Snacks to Go

Afternoon classes interfere with my snack time, so before Jeff and I headed out we packed some food to go. Of course water bottles (and a soda for good measure) had to go into the cooler bag to combat the current heat wave in triple digits, but what to pack for cooler eats was another problem.

As I've mentioned, we're trying to make some better food choices, though it is difficult when potato chips call my name and my slumber is filled with sensuous foods dancing before my eyes. Still, today's snacks were tasty and nutritious. My good eats started with a couple of small whole wheat tortillas smeared with a quarter of an avocado, topped with half a slice of Swiss cheese, and finished off with a dollop of alfalfa sprouts for good measure. I rolled and wrapped these babies before tossing them into the cold storage bag. Every time I buy (and eat) alfalfa sprouts I tell myself to get them more often. I always forget how much I like the springy green flavor and shredded, chewy texture. They add a nice dimension to sandwiches and are especially lovely combined with the nutty butteriness of ripe avocadoes.

Since Jeff isn't as crazy about avocadoes as I am, I made a different snack sandwich for his munching pleasure. He had a whole wheat roll filled with low fat turkey breast, Canadian bacon, a slice of cheddar, and romaine lettuce leaves. In addition to the sandwiches, we each ate a small bag of fresh baby carrots, which are especially good to munch on during lectures since the chewing action keeps us from opening our mouths and getting in trouble. Surprisingly, other people at our table were quick to take us up on offers to share our carrot bites. Perhaps they too felt the need to chew rather than talk.

After class we dashed home for a quick dinner of last night's leftovers, and then off to our son's guitar class, but not before we restocked the water bottles and grabbed another snack for the evening's long haul. This one consisted of dried fruit and nuts. The fruit mix included papaya, pineapple and mango pieces which I divided into single servings before adding a small handful of roasted almonds. The sweet fruit with the salty nuts hit the spot later in the evening. (This is one of my favorite taste combinations. Some people go for smooth and creamy, but sweet and salty - especially joined with crunchy nuts, chips, or crackers - is always my combo of choice.)

So, while today has been a series of classrooms for me and the guys, homemade snacks kept us sated without spending money on fast food or heading to the vending machines for high-sugar junk. Contemplating this at the end of the day, I am happy with our choices and already pondering what to put in the snack cooler tomorrow.