SO here’s the thing. We feel our best when we are nourishing ourselves, for myself it’s a welcomed form of self care BUT with kids it is hard. It can be HOURS before we remember to eat. So how can we do better for ourselves? to make our selves more of a priority. I got some help! Today, we’ve got Ali Myers IN THE HOUSE sharing all of her professional nutrition advice. She is a Registered Dietician, fellow mama and all around amazing human. We are so happy to have her here and I know you’ll love her sharing her tips, tricks and recipes! SO lets get started.. who gets hungry? who gets hangry? Who wants to avoid eating their kids left overs #me #thetruth so lets dig in to learn together!

LET’ S GET REAL- You work tirelessly meal planning, grocery shopping and prepping to make sure the littles are nourished, but often times your own nutrition needs come as an afterthought. Whether you are new to this mom role or a seasoned veteran, grabbing a handful of chocolate chips from the pantry, or gulping down your Starbucks to tide you over is going to leave you still hungry and feeling worn down. YOUR NUTRITION AND HEALTH MATTERS TOO! Having healthy snacks easily accessible will help you meet your nutrient needs and give you the extra power to continue being superwoman.

To create a healthy snack, aim for whole foods, and try to include a source of protein, healthy fat and fibre. These three nutrients slow digestion down, which will keep you fuller longer. Trust me, I get it time is limited. A healthy snack does not have to be extravagant, or even require a recipe. KEEP IT SIMPLE. So here are 10 snack ideas that you can probably put together right now from the items in your kitchen!

1. Homemade trail mix: Trail mix provides you with the big 3 (protein, fat and fibre)! Get a few different varieties of unsalted nuts and seeds from the bulk section and mix with unsweetened dried fruit of choice. Make a big batch and portion out into small baggies. Put some in your diaper bag, glove compartment, and pantry. Almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds are fantastic options as they contain omega-3.

2. Veggies + Hummus: Veggies provide you with fibre and micronutrients and the hummus gives you a punch of fat, protein and fibre. I encourage clients to aim for one of their snacks a day to be vegetables as we often do not get the recommended servings in per day. Try to wash and cut the vegetables up as soon as you bring them home from the store, so they are ready to go. Store in fridge at eye level in a clear container so you are more likely to grab when you are hungry.

To those of you who live in YYC if you attend the Calgary Farmer’s Market and purchase your veggies from the Cherry Pit they have a “Vegetable Butcher” who will wash and chop all your fruit & veg for $1.00 per container!

3. Top Knot Mommy’s Power balls + piece of fruit: These delicious power balls provide protein, fat and fibre through the nut butter, seeds and oatmeal included in the recipe. Pair with a piece of fruit for some extra fibre and micronutrients. Recipe found HERE

4. Natural Peanut Butter + Banana + Whole Grain Tortilla: Grab a small whole grain tortilla (fibre), spread on some natural peanut butter (protein + fat) + place peeled banana inside (fibre, vitamins + minerals), roll up and slice. A great shareable snack with your children!

5. Roasted Chickpeas: Chickpeas are a great plant-based protein source + fibre.

· Simply heat oven to 400 F, line baking sheet with parchment paper.

· Drain and rinse one can of no sodium chickpeas. Pat dry with paper towel and try and remove as many of the skins as possible (the dryer and less skin = crunchier chickpea)

· Put dry chickpeas on baking sheet and toss in 2 tbsp of olive oil

· Sprinkle with sea salt

· Bake for ~30 minutes or until crispy to liking

6. Simple Avocado Toast: 1 slice of sprouted grain bread (fibre) + ½ Avocado mashed on top (healthy fats) and sprinkle hemp hearts on top (protein, fibre and fat).

7. Adult Ants on a Log: Since when did we forget about this snack? I LOVE ants on a log! Celery sticks + natural peanut butter + raisins… but here is the adult twist.. sprinkle hemp seeds on top for a little extra!

8. Cheese + crackers + fruit/veg: Pair cheese with fresh fruit or veg and whole grain crackers (ie. Mary’s crackers). This snack covers all your bases!

9. Maison Jar Parfaits: “Y’all”,I lived in the beautiful state of Georgia for 6 years so I have a thing for mason jars. Make a few of these up so they are grab and go from your fridge. Put ¾ cup of plain Greek yogurt on bottom of jar, top with your favourite berries/fruit + seeds (ie. pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds). For some added sweetness drizzle a bit of pure maple syrup on top!

10. Apple slices + natural almond butter: slice and apple and serve with 1-2 Tbsp of natural almond butter as a dip!

Healthy eating does not have to be complicated. Make a plan, do a bit of prep and you’ll set yourself up for success.

Happy Nourishing!

Ali Myers, MSc, RD, CDE