March is National Nutrition Month, so while we are on the topic, I’d love to talk about some of my favorite nutrient-dense snacks. As I’ve talked about before, I don’t like to moralize food, so I’m going to talk about nutrient-dense food, rather than “healthy” or “unhealthy” foods. As always, for specific dietary needs, contact your physician or registered dietician.
Peanut Butter and Apples
This is one of my favorite snacks because it’s simple, tasty, and easy. Peanut butter is rich in protein and apples have fiber. Combine the two, and you get a filling snack that is not difficult to make.
Veggies and Hummus
This is another one that is very easy and simple, but tasty. Carrots have beta-carotene, vitamin A, and fiber. Hummus is a little nutritional powerhouse with fiber, carbohydrates and healthy fats. These macronutrients will keep you full for a while, and it is a good grazing-type snack, especially if you use baby carrots.
Bagels and Cream Cheese
This is one of my favorite snacks. I can eat through boxes of bagels doing this, if I’m being honest. This is I would say a step up above the other two snacks in terms of difficulty, but I do think an older adult could probably make this if they can do the other two independently. All three of these would be very easy for a caregiver to put together. The bagels themselves are have fiber, carbohydrates and protein. The cream cheese can provide lots of fat and minerals. Of course, not all fats are bad, and these macronutrients are going to keep you satiated.
What are some of your favorite snacks? Let me know in the comment section. I will see you next week!
