People generally eat the most unhealthy foods when they are stuck in a bind or short on time.  You hit the drive thru to grab something quick on your way home of in the middle of a busy day, you grab a scone in the morning on the way to work instead of making a healthy breakfast at home, or you stock up on freezer meals that basically prepare themselves.

Stocking up on healthy snacks and stashing them in the places you need them most will keep you from consuming unnecessary calories and fat just because you don’t have anything else on hand.

In order for this to work, you have to have portable snacks that you can easily stash anywhere you need them: your car, your purse, your gym bag, brief case, etc.  Here are some delicious, low calorie, healthy and portable snack ideas you can take anywhere:

* Celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins on top

* Low-fat cheese sticks or cubes

* Hard boiled eggs

* Trail mix- make your own with your favorite nuts and dried fruits

* Half a turkey or tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread

* Yogurt and granola

* Healthy fiber rich, whole grain cereal. Eat it right out of a baggie (Quaker Oatmeal Squares are great plain.)

* Dried fruit

* Any fresh fruit is already portable (apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, etc)

* Whole wheat crackers with low fat cheese

* Skim milk latte (order a “skinny” at Starbucks, they are made with fat free milk, sugar free syrup, 90 calories for a tall)

* Air popped popcorn- sprinkle with taco seasoning, cinnamon, or Parmesan cheese

* Fat free Graham crackers

* Baby carrots with hummus

* Peanuts

* Raw almonds

* Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread

* Leftover chicken or turkey slices (great cold.)

* Cottage cheese with sliced tomatoes- add pepper for more flavor

* Fruit smoothie in thermos

* Veggies with a packet of low fat dip

Yeah, you guessed it: you are going to have to put in a little prep work.  But just like anything worth doing, if you put in the effort, you’ll get the results.