I put out the question on my facebook of what you’d like me to write about. What I was asked for was purse food. We all have our go-to apples and bananas but what else? Before I go into offering suggestions I have two comments on this topic.
1. Why are we so obsessed with snack foods? Convenience foods? And foods we can eat on the go?
2. Why can’t we take the time to sit down and eat a proper meal, thus reducing our need for quickity quick snacks?
While you ponder those queries, I will move on to my next point on the subject, What defines a snack food? Something sweet? Salty? Transportable? I think in order for eating on the go to be health supportive and also convenient, we need to change our thinking around what a snack food is. It doesn’t have to be a fruit wrapped in a peel or bullet shaped carrots. Invest in some reliable seal-able jars/containers, maybe a plastic bag for insurance and you are golden. Another thing to think about when dreaming up snack food ideas is to think about what you would take on a picnic. That is transportable yes?
You might also like to think about getting in the habit of carrying a spoon, fork and cloth napkin in your purse.
Here is a list of what I think are perfectly appropriate purse snacks (you just might need a healthy sized purse).
- Kale Chips (of course)- high in vitamins and minerals, low in calories
- Traditional Hummus and veggies and/or crackers. 250 ml mason jars are awesome for packing single servings of this.
- Veggie pestos like cilantro, kale, or basil with dips- good source of raw veggies and protein and can also be made in advance and frozen in single serving portions (ice cube trays and 250ml jars work well). Try Lemon Basil Pesto, Roasted Red Pepper Pesto, Parsley Pesto, Cilantro Pesto
- Half an avocado and sea salt, with a spoon. You carry a spoon for yogurt or pudding, why not an avocado? Great fats, protein and low carb will stabilize blood sugar and keep you fueled without weighing you down.
- Soup. Yes! Soup in the purse. Do it!!! A 500ml mason jar full. Room temperature pureed veggie soups are great afternoon snacks. Hydrating and nourishing. This is my go to soup
- Smoothies/Fresh Juices- these are no available in nearly every food court. Make it at home or order it and keep it in a jar or stainless steel container. Best snack ever. I know someone who keeps a Magic Bullet at work with a few essential smoothie ingredients so she always has something ready. Try Breakfast Smoothie, Green Mojito Smoothie, Green Pina Colada Smoothie
- Steamed veggies- no shame in green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel’s sprouts etc as a snack. Steam them up, sprinkle on some salt and away you go. If you have the fork option, drizzle on a little omega 3 flax or hemp oil. No fork- just go straight up and eat with your fingers. You eat apples with your hands. Try Basic Brassicas
- Mixed nuts/seeds of course
- Whole grain crackers. These ones made with nuts will also be high in protein, fibre and healthy fats. Try these Walnut Crackers
- Coconut oil in hot water- like a tea. Coconut oil is a nutrient dense, short chain saturated fat. It helps stabilize blood sugar, is burned efficiently as fuel and so doesn’t become junk in the trunk.
- Healthy treats like Ultimate Healthy Cookie, Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Butter Cookies, Honey Seed Treats, Raw Superfood Power Balls, Chia Pumpkin Muffins
Excellent ideas! Love them!
Love this post. Its really thought provoking. Why do we think snack and travel foods have to come in presealed packets and be bad for you?
Thanks Megan, for such great ideas! I have to tell you, my desire for purse/snack foods does not come (entirely) out of a rush-rush existence (although as a single mom, that is an issue). The main thing is that for my body, it is best that I eat 6 small meals a day…it is pretty difficult, with a full-time job and a child, to imagine being home for all of those! Your ideas fit not only the need for something convenient on-the-go, but a sense of the qualities of a slow, sit down meal when the reality is not possible!
What is the best way to store kale chips? I found mine were surprisingly less crispy – actually just kind of soft and chewy – after spending the night in a container.
Depending on the climate and how dried they get, out in the air could work overnight, I have kept mine in a bowl in the fridge too- both have worked for me. You could always give them a quick toasting if necessary to re-crisp.
When I make muffins for on-the-go purposes, I usually make mini-ones. They transport quite well! This week I made the apple-cinnamon babies from the 5 Days Vegan tutorial. I pop them in the freezer and throw a couple in a container for a little snack.
