Between working at home and having the kiddos at home during quarantine, more snacks are probably hanging around the house. Whether you are a stress-eater, midnight madness muncher, or sugar addict, you might be wondering how to break out of the summertime snack attack while keeping the family happy, healthy, and fit.
Great news, summer offers many healthy, low-calorie, low-sugar, family-friendly snack swaps! Get the family involved in selecting their favorite creative ideas. When kids are involved in choosing foods, the entire family can enjoy together. Even better, we are sharing seven low-sugar nutrient-packed snack ideas, each with only one to four ingredients. All can be made ahead for a quick grab-and-go or whipped up in a couple of minutes to satisfy cravings instantly.
Here are your seven no-fuss nutrient-packed summer snack swaps.
- Watermelon Popsicles: Cut a small seedless watermelon into wedges. Stuff a popsicle stick into each wedge (from the skin into the melon).
- Ants on a Log: Cut celery into 2-inch sticks. Fill each one with peanut, almond, or sunflower butter. Top with a few raisins.
- Frozen Grapes: These are as easy as they sound! Toss a few handfuls of grapes into the freezer. They take on a new texture and can be eaten with only a few seconds to thaw.
- Berry Banana Ice Cream: Blend a cup of frozen berries with a sliced-up banana in your protein/nutrition shake blender for up to 1 minute. Boom! Instant ice cream fix.
- Cinnamon Apples: Slice an apple and sprinkle the wedges with cinnamon. If you plan to store in the fridge for a grab-and-go, add a little grapefruit or lemon juice to keep the apples fresh.
- Peanut Butter Fro-Yo: Blend 2 bananas, ¼ cup of peanut butter, ½ cup Greek yogurt, and 1 tsp of vanilla in your shake blender for up to 1 minute. Eat immediately, or store in the fridge for a quick grab-and-go.
- Protein Pudding: Mix 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder with ½ cup baby rice powder. Stir in cold water until you reach the desired texture.
Feel free to modify these no-fuss grab-and-go low sugar snacks for your family’s favorite varieties. We’d love to see your family’s favorites and see where your creative inspirations take you. Share your pics and favs with us on IG or Facebook.
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About the Author: Dr. Meredith Butulis is a Sports Medicine Physical Therapist, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and Precision Nutrition Certified Nutrition Coach in practice since 2002. She consistently walks the talk as a fitness, physique, and OCR world level competitor and lifestyle transformer since 2006, celebrating many wins along the way. Want more total fitness lifestyle inspiration and interaction? Follow Dr. Meredith on Instagram @Dr.MeredithButulis or join the free “Fitness Focus Fuel” Facebook Group.
