School is back in session for the kids and extra-curricular activities are in full swing. Let’s see, we’ve got cross country (two different teams), Pop Warner football, band, robotics team, extreme performance percussion team, Boy Scouts, National Honor Society and school play practices. I’m surely forgetting something.  It takes a lot of food to keep the tanks of this crew topped off and ready to roll, and quality snacks become ever so important this time of year when our dinner is often delayed for hours.   Plus, I won’t lie; with marathon training and CrossFit workouts, I’m an all-day grazer, so I like to have nutritious snacks on hand so I’m not tempted to pig out on junk food. While some people say “out of sight, out of mind,” I say “out of sight, out of mouth” – I still dream about my chocolate M&Ms.

Veggies always make a great snack. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, plus many of my favorite raw vegetables like mini carrots, sugar snap peas and cucumbers have such a satisfying crunch. One thing I’ve noticed about getting my kids to eat vegetables for a (gasp) snack is the presentation. I’ve had lots of luck getting them to munch on mini salads by making easy-to-grab veggie cups that have a little dollop of ranch dip at the bottom.  If you want some other ideas, I did a fun post on this for Litehouse Living on mini veggie cups.

Who doesn’t love popcorn as a snack? The average American eats more than 50 quarts of it a year and I know that I can’t pass up a bowlful once I smell it popping. As an alternative to store-bought microwave popcorn which is packaged with congealed transfats, sodium and chemicals, I like to microwave mine in a brown paper bag, plain and simple!  It couldn’t be easier or healthier; most people are surprised to find out this can be done without fats or oils. For a special treat, my recipe for Caramel Almond Popcorn with Coconut Oil and Honey is fun to pack in backpacks or for movie night – and it’s even acceptable to most of my Paleo diet peeps!

Out of necessity, other snacks have to be grab-and-go – I like to call these types of “fast” foods either purse snacks or car snacks! Beef jerky has always been a popular with my family, now we have a new reason to love it even more. Recently at the TriRock Expo I bumped into the Austin rep for Krave Jerky and he hooked me up with some of their gourmet jerky – previously, I had only tried the Sweet Chipotle Beef Jerky but found out this Sonoma-based company has lots of other flavors profiles I love like Black Cherry Barbeque Pork and Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky.  Not at all like gnawing on an old boot, as is the case with some jerky; low and slow braising is Krave’s secret to its super-tender texture. I’m a #Kraver!

One of my longtime favorite take-along snacks is SunRype Fruit Strips – they are fruit leathers made with only 100% natural fruit ingredients and no preservatives or artificial colors at all. This season debuted new fun flavors that the kids will love as much as you –  Raspberry and Strawberry Watermelon.I also use them as fuel while running  — they have 50 calories each, 12 grams of clean carbs and are easy to carry on the course.  By the way, for full disclosure, I am an ambassador for .SunRype but would totally eat this nutritious, delicious snack even if I wasn’t.  Whoohoo, I think I feel like giving one of y’all a case of SunRype Fruit Strips this week – just check out the giveaway instructions below.

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