A heavy trend I’ve noticed within the healthy living blogging community is relying on energy and granola bars as snacks, and even sometimes meals. These products can be very convenient when you’re in a pinch and just want something to eat fast, but they shouldn’t be a staple or something eaten daily. If you often find yourself grabbing these as a quick snack, I’d encourage you to think outside the bar and look to real food instead.
The quality of ingredients and variety of bars (organic, vegan, all-natural, etc.) available to consumers have certainly increased in the last few years. Companies have made the decision to give customers what they want: something that can be eaten quickly, without preparation, and is portable, yet still healthy. It makes me smile when I look at the ingredients list on a bar and not only can I recognize and pronounce all of its contents, but there’s no high fructose corn syrup to be found. A definite improvement over the long ingredient lists some products still tote.
However, better ingredients does not make it real food, and certainly not a meal. Instead of grabbing a bar, why not do a few minutes of prep-work at the beginning of the week and you’ll have healthy snacks ready whenever hunger pangs begin.
- Slice some vegetables you like (think carrots, cucumbers, peppers) and stuff them into portable containers. Divide out your choice of dip (ranch, peanut butter, hummus—get creative!) into smaller containers that fit inside your veggie container. Stack the containers in your fridge and take them to work or school.
- Greek (or regular) yogurt with granola and fruit is always a great snack. It’s easy to throw together quickly when you want to eat.
- Raw nuts are one of the most easy and portable snacks I can think of. As a bonus they contain a good mixture of fat and protein, nutrients your body needs.
These are just three of the dozens of healthy snack combinations that are not only easy to create, but can be taken with you. Check out a few more snack combinations here.
If you insist on supplementing with bars, here’s what you should consider:
1. Calories: The amount of energy contained in a single bar can vary greatly, so it’s important to take a minute and check out the nutrition label. I’ve seen bars with 300 calories and I’ve seen others with as little as 100. Think about when you’ll be eating them and how much energy you will really need. Many bars aren’t large in size, so it’s easy to forget how caloric they might be.
2. Protein: If your goal is to buy something that will fill you up, look for bars with higher protein counts. A good mixture of fat and protein will help keep you full and feeling satisfied. Some companies make special protein bars, but actually read the label because you might find that even though they are labeled and marketed as a “protein bar” they only contain one or two more grams of protein than a regular bar.
3. Price: Using bars as a snack isn’t cheap! A single bar can run anywhere from $1 to $2, whereas buying real food and pre-portioning it into containers yourself is often cheaper. Remember the prices at the stores you regularly shop and stock up on your favorites where they are cheapest.
Remember, “energy” does not mean it will help you shake off the after-lunch slump or get you moving for a workout. Energy means “this bar contains calories.” Unless you’re working out for hours or really in a pinch, why not ditch the bars most of the time and upgrade to real food. It might require more thought and preparation, but you deserve it.
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