Most of us live a hectic lifestyle, going from appointment to appointment with hardly a moment to think much less grab something to eat. It can be challenging to plan on-the-go snack items that are filling and healthy. And you’re probably not just getting snacks together for yourself but for your family as well. Thankfully, it’s not as hard as you might think to grab something to support your plant-forward lifestyle while you’re running all those errands and shuttling kids from place to place.
Plan Your on-the-Go Snack Items
When your goal is to be successful, planning is essential. This is true with anything in life and business. And it, of course, holds true with on-the-go snack items to support your plant-forward lifestyle. If you’re going to be out during the day, your best bet for success is to plan ahead.
Depending on the type of snacks you’ll be carrying with you, a small cooler might be a smart idea. That way, you don’t have to worry about taking perishable snacks, especially in the hot Phoenix weather. Plus, that will give you the opportunity to carry along water, which is always good to have for a quick drink—and way more cost-effective to bring your own than to buy it.
As you’re planning your on-the-go snack items, where should you start? Your options will be a little more limited from what you might eat at home, but there are still plenty of choices. And the bonus is that, if you fail to plan ahead, many of these goodies are available at convenience stores you’ll encounter along the way.
Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes
Packed with proteins and healthy fats, nuts, seeds, and legumes are some of the best on-the-go-snack items you can find, and they’ll fit with nearly every diet. In the nut family, some portable options include:
- Almonds
- Brazil Nuts
- Cashews
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia Nuts
- Pecans
- Pine Nuts
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
Nuts can be raw, cooked, salted, or unsalted. You can purchase them nearly everywhere, and they can be mixed with seeds and legumes or even with dried fruits to create a perfect on-the-go trail mix (even if you’re nowhere near a trail).
If seeds are more your style, you have numerous choices here as well:
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sunflower Seeds
While some of these seeds may seem more like additions to other foods than choices you’d eat on their own, consider mixing them together or adding them to other items. Chia and flax go great in smoothies, for example.
And then there are legumes, which are commonly thought of as beans.
- Chickpeas
- Green Peas
- Peanuts (yes, these are legumes, not nuts)
- Soybeans or Edamame
Other than peanuts, which function mostly as a nut, most legumes that you would eat as on-the-go snack items will come roasted and even seasoned. Look in the snack-food section of the grocery store or convenience store for some delicious varieties.
Nut Butter
While nuts are a great on-the-go option, so are their smoother cousins, the nut butters. Made mostly from peanuts, cashews, and almonds, many manufacturers have started to package nut butters to go. Paired with fresh fruit or crackers, these can make for a hearty snack while you’re out and about.
Fruit
Fruit is probably one of your go-to ideas for a vegan snack option. And for good reason! Not only are they portable and easy to eat while you’re running from place to place, fruits are also packed full of nutrition and delicious. The obvious choices for fruits include:
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, etc.)
- Apples
Additionally, consider nutrient-packed dried fruits, such as:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Prunes
- Dates
- Fruit Leathers
Just shy away from fruit snacks, which are generally full of sugar. And remember to mix your dried fruits with nuts, seeds, and legumes for extra flavor and vitamins and minerals!
Energy Bars and Granola
Energy bars and granola (whether in bars or loose) can make delicious on-the-go snack items for a plant-forward lifestyle. Your best bet is to make your own so you can control what’s included. Energy bars chock full of nuts and fruits provide an easy way to eat in the car, between meetings, or before a game, but too may store-bought options are loaded with sugars. If you must purchase ready-made options, consider those with minimal, whole-food ingredients, such as LÄRABAR and RXBAR Plant, a vegan version of their popular RXBAR.
Power Up with Plants
A plant-based lifestyle is easy when you know what to eat—and it’s not all about on-the-go snack items. While we’ve given you some ideas to stay full and happy while you’re out and about, The Vegan Taste is here to make life even easier for you by preparing and delivering ready-to-eat meals for your family. Just heat and eat after you’re home for the day. Or take them with you for lunch at the office. Either way, our delicious plant-based meals make eating healthy easy.
