Favorite "energizing" snacks

[707MickeyGirl]

Hey Disers, expert advice-givers!

I'm in the planning stages of our next trip during the crazy-busiest time of the year, the 9 days following Christmas. With the overabundance of super yummy holiday treats, and beignets (for me) and churros (for my DGD7), I want to make sure I pack in some super healthy, energizing snacks so that we don't fall into a sugar stupor, or get ridiculously cranky because we've crashed. We eat TS at least once a day to get a good meal, but I'm looking for advice on how to effectively counter-balance our treats.

We have a few conditions: My DGD7 won't eat anything with peanuts in it, and I have to be a little careful because I currently have braces on my teeth - so nothing overly sticky or crunchy.

What are your favorite healthy snacks to pack in?

 

[Tyggress]

Fruit...apples, oranges, bananas, grapes. I pack a small cooler and take it in with me, but these could pack into a backpack, too.
Powerades or similar drinks...I freeze them the night before and have cold drinks all day as they thaw out.
Quest bars, granola bars, Nutrigrain breakfast bars, etc.
I pack protein powder pre-portioned in a container, add milk or water in the park, shake and drink...or you could buy the premade ones from the store.
Trail mix (make your own from bulk bins at the store if DGD7 doesn't like peanuts).

Etc, etc....

 

[ZoZo]

I was going to suggest my homemade trail mix, but it has peanuts (which your daughter doesn't like!), raisins (too sticky), Goldfish pretzel crackers (too crunchy?), and M&Ms! Three out of four ingredients won't work for you - darn! I find it's a nice balance of carbs (pretzels), protein (peanuts), friuit (raisins) and sweet (M&Ms).

One things that I like to do is bring those little individual tubs of peanut butter - Jif makes them. You can toss a couple in your bag or backpack, and then buy things like apple slices and celery sticks to dip them in. The peanut butter is a nice hit of protein, which stays with you for quite a while and keeps you from getting hungry, and the fruit/veggies are healthy. Does your daughter like peanut butter, or is it crunchy peanuts she doesn't like? Even if that doesn't work for her, it might work for you! FYI, I have a good friend (adult) with braces, and she says she can eat things like sliced apples if she doesn't bite into them with her front teeth. She just moves them into the back of her mouth and bites them with her molars.

What about some kind of protein bars? That would probably work for both you. Other high-protein snack ideas might be string cheese, yogurt, beef jerky, nuts, etc. Snacks with protein keep your blood sugar steady and keep you feeling full longer.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

I was going to suggest my homemade trail mix, but it has peanuts (which your daughter doesn't like!), raisins (too sticky), Goldfish pretzel crackers (too crunchy?), and M&Ms! Three out of four ingredients won't work for you - darn! I find it's a nice balance of carbs (pretzels), protein (peanuts), friuit (raisins) and sweet (M&Ms).

One things that I like to do is bring those little individual tubs of peanut butter - Jif makes them. You can toss a couple in your bag or backpack, and then buy things like apple slices and celery sticks to dip them in. The peanut butter is a nice hit of protein, which stays with you for quite a while and keeps you from getting hungry, and the fruit/veggies are healthy. Does your daughter like peanut butter, or is it crunchy peanuts she doesn't like? Even if that doesn't work for her, it might work for you! FYI, I have a good friend (adult) with braces, and she says she can eat things like sliced apples if she doesn't bite into them with her front teeth. She just moves them into the back of her mouth and bites them with her molars.

What about some kind of protein bars? That would probably work for both you. Other high-protein snack ideas might be string cheese, yogurt, beef jerky, nuts, etc. Snacks with protein keep your blood sugar steady and keep you feeling full longer.

My granddaughter won't eat peanuts or anything with peanut butter or peanut flavor. She's super picky, but she does like goldfish. Your trail mix sounds tasty - maybe I can modify it to include banana chips instead of raisins. I just need a protein replacement.

I'm definitely looking into the individual tubs of peanut butter for myself!

Thank you for these great suggestions.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

Fruit...apples, oranges, bananas, grapes. I pack a small cooler and take it in with me, but these could pack into a backpack, too.
Powerades or similar drinks...I freeze them the night before and have cold drinks all day as they thaw out.
Quest bars, granola bars, Nutrigrain breakfast bars, etc.
I pack protein powder pre-portioned in a container, add milk or water in the park, shake and drink...or you could buy the premade ones from the store.
Trail mix (make your own from bulk bins at the store if DGD7 doesn't like peanuts).

Etc, etc....

I've never taken a cooler in but that's a great idea. I can just pop it into a locker. Thank you!

