THM Snack Hacks
How much would it help you to stay on plan if you ALWAYS had healthy THM snacks available? I implement these quick and easy THM Snack Hacks to help me stay on plan, even on busy afternoons!
My fail-proof strategy for sticking to THM 100% involves being prepared.
Think about it – when you are hungry and need to grab something quick, what do you reach for? Is that where you tend to go off-plan? And if so…what if you had a handful of healthy, delicious options available no matter what? Implementing some of these THM Snack Hacks could completely change your snacking game!
Snack Hacks at Home
Snack Hack #1 – Make a Pantry Snack Bin
If you've read my book “Perpetually Prepped Kitchen: The Simple Method for Meals in Minutes“, you know I'm big on quick, easy on-plan meals (and when I say quick, I mean 5-10 minutes). Perpetually Prepped Kitchen is all about making dinners quick and easy and keeping all of the ingredients for one meal in a basket in your pantry.
I got the idea to corral my snacks well after I thought of coming up with a bunch of quick and easy pantry meal ideas, but this has become a lifesaver!
In my pantry box for snacks, I keep Moon Cheese, nuts individually sized or portioned into ziploc bags, Skinny Pop popcorn, Popcorners, individual packages of almond or peanut butter, Wasa crackers, brown rice cakes (these are my favorite!), portions of collagen powder, freeze dried fruit, portioned Nutrail Granola, and other THM-friendly snacks.
Snack Hack #2 – Make a Refrigerator Snack Bin
Keep a clear plastic bin in your refrigerator with snacks just for you – think about adding easy, store-bought choices like Triple Zero yogurt, pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs, deli meat slices, fruit, string cheese, olives, or pickles.
Taking a few minutes to make a THM-friendly snack to store in your snack box is a great addition. I almost always have sliced veggies in my box, too! I like to make the Superfood Chocolate Chews from the Trim Healthy Table Cookbook and keep them there to grab easily.
Snack Hack #3 – Protein boxes for the win
I haven't found a snack that compares to my favorite protein boxes! I put small portions of delicious foods into compartmentalized bento-style boxes – think charcuterie board in a box! I have a free handout packet that will teach you how to put together an S, E, or FP box at home!
I spend a few minutes putting together 4-5 boxes for super quick and easy snacks and lunches – they are a grab and go lifesaver!
Snack Hack #4 – Frozen fruit
One of my favorite quick and easy E ideas is VERY simple – take a big bag of frozen fruit from Costco and portion it into ziploc baggies. They thaw VERY quickly and make a great snack when paired with a lean protein!
I most often buy frozen mango, but any fruit will work! I'll grab a small ziploc bag of frozen mango, let it thaw on the counter for a little while and enjoy a cup of tea with collagen for my protein. It's a favorite snack, but SO tasty and quick!
Make Snack Bins for the Kids
My kids eat a lot of THM foods, but snack bins for the kids save a lot of time and trouble.
We have a bin that they can choose from anytime. This bin has string cheese, fruit, and baby carrots in it. Those are the go-to choices for when someone says they're hungry.
Sometimes I add plain yogurt, because my kids don't like Triple Zero yogurt, and I don't love the sugar-filled yogurt options for kids (although we do buy them on occasion as a special treat). My kids' all-time favorite is plain or vanilla yogurt with fruit or honey, so that makes it into the rotation sometimes!
Snack Hacks on the go
If you always keep a bag in your car with THM-friendly snacks, you'll make it that much easier to stay on plan! Any of the shelf-stable snacks from Snack Hack #1 above will work well! I'd also add some Bai teas or bottled water!
you may also find these posts helpful:
Grab & Go Snack Ideas for Trim Healthy Mamas
Snack Ideas for a Trim and Healthy Road Trip
