why: comfort food (serotonin happy hormone), trying to limit carbs creating a withdrawal craving
  Missing Nutrient: nitrogen, chromium, tryptophan
  Solution: consume starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and other root vegetables to balance out proteins, low carb vegetables, and fats
• Sugar 
  Why: energy boost needed, either from a crash that started with a morning coffee and a high carb breakfast, or lack of sleep
  - can also point to an imbalance of good and bad bacteria (dysbiosis)
  Missing Nutrient: chromium
  Solution: sleep routine, probiotics, protein and fat with breakfast, get moving for a different kind of energy kick, foods: legumes, fruit, cinnamon
• Chocolate
  Why: muscle cramps, low mood, stress hormones
  Missing Nutrient: magnesium
  Solution: have epsom salt baths a few times per week, eat more: quinoa, almonds, spinach, black beans, edamame, cashews, swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, Swiss chard
• Caffeine
  Why: dehydration, energy boost, blood sugar crash
  Missing Nutrient: salt, iron
  Solution: drink a big glass of water, drink caffeine after breakfast to stop replacing meals with coffee
• Cheese
  Missing Nutrient: calcium, essential fatty acids like omega-3
  Solution: ground flax seeds, flax oil, chia seeds, broccoli, leafy greens, sesame seeds/tahini, salmon
• Fizzy Drinks (Pop)
  Missing Nutrient: calcium
  Solution: sesame seeds, broccoli, kale, nettle tea, almonds, asparagus, bok choy, dates
• Chewing Ice
  Missing Nutrient: iron
  Solution: meat, poultry, fish, nettle tea, blackstrap molasses, leafy greens, liver

Energy Bites
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The combinations are endless so they can be tailored to your unique nutritional needs
- 1 cup dry oats
- 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter)
- 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/2 chocolate chips (semisweet or vegan)
- 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like (about 1″ in diameter will make 20-25 balls). Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Hummus Dipper
- in a glass jar place 1/4 cup hummus
- stand 1/2 cup mixed veggie sticks (carrots, snow peas, celery, cucumber, peppers) into the jar standing up with one end in the hummus 
- or buy prepackaged single serving hummus and pack veggies separately
 
"Cheese" Popcorn
- 3 cups air popped popcorn
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- sea salt
Sprinkle nutritional yeast and salt over popcorn. Share :)
 
Nut Butter Boats
- 2 ribs celery (cut into 3 pieces)
- Nut or seed butter (almond, peanut, tahini)
- Raisins or Cranberries or pumpkin seeds or almonds

Use a knife to spread nut butter into ribs of celery. Top with a row of raisins. 
Fun twist: do the same thing only use apple slices to make sandwiches with the nut butter and raisins

Parfait
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cups berries
Place in a container, or even in alternating layers.  Top with coconut flakes and a drop of honey or maple syrup if desired. Optional: add 1 tbsp hulled chia seeds

Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas (drained, rinsed, dried of moisture) OR 1 bag frozen edamame
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- spice of choice: cayenne pepper, chill powder, cinnamon, curry, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese
Roast for 20-25 minutes at 400oF on parchment paper until desired texture reached.  You can also find these packaged and ready to go.

Ten Bites
- 10 almonds
- 10 olives
- 10 pinches of coconut chips
- 10 pistachios 
- 10 chocolate chips (for a chocolate craving)

Jerky or Pepperoni Sticks
- watch the sodium, nasty ingredients, and portion sizes
- often provides 10g of protein per serving
- you can even start making your own at home using a food dehydrator to cut costs and control the additives (and you can make your own dried fruits too!)

Toasted Seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (raw)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (raw)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients in a frypan over medium heat. Stir frequently not to burn and so seeds become evenly toasted. Grab a handful as a snack or use on top of salads. Generally school safe!

Egg & Avocado
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- 1/2 avocado, cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp green onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp red pepper, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
Stir all ingredients together in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.