Major points:
- Here you will find ideas for snacks on the go when you are feeling peckish or really hungry.
- Bars, nuts, or fruit are ideal. Pay attention to the list of ingredients and nothing can go wrong.
- Preparation is half the battle!
It has probably happened to you before. Your day was perfectly planned. But for some reason, something has changed and suddenly you are standing at a small train station in a place where nobody actually wants to be. Your stomach is growling and there is a station kiosk or a snack vending machine where the entire selection does not suit the Neatic principles. The snacks on offer either contain flavors, sweeteners, sugar, or all of the above.
Even if you do not take the train regularly, there are always unexpected situations in which you find yourself hungry. And that is where “preparation is half the battle” comes in.
Snacks on the go
To be better prepared for the future, we will provide you with the most important tips here:
The emergency bar
The emergency bar is perfect to have on the go. It fits in any pocket. The packaging protects it from dirt and moisture. But the best thing about it is its long shelf life. If you forget it in your backpack for a few weeks, you can still enjoy it in an “emergency”. But which bar should it be?
Any bar that is free from flavors and sweeteners is suitable. If the bar contains sugar, this counts towards the weekly sugar limit of 280 g.
Fortunately, an increasing number of bars and snacks that are even sugar-free can be found in supermarkets and drugstores. The names are as varied as the shapes and packaging, e.g. nut bars, oat bars, flapjacks, raw bars, energy balls, bliss balls, and fruit confectionery. In these sugar-free snacks, dates, raisins, or other dried fruit are used for sweetening. Provided none of the sugar signal words appears in the first three positions of the ingredient list, the bar can be consumed without limitations. This is because dried fruits are not restricted in Neatic as long as no sugar has been added during the processing. With the right choice, you can save a lot of sugar. You can find the bars mentioned above in different places in the stores, for example at the checkout, in the organic or the muesli and cereals section.
It does not always have to be a bar
A sugar-free bar can be quite expensive. Thus, we have collected some snack alternatives for you. These may require a little more preparation, but they will add variety to your everyday life and may also be easy on your wallet.
Fruit: A classic. Depending on the season, it can always be a different fruit. This could be a banana, an apple, or some strawberries. The right packaging is important for transport. Nobody likes to eat a squashed banana from the bottom of the backpack. Different transport boxes can help. If the fruit does not fit into your container as a whole, cut it into smaller pieces.
Dried fruit: Whether you prefer raisins or dates or the exotic mango or pineapple. The choice is huge. Just make sure that no sugar has been added during processing. You can also eat freeze-dried fruit such as strawberries or raspberries.
Vegetable sticks: Cocktail tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, or celery: (Almost) any vegetable can be cut into strips and taken with you. For more variety, you can combine them with a Neatic-compatible dip, e.g., hummus or a vegetable spread. Make sure you have a transport box that closes well. Small preserving jars are particularly suitable for this. Many vegetable spreads that you can buy are already perfectly packaged but make sure they do not contain taste seducers.
Muesli or cereal: Put oat flakes, milk, or yogurt of your choice, some fruit, and a handful of nuts in a well-sealable box and your muesli is ready. Do not forget the spoon. You do not like the oats soggy? Use a box in which the dry ingredients are separated from the milk or yogurt or use two boxes.
Nuts and seeds: Whether in muesli, in a salad, or simply on their own: Nuts and seeds enrich every meal and are also delicious on their own. The choice is plentiful. Walnuts, peanuts, or almonds: you decide. Be careful with spiced nuts and nut mixtures, as they can contain added flavors. You are on the safe side with unprocessed and salted nuts. It is always worth taking a look at the ingredient list.
The sandwich: Another classic. It is entirely up to you which bread you use and which toppings you put between the bread slices.
To-go counter: If you are in a hurry, you can also choose something from the “to-go counter”. It is always worth taking a look at the ingredient list, even if you do not have much time. The ingredient list of sandwiches or wraps can be quite long. So it can be a little more time-consuming to check whether the product is compatible with the Neatic principles.
Whether your snacks are store-bought or homemade, enjoy them on the go!