Healthy Snacking & Urthbox Review
As I've mentioned a few times before, I try to eat healthy as often as possible and find that having an arsenal of quick and easy food ideas on hand means that I can reach for something healthy when I'm hungry and don't need to resort to an unhealthy alternative.
These are a few of my favorite fast food go-to's for a healthy snack
1. Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way for me to fuel up on the go. I'm often guilty of running a bit "behind" especially in the mornings so taking food on the go is always a win. Smoothies can be hidden traps for major amounts of sugar if you use juice but these are two of my favorite combos that don't pack added sugar (aside from natural sugars in the fruit) and have lots of healthy vitamins and all that good stuff your body needs
Banana Berry Smoothie
-1 banana
-frozen blueberries, cranberries, raspberries (sorry, I never track qty, I'd guess approx 1/4-1/3 cup of each, depending on your preference)
-3 big handfuls of spinach or spinach/kale mix
-splash of unsweetened almond milk (anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup+)
-tbsp chia seeds
Green Power Smoothie
-1 banana
-frozen mango and pineapple (approx 1/4 cup-1/3 cup of each)
-3 or 4 big handfuls of spinach or spinach/kale mix
-coconut water (or just water or unsweetened almond milk is fine too!) -same goes for amounts as in the other smoothie
Do you have any fave smoothie combos? Let me know, I love trying new combinations!
2. Chia Pudding
This is another recipe I love because I can take it on the go!
I mix 3 tbsp chia seeds, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp maple syrup and let it sit in a mason jar overnight. The next morning I top with frozen berries, other fruit or shredded coconut or coconut chips and take it on the go. Chia seeds pack major nutrients and protein and adding fruit sweetens the yummy pudding without having to add extra maple syrup.
3. Avocado toast
How can something simple be so good?! I eat avocado toast several times a week, it's usually my after work snack. I use 1/2 an avocado and mix it in my little food processor to get it ultra smooth. Top with sliced tomatoes (or throw them right in and blend them too) on a piece of multi grain toast and I'm a happy girl. Or, use the whole avocado and set the other blended 1/2 aside and toss on a salad with a bit of lemon juice and seasoning and you've got a yummy salad dressing alternative.
When it comes to other snacks, I try to limit packaged food as much as I can but there are always a few exceptions or sometimes, they just can't be avoided. I was curious about some of the different healthy snacking boxes that are out there so I gave Urthbox a try to see how their packaged snacks were. Urthbox focuses on snacks that are non-GMO, organic and all natural and offer vegan, gluten free, and diet box options alongside their classic box.
Firstly, I was blown away by how much was packed into this box. There were lots of snacks and a good variety of different options to try. I believe there were 28 or 29 items in the box which was higher than the 20-24 items they say are usually in a box this size!
Some of my favourites were the dried fruit snacks which were 100% dried fruit with no added sugars or chemicals or ingredients. There were also a few nuts and fruits mixes which I really liked as there were no added ingredients, just the fruits and nuts themselves.
I didn't try anything that I didn't enjoy taste wise, except for the seaweed chips which I gave to a friend since I already knew I don't like those. I ordered the "diet" option but as always with some "diet" foods, the calories were low but the fat was high. These guys in particular were delicious, although not necessarily a "healthy" snack, they were definitely a better treat than say, an oreo or potato chips.
Overall I was really impressed. I found a few great snacks that I really like and it was a handy timesaver to be able to grab a bumble bar to throw in my purse when I didn't have time to make these bars I usually like to. I also received face blotting tissues which was a surprise to find in a snack box, but still awesome as they came in a great purse sized package that I can carry around.
Bang for your buck I'd say you can't go wrong with Urthbox. The size I received was the large box which is $49 but each item would have priced out to be less than $2, which is pretty sweet if you ask me. And while I try to limit my packaged foods intake, I felt pretty good about most of what was in my Urthbox and alongside my mostly whole foods diet, I didn't feel too badly about reaching for the odd packaged snack. The only thing I wish is that they had an option where you could preview or select your own snacks however, that can sometimes be the beauty of a subscription service, you never know what you're going to get and sometimes you discover new things you love that you never would have selected on your own.
*Thank you Urthbox for prividing the box for review
