Snacking Healthily ... in airports!

I was recently delayed at San Francisco airport for a number of hours (over 5, to be precise), and since I can be a self-confessed emotional snacker (in particular when boredom or frustration strikes), I became very well acquainted with my healthy snack options!

Eating healthily while traveling is difficult. I can't sugar-coat this fact. And while I absolutely recommend trying to bring your own snacks from home, this isn't always possible (especially when your hand-luggage is filled with toddler-trivia for the flight, the all-important DVD player and a vital-unless-you're-clueless change of clothes lest the potty-trained prince has an accident....)!

However, while I perused the snack-stands as I tried to while away my frustration and morph closer towards my Zen-like husband who didn't seem at all fazed by the increasing delay to our flight, I found a new line of snacks produced by Seapoint Farms which are absolutely brilliant! The three snacks on offer were based around dry roasted edamame (edamame are young soy beans which are often served in Japanese restaurants in the pod, but which in this case had been shelled and roasted), and were either plain, mixed with organic goji berries, or had been flavored with wasabi. Due to the nature of edamame, these snacks were filled with protein and fiber, while being low in fat and sugars. To top it off, all of Seapoint's edamame are non-GMO (this means they have not been genetically modified), and there really aren't any additives or preservatives. The ingredient list is literally 3 words long. Score! I chose the edamame/goji berry mixture; simple and delicious, and filled with antioxidants thanks to the addition of these ‘superberries’. Even my toddler thought they were worth a few minute’s distraction from ‘Nemo’; high praise indeed! I highly recommend trying to seek them out next time you are looking for something healthy to please both your palate and your body!
For more information on this company and to see their other products, go to www.seapointfarms.com.

My other snack of choice was one I often recommend to clients, and which are, thankfully, finding their way into an increasing number of vendors. These are the 'KIND' bars made in Australia and full of natural ingredients you can actually see. Not only are these bars made of simple, real foods (their ingredient list is also impressively short), but all the bars are free of wheat, dairy and gluten, the ingredients are non-GMO, and they have a good serving of fiber (due to the fact they contain whole foods). In addition, they have a low glycemic index (which means that the sugars in the bars do not hit your blood stream in a sudden rush, giving you that well-known 'rise' and then 'drop' in energy while also putting pressure on your blood-sugar mechanisms). To top it off, KIND donates 5% of profits to the PeaceWorks Foundation's programs to foster co-existence in the world. So you're being good to not only your body, but to your conscience too. For more information: www.kindsnacks.com.

So, if you do find yourself searching for something to tantalize your taste buds without risking your health, keep your eyes out for these. While I'd obviously have benefited from an exercise in meditation, I have to say that these healthy snacks came a close second in their ability to calm my mind and nourish my soul!