When I am dashing out the door- to run errands, attend a social event, zip to the grocery store or even head out of town- there are 2 things I never leave home without… a healthy snack and my water bottle. Like, never! There have been several times I left my phone, but I guarantee there was a snack in my purse and a water bottle in my car cup holder! Seriously.
Ask a friend or family member and they will attest to this. I wasn’t even aware of my fixed routine until I heard a family member crack a joke that I ‘always have a snack.’ I had earned a reputation and I didn’t even know it!
Why is bringing along a healthy snack this such a priority?! Simply, I don’t like to be out of the house and hungry. I mean, do you?
Our bodies are complex but there are many systems that work fairly systematically. After eating a balanced healthy meal, we should feel energized and nourished for about 3-5 hours. But, after that, we have to refuel. That’s how it works. Everyday. 365 days a year.
Predictable.
There are a variety of snacks I enjoy when I am at home like yogurt and cottage cheese with fruit that are quite filling and fuel me until my next meal. But, those snacks are not very portable or errand friendly. Sometimes, I need a bar or packaged snack to throw in my purse (or diaper bag) when I am out. I don’t want to grab a lunch box and ice pack to keep a snack cold. I just want something I can grab on the run.
But are there any packaged snacks that are actually good for you? With the clean eating craze in full force, many people are trying to steer clear of packaged foods, but not everything in a package is bad! In addition, pre-packaged, pre-portioned foods can save us headaches from spills, help us eat the right size portion, and reduce time it takes to prepare and package ourselves. Reading labels, choosing minimally processed foods and purchasing items that fit with your health goals is key. There are dozens of snack options in the grocery store, but which one is the right one?
One company is trying to take away the guesswork and make your life easier. Bright Snack is one solution and you don’t even have to drive to the store to get it. This healthy snack subscription box is filled with Dietitian approved snacks and arrives at your door as frequent or infrequent as you want. Bright Snack recently sent me 2 of their 6 different snack boxes to sample, Healthy Lifestyle and Low Carb.
This post is sponsored by Bright Snack, although the opinions are completely my own.
Each snack box is designed to meet your unique nutritional needs. A Registered Dietitian helped create each box of appropriate snacks to fit within 5 categories:
Low Carb— allsnacks are 10 grams carbohydrate or less (which also means low sugar)
Low to Moderate Carb + High Protein— 5-22 grams carbohydrate; 8-20 grams protein
Heart Health— low saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol; excellent source of fiber; good source of potassium
Healthy Lifestyle— balance of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates to keep you full and energized through the day; includes variety of grains, nuts and legumes
Vegan— Nut and legume based proteins; good to excellent source of iron (10-20%); helps meet dietary needs without compromising values.
And… there is even a subscription box with snacks just for kids! Some of the kid friendly snacks include mini snack bars as well as individual bags of pumpkin seeds and dry roasted edamame, perfect for packing in a lunch box!
Bright Snack makes this promise:
No artificial Sweeteners
No Soy Protein Isolate
Essentially, Bright Snack has researched and read the labels for you so that you can feel good about grabbing a snack on-the-go and know that it won’t sabotage your health goals. Because there are no artificial sweeteners, some of the snacks do contain sources of sugar including honey, organic sugar, coconut nectar, fruit purees/juice.
After sampling many of the snacks in the subscription boxes these were a few of my Pros and Need-to-Knows:
Low Carb Box
Pros
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While the packages of nuts are 250 calories, all the other snacks are moderate in calories between 90-170 calories, which for most individuals is an appropriate range to curb the hunger without over-consuming calories.
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All the snacks are low in added sugars- yay!
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Clean and simple ingredient list for ALL the snacks!
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The Rise bars have 5 ingredients or less! Few bars can boast such a clean ingredient list!
Need-to-Know
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To keep your snack calories to 200 or less, eat ½ the bag of almonds with a small fruit- easy and portable!
Healthy Lifestyle Box
Pros
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This box provides a great selection and variety of snacks- you won’t get bored with the snacks and flavors that arrive!
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Loved the variety of flavors of the bars! They weren’t all chocolate and had a diverse flavor selection.
Need-to-Know
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About half of the snacks are high in calories (250-310), which for many people (myself included) is not a snack but a small meal. I would eat half of the serving along with a small fruit or handful of veggies for a satisfying snack.
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If your morning is crazy full and it is difficult to take a few minutes to eat, one of the higher calorie bars may be a perfect breakfast for you.
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Many of the snacks, even the nuts, contain a significant amount of sugar. While this can certainly make for a tasty snack, I generally like to keep the added sugars in my diet lower, if possible. However, if you are an athlete (or very active), this calorie and carbohydrate level may be perfect after a hard training session.
Nii Bars (lifestyle box)- they had a great texture and didn’t taste too sweet.
Pumpkin seeds (both boxes)- my husband reallyenjoyed these in his lunch box for a mid-AM snack.
Mini Rise Bars (low carb box)- these were the perfect size when you just need a little “something” but don’t want to fill up; at around 100 calories, they would also be a sweet end to your meal.
After tasting the snacks and reviewing the nutrition information for each of the pre-portioned snacks, I believe that the Low Carb box is the BEST option for those that are trying to lose weight or manage weight keeping calories, carbs and sugar in check.
However, the Healthy Lifestyle box OR Low-Moderate Carb + High Protein Box, may be a good option for very active individuals who may need a bit more carbohydrate/sugar and calories to fuel a workout.
Maybe you looking for some easy and nutritious portable snacks that travel well.
OR
Maybe you are simply getting bored with your current snacks and want something interesting to liven up your eating plan.
OR
Maybe you are weary of purchasing those faux “health bars”, “fiber bars” and “energy snacks” at the grocery store, and just want a convenient snack that won’t sabotage your health goals.
OR
Maybe you value the convenience of having healthy snacks delivered right to your doorstep.
Bright Snack may have a box that works perfectly with your specific health goals. To read about each box, the snacks included and the also view ALL the nutrition information, click here to find out more.
Don’t run out the door unprepared. Earn a reputation for yourself! Become intentional about what you are feeding your body, breakfast, lunch, dinner AND SNACKS.
TRUTH: The wise man looks ahead.