Summer in Canada is a special time of year. I don’t know about you but after what felt like the never-ending-winter, I’m ready for all the outdoor adventures. Now whether you are road-tripping to explore a new place, camping or heading up to a cottage this summer, I’ve come up with a list of my top 5 favourite Summer Get-Away Snacks.
One of my RD friends and I took a road trip from the Toronto area to Ottawa in June for the Dietitians of Canada 2019 conference. The second we sat down in the car, we opened our pre-packed lunch bags with excitement to share what we had packed. There’s nothing better than a friend who shares the same love for snacks as you. We shared baked good recipes, chopped veggies with hummus, trail mix, crispy chickpeas and loads of fruit. Our snacks actually lasted us throughout the weekend!
Snacks are a great way to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day and in between meals. One rule of thumb that I always try to tell clients is: try to include a carbohydrate, protein and fat source in your snacks. By balancing your choices like this, you can create a nutritious snack and are guaranteed to actually feel satiated before your next meal.
Check out this list below for some road-trip friendly, summer snack inspo:
5 Nutritious Summer Get-Away Snack Ideas
1. Crispy Chickpeas
Now if you’re a chips or popcorn fan, you’re going to love this one. Chickpeas are a fantastic source of fibre and plant-based protein and they become crispy when baked in the oven!
Nutrient Profile
1 cup of cooked chickpeas provides almost 12g of fibre and 15g of protein!
If you use %DV to understand Nutrition Facts Tables, that’s 48% DV Fibre, and 30% DV Protein.
In other words, that’s a lot of fibre and protein! PERFECT for a weekend get-away snack.
Chickpeas are also great sources of iron, B6, magnesium and potassium.
You can either buy crispy chickpeas at most grocery stores or you can make them. If you’re in a time crunch, I’d recommend purchasing them.
By making them yourself, it will cost you a fraction of what the store-bought kind costs (Walmart sells cans of chickpeas for $0.88) and you can choose which seasonings you’d like to use.
The new Canada’s Food Guide has a crispy chickpea recipe that I would recommend trying out.
They do take some time to make because of the long bake time and the drying and peeling process, but you can cut down on the preparation time by getting the kids, your spouse or friends involved!
2. Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
These are a STAPLE in my household and would make for a great get-away snack or as part of a balanced breakfast. The beautiful thing about making your own muffins for this summer’s get-away is that they are a relatively low-maintenance option for snacks. Simply store a large batch in the cooler for about 5 days, or a smaller batch in an air-tight container for 3 days max. You can find this recipe in the recipe section of the blog!
3. Hummus with Veggies
Getting a food processor has been a GAME-CHANGER for me. I haven’t explored many recipes with it, but I have been making home-made hummus at least once a week and that makes it all worth it (recipe coming soon). Hummus, like the crispy chickpeas, is a terrific snack idea for those summer-get away however, it will require a cooler. If you don’t have a cooler, keep the veggies and pair them with crispy chickpeas!
You can purchase hummus from the store if you’re in a time crunch (plus there are so many varieties) or you can make it yourself at home before you head out the door.
I like to pair my home-made hummus with cucumber, carrots, red pepper or Naan.
4. Trail Mix
Now this one is totally up to you.
Again, you can buy store bought trail mix or you can make your own.
I like to make my own so that I can choose all my favourites (instead of having to pick out the raisins, or whichever item you’re not a fan of).
Hit up the bulk food isle of your local grocery store, or Bulk Barn, and create your own trail mix. Ideally, you’d want to create a mix that is low in sodium (i.e. buy unsalted nuts) and added sugars.
5. Fruit and Nut Butter
This one is just as easy as it sounds. Dipping a spoon or knife into a jar of your favourite peanut or almond butter and smothering it on banana slices makes for a simple balanced snack. I love this one because it offers carbohydrate, fat and protein and takes virtually no time to prepare and minimal clean up. If a nut butter doesn’t seem like a good option for your adventure this weekend, try having a handful of nuts with your favourite fruit (apples, cherries, oranges and pears travel well) instead.
Happy Summer Snacking!
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