 

[grnflash]

Fruit...apples, oranges, bananas, grapes. I pack a small cooler and take it in with me, but these could pack into a backpack, too.

We don't take a cooler but I second the fruit. We crave fresh fruit in the parks and always bring some - grapes, oranges, sliced apples. I'll add we have purchased fruit from the stands too and idk why but Disney fruit is awesome. The grapes are amazing.

 

[Baklava]

While the rest of the party eats Dole Whips (which I can pass on happily) I have a spear of fresh pineapple at the tiki room and it's always wonderful.

 

[Tyggress]

I've never taken a cooler in but that's a great idea. I can just pop it into a locker. Thank you!

Just to clarify, they allow small, 6-pack soft-sided coolers only...no hard-sided, etc.
It's usually enough for me to put two frozen drinks, some snacks and fruit...the frozen drinks keep the fruit cold (grapes, etc).

 

[707MickeyGirl]

Just to clarify, they allow small, 6-pack soft-sided coolers only...no hard-sided, etc.
It's usually enough for me to put two frozen drinks, some snacks and fruit...the frozen drinks keep the fruit cold (grapes, etc).

Got it. Thank you

 

[Azmommyto4]

We love jerky or meat sticks! We also bring a small insulated lunch box with an ice pack in our backpack with string cheese, hard boiled eggs and frozen Gogurt

 

[707MickeyGirl]

We love jerky or meat sticks! We also bring a small insulated lunch box with an ice pack in our backpack with string cheese, hard boiled eggs and frozen Gogurt

I love hard boiled eggs, and we're staying at CCI and I think they're part of the free breakfast offerings. Great idea! Thank you.

 

[Mysteryincorp]

I usually do fruit, almonds, cheese sticks and a cereal or granola bar. I pack it all in a soft lunch box cooler and then maybe throw some more dry snacks in my backpack.

 

[corinne76]

You have gotten some great ideas! I'm going to have to steal some

if you do bring a cooler, cheese sticks are a good idea. Or granola bars. Is it all nuts or just peanuts your granddaughter won't eat? My son is severely allergicto peanuts so I wont buy anything with them. We've subbed pb for cashew butter for my daughter and she likes it better. If you want something you can throw in your bag, those squeeze pouches are great. there's applesauce, but also ones with oats ,flax and other stuff. I buy Munk Packs on amazon

 

[707MickeyGirl]

You have gotten some great ideas! I'm going to have to steal some

if you do bring a cooler, cheese sticks are a good idea. Or granola bars. Is it all nuts or just peanuts your granddaughter won't eat? My son is severely allergicto peanuts so I wont buy anything with them. We've subbed pb for cashew butter for my daughter and she likes it better. If you want something you can throw in your bag, those squeeze pouches are great. there's applesauce, but also ones with oats ,flax and other stuff. I buy Munk Packs on amazon

The advice on the DIS is always great! Steal away.

I have the perfect little cooler bag and I've started a grocery list of things I want to have on hand for it. My granddaughter won't eat any nuts but I'm definitely going for apples, grapes, some kind of home-made trail mix, baby carrots, cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs and peanut butter. I'll freeze a water bottle to double as an ice pack. Then I'll set up a trade-off system with her... something like 2 healthy snacks for one churro. Now how many healthy snacks will I have to eat to earn a beignet? Hm.

 

[taniahappy]

Fruit (apples, oranges, bananas), carrots, protein bars, we also freeze our water bottles the night before... trail mix, cheese (try Mozarella sticks), and I never go without my multi-vitamin and/or B complex

 

[azdisneylover]

To me, Disneyland usually has some of the sweetest fruit, so, when we are there, we order a fruit platter to share while we sit for a break or along with our meal. Tomorrowland Terrace has one on the breakfast menu that comes with a small muffin and honey yogurt dip. There are plenty of places in both parks that sell fresh fruit. In DCA, Flo's sells a fruit platter. They have an adult and a child's version. According to the guy that served us, the difference between the two was the child version came with a small chocolate milk and was 20 cents cheaper. My daughter and I went with the smaller one. Jamba Juice in Downtown Disney has a lot of great drinks. Perhaps a bean and cheese burrito from Tortilla Joes, along with chips and salsa. In the Grand Californian Hotel, there is Whitewater Snacks. You can grab something there that isn't too bad (unhealthy) for you and relax for a bit. Then, go right back into DCA!

 

[emmybee]

I know you are looking to bring your own stuff in, but I really liked the mango sold inside the parks.... mostly because it including a lime wedge and Tajin packet. Favorite snack discovery: your hummus will be even more amazing with Tajin sprinkled on it. There were a bunch of extra Tajin packets by the cash register. I do not work or am affiliated w/ the Tajin corporation.