10 Healthy Snacks for Busy Moms and Children and a Giveaway!

Healthy eating is such an integral part of feeling energized and well. Every mom I know needs every ounce of energy that she can get! I have found that if I keep healthy food around, that is what my children and I will eat. Though we have processed treats, on occasion, we try to limit those occurrences. I find healthy foods to be very addictive, because they are so invigorating. Many of the categories below are whole foods. One great thing about keeping whole foods around is that you can use each item to make several snacks. If you stock up on apples, you can make apple chips in the dehydrator, applesauce (blend in VitaMix), smoothies, apple fruit leathers, and more.It would be much more expensive to buy all of those things individually. Here are a few healthy (and tasty!) snacks that we enjoy/are planning to try soon:

1. Fruit/Veggie Strips- organic baby carrots, broccoli, green pepper, cucumber, etc.. Veggie strips are delicious in homemade guacamole. Guacamole is a delicious way to eat raw garlic, tomatoes, avocados, fresh lemon juice, etc., which are packed with enzymes and loaded with health benefits.

2.Almonds- I buy a large bag of plain, unsalted almonds.I snack on these, make raw almond milk, and make goodies like raw peanut butter cookies. (Raw peanut butter cookies are so delicious! All of the goodness of an unhealthy peanut butter cookie, with zero guilt.)
Banana Almond Smoothie This is my absolute favorite smoothie to make when I need a protein-rich drink. Loaded with frozen bananas (so sweet!), almond milk (though any milk will work), raw honey, flaxseed, and nut butter, this drink is hearty enough to be a heavy snack/meal replacement. Raw honey is packed with energizing enzymes. Don't miss out on this scrumptious treat!

3.No Bake Energy Bites- These are so easy to make and are so tasty. These keep well in the fridge, so you can grab as few or as many as you want to eat at a time. (Though I dare you to only eat one!)

4.Chia- As a child of the 80's, I remember being indoctrinated (via commercials) into thinking that if I wanted to have healthy bones, I had to drink cow's milk. The more, the better. While I do believe that there can be benefits to raw cow's milk (if it is from a clean, reliable source), there are many other ways to get a healthy dose of calcium. Chia seeds are one of those ways. Chia contains 500% more calcium than milk. I cannot wait to try this Chia Seed Pudding.

5. Green Smoothie- If you have been reading this blog for a while, it is no secret that I adore green smoothies. I am absolutely convinced that there is no better way to ensure that you are getting a sufficient amount of green leafies, than to drink them in a smoothie.(kale, herbs, spinach, collards, etc.) It might sound scary to try it, but you gotta take a chance on this one. It is one of the best health investments ever. I highly recommend the Raw Family website for green smoothie tips and recipes.If you get a chance, check out this video (it is a long, but worthy watch) about the Miracle of Greens.We try to start our morning with a green smoothie,every day, but they are also great as an afternoon snack.

6. Yogurt/Kefir- Yogurt, especially those containing probiotics, are a great way to ensure a healthy gut. Making yogurt in the crockpot is fairly simple and economical.

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7. Banana Ice Cream- All you need to make this treat are some frozen bananas and a splash of almond milk. Mix until four mounds form on the bottom of your blender. So delicious! Freeze really ripe bananas to make the healthiest banana ice cream. Throw in a few berries before blending to make a colorful berry ice cream.

8. Kale Crisps- Any dried/dehydrated fruit, greens, or veggies will do. I mention kale because, pound for pound, kale is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. A one cup serving contains 684% of our recommended daily Vitamin K allowance. Dehydrating at 115 degrees or below keeps all of the enzymes and nutrients in the food intact.

9. Pita Chips and Hummus- My favorite brand of pita chips are Stacy's Pita Chips.(plain flavor) The ingredients are decent for being such a convenient food.

10. Healthy Bars- Raw Crunch bars are my absolute favorite bars because they are  raw and delicious! I was so excited to learn about an uncooked, enzyme-rich, nutrient-dense bar. They were kind enough to send me a 12 pack box of their bars to review (a $30 value!), and another 12 pack to giveaway on my blog. The four Raw Crunch Bar flavors are: Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Cranberry, Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Goji Berry, Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Dark Chocolate (a little piece of heaven on earth), and Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Blueberry. My favorite flavor was a tie between Cranberry and Dark Chocolate.

Raw Crunch bars contain a total of 13 Raw Organic ingredients, depending on which flavor you choose:  blueberries, cashews, celtic sea salt, cranberries, dark chocolate (not raw), flax seeds, goji berries, raw honey, macadamia nuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.Raw Crunch Bars are unprocessed, handmade,and uncooked. The raw nuts and seeds in the Raw Crunch bar can help to detoxify your body.Raw Crunch bars are perfect for breakfast or a quick snack on the go. These would be great to give at a baby shower, as they are terrific snacks for laboring moms and their coaches or nursing moms!


Win a 12 pack of Raw Crunch Bars:

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment with your e-mail address, telling me what your favorite healthy snack is.

Additional Optional Entries:
1. Like Lily of the Valley on Facebook.
2. Like Raw Crunch on Facebook. Leave a comment on their page letting them know that Lily of the Valley sent you.
2. Follow Lily of the Valley on Google Friend Connect.(or leave me a comment letting me know that you already do so)
3. Blog, facebook, or re-tweet about this giveaway.


This contest ends January 19th, at 12 pm EST. It is open to US residents only.

This post is linked to Sortacrunchy.


Disclosure: I received Raw Crunch Bars to review and giveaway in exchange for an honest blog review.