It’s been said, repeatedly, that a mom’s life is a busy life.  Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, driving all over town, involved full-time with kid stuff; or, a career mother, battling rush-hour traffic, sprinkled with adolescent activities in between, most of us spend more time than we want to in our cars, and if you’re like me somewhere along your daily route, the hunger pangs will strike. 

So, instead of reaching for that array of unwholesome food choices, waiting to deplete our energy and add unnecessary calories to our bodies, why not commit to bringing nutritious foods when you’re on the go?

Below is a list of 5 healthy snacks that all moms should consider bringing, when traveling on the road.

1.     Kale Chips – Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, and it’s loaded with fiber and iron.  Now, put it in a chip and you’ve got a recipe for one of the most nutritious and handy snacks around.  You can buy these chips at any health food store, or make them yourself.  Check out http://careermommy.hubpages.com/hub/5-15-Minute-Kale-Recipes for some quick and easy kale recipes.

2.     Unsweetened Dried Fruit – Sure, we can easily bring a banana or an apple to munch on in the car, but dried fruit is easy and less of a hassle to pack in a purse, or leave in your vehicle.  You don’t even have to worry about spoilage with dried versus fresh fruit, plus this convenient snack is packed with vitamins and minerals and a great alternative to eating refined sugar. 

3.     Raw Almonds, Raw Cashews and Cranberries – This healthy snack mix is my all-time favorite.  Not only are almonds a heart-healthy food, but it’s the most wholesome nut you can munch on, and if you mix that with the yummy flavor of cashews and sweet taste of cranberries, a high antioxidant dried fruit, you’ve just created a rich, and satisfying treat. 

4.     Cheerios – Oftentimes when I’m preparing to give my kids Cheerios for breakfast, I take two cups out for myself, put it in a sealed baggie and I’ve got myself a healthy snack that I can nibble on throughout the day.  Cheerios also helps reduce the risk of heart disease.  This tasty cereal is one of the leading foods proven to help lower “bad” cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. 

5.     Fruit and Veggie Smoothie – You can’t go wrong with a fruit and vegetable smoothie.  I’ve added mangos/strawberries/bananas and kale smoothies to my regular diet and, for someone with a sweet tooth, I cannot get enough of this drink.  You can make the smoothie in the morning, keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to leave the house, and just grab it and go. 

Moms, when driving, concentrating on the road, not snacking, should be our focus, but if we just have to satisfy that growling stomach, a healthy, convenient, bite is what we should reach for.  Snacking in the car doesn’t have to be unhealthy, no matter how hectic our days are.  With just a little extra thought and preparation your in-car snacking can not only be delicious, but incredibly nutritious.