This post is sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios. All opinions and words are my own. Thank you for supporting #GivingBackPacks !
I have teenagers. This means that I am pretty much almost always grocery shopping. Just when I think I have food in my cupboard, I look and it’s gone. With so many unhealthy options out there, it’s sometimes hard to find portable snacks that are perfect for my kids. I think like many of us adults, teens and tweens want a snack that they can take with them and much on while they walk home from school or right before they go to practice. I keep a running list of snacks that I can buy on the fridge and when I hit the store, I ask them what they want from the list so they can change things up and they aren’t taking the same snacks with them. They are welcome to add to the list as well, as long as it’s healthy. Here are 18 Healthy portable snacks for teens and tweens.
18 Healthy Portable Snacks for Teens and Tweens
-Fruit that doesn’t need to be refrigerated such as apples, oranges or pears.
-Wonderful Pistachios. They come in packs that are perfect for sliding into a bag and are a mere 100 calories each. With 4g of protein, and only 5g of carbohydrates, these pistachios are a great snack. I like the classic Roasted and Salted, but there are other flavors like Sweet Chili and Salt and Pepper.
-Trail mix. Make your own and leave out all the candy for a healthier option.
-Popcorn. If it’s air popped, it can be a great thing to eat on the go. And, you get a whopping 3 cups per serving! Sprinkle on some Nooch for some added protein.
-Dried fruit. In huge amounts, it can add up to a lot of carbs, but dried fruit can also be a great snack that provides energy for teens on the go.
-Fruit Leather. Making your own is super easy. Check out my recipe for Blueberry Elderberry Fruit Leather.
-Energy Balls. You can make these yourself very easily. Here is a good list of energy ball recipes on Fit Foodie Finds.
-Seaweed. This may sound weird, but my 16 year old stepdaughter loves seaweed snacks. They are low calorie and provide some protein as well.
-Protein bars. These are great for the kid that does a lot of activity. Look for one with less sugar.
-Granola Bars. I like to make my own hemp and flaxseed ones.
-Tuna on crackers. If your teen likes it, pack a single serving pouch of tuna and crackers and they have a great protein snack on the go.
- Nut butter with apples. I like peanut butter with apples, but you could also do something like sunflower butter as well. Cut the apple up, and then put it back together and secure it with a rubber band so it doesn’t turn brown.
-Jerky; great for a good dose of protein and so easy to make at home. You can even make jerky without a dehydrator.
-String Cheese. This can be left out of a fridge for up to 4 hours. I like to get the light kind because it has less calories and it is a bit firmer.
-Roasted Chickpeas. These are great to pop like chips and they have a god amount of flavor as well. You can buy them or make them.
-Protein Smoothies. If you are at home before you head out for breakfast or to run to practice, make a protein smoothie before you go.
-Kale Chips. These are super simple to make yourself. Check out the recipe on Premeditated Leftover for Kale Chips.
-Chocolate Milk. Yes, that’s right. Chocolate milk is full or protein and a great snack for a teen on the go as long as they drink it right away. Look for the lower sugar kind.
While we are on the subject of teens on the go, something that comes to mind for me is backpacks. Did you know that there are many teens ion this country that have families that don’t quite make enough to buy them backpacks and school supplies and while many school supply drives exist, very few specifically help with school supplies for teens? It’s true! While it is also true that teens can get jobs and buy many of their own supplies to ease the financial burden on their family, that isn’t until they hit the age of 16 in most states and many teens are simply too embarrassed to ask their teachers or school for help.
That’s why I am so happy to be able to share a backpack full of supplies for a teen. Wonderful Pistachios is sponsoring the #GivingBackPacks event in which we as bloggers were able to go out and get supplies to stuff in a backpack and donate it to a student in need, along with some yummy Wonderful Pistachios!
How can you help? You can donate a bag yourself! All you need is a backpack and some lists from local high schools on what the students needs, but typically it is notebooks, paper for binders, pens, pencils, calculators, note cards, folders and highlighters. Decide how many you want to put together and get your family and friends involved. Then, all you need to do is find teens to give them to. Check with your local high schools and middle schools as well as after school youth programs!
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