Are you preparing for a busy day(s) ahead, plan on traveling or thinking of going to a park? Are you considering bringing healthy snacks on-the-go? If I anticipate being away from home for most of the day, I pack healthy snacks for several reasons. First, to avoid the possibility of skipping meals, save money on food, and to have sustained energy throughout the day.
I recently visited Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. As with any theme park I go to, I research in advance the food allowed to bring in the park. All I did was Google search two phrases: “personal items allowed in Disney” and “can I bring food to Disney”? I clicked on the first link that appeared for both searches and found answers. If you are ever planning on going to a theme park too or any other private property, I recommend to do the research in advance as well.
Going to parks, sightseeing and traveling for business or vacation require physical and mental energy. Preparing healthy snacks in advance can help boost energy, avoid digestive issues, avoid standing in long lines, and even save money.
For your awareness, the following items are NOT permitted in Disney World parks:
Food that needs to be heated (they won’t allow people to use their kitchens), alcoholic beverages, straws, glass containers (excluding baby food jars), backpacks larger than 24 inches, and large coolers.
Sure, we can easily go to the supermarket to buy chips, cookies, soda, crackers, and other highly processed foods but are they really healthy snacks? Snacks containing whole food ingredients like bananas, apples, and home-made sandwiches are higher in nutrition value, which is a huge contributor to energy and vitality. Also, whole foods contain higher amounts of healthy fiber which may help to keep us full for longer.
I prepared and packed the following snacks the night prior to my theme park adventure. It took me 15-20 minutes to prepare and pack. Most of the ingredients I already had in my fridge and pantry. Feel free to get creative with ingredients you already have at home.
Sandwich: Eureka bread, mashed chickpeas with herbs and spices, lettuce, veggie burger, organic plant-based BBQ sauce.
List of Healthy Snacks On-The-Go:
- Baby Carrots – to dip in hummus
- Hummus – store bought or homemade
- Cucumber Slices
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Celery Sticks – to dip in guacamole
- Guacamole – if you plan to eat it within 1 hour or so
- Nut Butters – store bought or homemade
- Apples – slices to dip in nut butter
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Bananas
- Clementine or Mandarin Oranges
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Berries
- Dried Fruit: raisins, dates, prunes, figs, apricots, pineapple, banana, strawberry, mango
Note: Dried fruit is fruit from which most the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or using dehydrators. You can purchase dried fruit bulk in advance and keep in stock. I love these dried apples.
- Sandwiches – preferably home made
- Wraps
- Granola Bars
- Healthy Snack Bars (i.e. Larabar, VegaOne, ProBar) – the less ingredients the better!
- Nuts and Raisins – trail mix could be store bought or homemade
- Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)
- Sunflower Seeds
- Smoothie (if you plan to drink it within 1 hour or so)
- Water or Infused Water
Snack Packing Suggestions:
- I recommend to pack the food in BPA-Free plastic food containers. Some places prohibit glass containers. You can also use BPA-Free zip-lock baggies.
- Stay hydrated by bringing your own BPA-Free water bottle. I like this bottle because it has the fruit/veggie infusion option for a refreshing and flavorful taste if desired.
- Pack plastic eating utensils and napkins because some places don’t allow metal silverware.
- Pack everything inside a medium insulated lunch bag. This backpack cooler is my favorite because it is easy to pack and carry.
- I also recommend using these ice packs to keep the food fresh longer, especially during the hot summer days.
I hope you find these snack ideas useful and delicious! I also suggest downloading our FREE Healthy Eating On-The-Go Guide for even MORE tips to fuel your body for better health and more energy no matter where you go.
Juliana Salazar
Vitality and Wellness Coach
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