Frozen grapes are also a really nice little treat!
When I’m in the rush in the morning, I usually throw a smoothie in a coffee/tea to-go cup as I find it keeps it cold throughout the morning and a nice way to start the day.
Thanks for such a great post! I love these ideas!!!!
Now for some little reusable & non-plastic to-go containers!
I think of snack foods as something portable that doesn’t require much preparation when I need to grab it and head out the door. I usually toss an apple or pear in my purse along with a muffin and some nuts. Not too exciting. I’d like to learn to make my own fruit leathers without a dehydrator, and how to make a handful of nuts more interesting (adding spices maybe?).
When I am visiting my inlaws, it makes me cringe to see them munch on individually wrapped snack-sized cookies, bars, and crackers in the comfort of their own kitchen. Uggg!
Meghan,
I am so into purse food! I find I feel better when I have a little sumpin sumpin every two to three hours during the day. Just a small nosh-nothin’ major. I really, really, really want to do the coconut oil every day. But I have IBS-D (sorry, TMI, I know) and the coconut oil starts things downhill every time so far. I have even tried just 1/8 tsp starting out, but no go. I love, love, love coconut water. I drink that every day all the time. But I want to find a way to do the oil every day for all the other health benefits. Plus it’s a wonderful substitute for butter. So, do you have any suggestions? BTW, love the idea of half an avocado and a spoon. I like spreading half an avocado with pesto and covering with finely chopped tomatoes. I read yesterday that someone made green leek pesto-doesn’t that sound yummy?! I didn’t even know you could eat the green part of leeks!
If you have trouble with all concentrated fats- might want to have a look-see at the old gallbladder/bile. Just a thought.
I keep a ziploc back of torn nori sheets in my knapsack at all times. It has proven to be IMMEASURABLY handy. I also keep another ziploc bag of trail mix – sometimes eating just a few almonds and some dried unsulphured apricots (yum!) can help calm the painful hunger pangs whilst sitting in class and starving.
I also dry my own apples, tomatoes, and eggplant slices and keep those around too.
If I have time to reach in the fridge, an avocado and a spoon is definitely what I take.
I’ve had gastric bypass and can easily become hypoglycemic. I almost always carry something in my purse ‘just in case’. Lately it has been my own homemade trail mix. I am very disillusioned by the commercial trail mix and mixed nuts. Added bad oils and sugars abound. So I make my own. I go to the bulk section of the market and get raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds – really any nut or seed in its raw form (no added oils, salt, or sugar). Then I pick out a few dried fruits. There are not many available without sugar, but dried dates, raisins, coconut, and maybe a couple more. I bring it all home, toss together and then portion out in half cup baggies and stick them in the pantry. It’s easy to toss one into my purse and I don’t have to worry about it going bad. It can just hang there till I need it. If you wanted extra nutrition you could soak and dehydrate all of this.
hmmm – soup in my purse!? people look at me weird already when I pull out the kale chips. This could be fun.
I love this post! While having proper meals is always the best, I think that healthy purse food alternatives are always a plus, especially for those living in places where good, healthy, nutritious food is hard to find in cafès and other premises where people go and have lunch or coffee break (here I’m referring to Italy, where I live and where it’s almost impossible to find healthy vegetarian -not to mention vegan!- snacks and quick lunches in those places that are meant to serve lunch food, snacks and easy quick food). At times, if I go out for many hours and forget to bring my own snacks I just have to wait until I get back home before I can eat! Unless I am lucky enough to have the chance to shop at the organic + health foodstore.
Hi Meghan !
I am pretty new to your blog but I am loving it more and more each day. This is a great post, I usually struggle with going to the vending machine in the middle of the day, but you have now given me some great new options. I have a question for you, I began a vegan lifestyle on January 1, 2010, prior to being a vegan I would take cryo-gainer(which is a weight gainer)after workouts. I am a little thing 5’0, 100lbs. I wanted to ask you what would be an all natural weight gainer(no soy,gluten,or dairy) that I can take since I no longer take the cryo-gainer ? I love the all nautral life style so far, but I dont want to physically dissappear in the process.
Thanks in advance