Vegetable Root Chips are great on the go!
A lot of things went wrong today. I went to my rheumie appointment by myself. I haven’t gone by myself in months. But I have been feeling better, and the only appointment available didn’t work with my DH’s schedule. So off I went. Traffic was bad, and the carpool lane wasn’t an option as it usually is. I called the doctor’s office to let them know I’d be about 10-15 minutes late. What I thought was a professional courtesy did not work in my favor. The receptionist said that I would have to reschedule and that he was cancelling my appointment for the day. What?! I couldn’t believe it. I reiterated that I was calling to let them know I was going to be late not to reschedule. Ha! And he just reiterated right back—I needed to reschedule the appointment; they wouldn’t see me today since I was late. Ugh! I was incredibly frustrated. I told him I’d have to call him back when I could access my calendar (i.e. not driving). So what could I do? I was already across town. I might as well make the most of it. So, I went shopping–Whole Foods shopping that is. I grabbed a few ingredients and headed on out. The plan was to go to Whole Foods after my appointment and have lunch there, but no appointment, so I was there early. I decided to pass on WH’s lunch and just eat at home. Plus, it was before noon.
I hopped on the freeway and bam! Complete. stand. still. You know the kind that only happens after you get on the onramp? Here I was stuck. And then the worst thing happened. I started to get the munchies. Not the munchies where you just feel like munching just for the sake of it but the kind where you are actually hungry and your stomach is grumbling. I scanned the car and did a quick pawing through my purse. Nothing. Nooooo!
Oh my gosh! I was just at Whole Foods, and I have a fridge and pantry full of snack possibilities. Why didn’t I bring any with me? Why? Because I assumed everything was going to go as planned. I really should know better. I had some of my RepairVite drink with me and that helped to keep the grumblies at bay (sort of), but I can’t have this happen again.
Despite my morning, I am feeling pretty good today. We were able to go for an evening walk. My right knee is a bit swollen, but that is a symptom I have had for awhile. By the time I got home (finally off the freeway) and got some lunch in me, I had forgotten about the whole missing my doctor’s appointment thing. But I hadn’t forgotten about the snack fiasco. For future outings, I would always assume that I would need a snack or two in tow.
But what are some good snacks to have available when one is doing an AIP (autoimmune protocol) diet? I came up with a list and wanted to share it with you. As I made up the list, I decided that the criteria for a “good” snack would be that it was portable and nonperishable.
SNACKS
Smoothies: Smoothies can be made in advance and keep pretty well in a thermos. They aren’t the easiest items to carry, but I guess that depends on whether or not you carry a purse/bag and how big it is. My thermos does a pretty good job keeping my smoothie cold, so I can actually leave it in the car as I run errands. I sip on the smoothie in between errands or just on the way home.
These have great flavor–smokey with a subtle sweetness.
Tanka Bites/Bars: This yummy treat was introduced to me by my naturopath. They are very tasty and a little pricey. But as my DH reminded me, they are made of buffalo. I usually buy the bites, and I can finish the entire bag as a snack. But because of the cost, I do try to pace myself and chew slowly. The Apple Orange Peel flavor seems to be the closest to AIP, but it does contain black pepper and spices. I contacted the company to find out what specific things fell under the heading “spices”. This what they said, spices equal granulated onion, granulated garlic, ground red pepper, ground allspice, black pepper, and sea salt. Those items haven’t had an adverse reaction to my system, but the peppers make it non-AIP.
Jerky: Jerky is best when you can make it yourself. This recipe by Primal on a Dime looks very tasty. I am adding it to my “to-make” list. And I haven’t had success finding an AIP-friendly jerky option that can be purchased in stores. Many of the grass-fed jerkys I have found contain a nightshade or two; paprika is the most common one. There are AIP-friendly jerky options available for purchase online by U.S. Wellness Meats.
Because who doesn’t eat their seaweed on a glass pedestal? 😉
Roasted Seaweed Snacks: You may recognize these guys from a previous post. I am still in love with these snack-a-roos. They are tasty, easy, and fit in my bag. They can be a bit flaky as you eat them, so just be sure to brush off the crumbs as you finish up. One package equals one snack to me even though the package says it is two servings (whatever).
Veggie Chips: Just throw these into a baggie or small container, and you are set. I do get a bit thirsty while eating these, but I try to take my water bottle with me everywhere I go.
Fresh Veggies: These are my least favorite of the snack options. I am not really sure why. (My friend says it’s because they are vegetables. Yeah, I think she’s on to something.) However, I must say that I have developed a new appreciation for celery. It’s been there for me when I needed a snack to lean on. I find that I usually always have fresh veggies in the fridge when I have run out of pantry snack options. Fresh celery, carrots, and broccoli can be washed and cut up in advance. I have a number of small snack container that I keep for transporting celery and carrot sticks.
Fruits: I could eat fruit all day. However, we do have to be careful about fruit and sugar levels. If I am eating fruit on its own as a snack, then I try my best to shoot for a fruit on the low-glycemic scale like stone fruits, apples, pears, or berries.
Do you have any other snack suggestions that could be added to this list? Out-of-the-box suggestions encouraged! I am always up for trying out new snacks. Thanks!