Snacks are a widely forgotten aspect of meal prep. You’ve got your dinners, maybe you’ve even got lunches and breakfast down, too. But snack time is when I see mamas reaching for the vending machine at work, turning the car into the Starbucks drive through (and I know you’re not getting an Americano with a splash of almond milk) or reaching for the kids snacks in the cupboard. Having healthy, filling snacks on hand is important to avoid that mid-day hanger, and keep you going until lunch or dinner.
One my favorite simple meal prep snacks is power balls. You might hear them called energy balls, I kind of go back and forth. The point is- these are little powerhouses of nutrition, the perfect bite-sized nutrient-dense energy boost. Like a mini granola bar, but way healthier. And they’re super simple to make.
I even infused these with one of my favorite everyday superfoods- collagen peptides. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It’s essential for growth and development, but even more important, it’s awesome for our guts, our joints, and our skin, hair and nails. And who doesn’t want smooth digestion, luscious locks and joints that don’t creak when we do lunges?! It’s flavorless and dissolves easily, so it’s great to add to smoothies, hot drinks- or my favorite, power balls. It adds a hit of protein with no flavor, so you can make the flavor as you like!
Speaking of flavor, I am obsessed with the subtle snickerdoodle flavor of these balls! Cinnamon and vanilla make an awesome blood sugar balancing combo- and did I mention there is NO added sweetener? Mineral-rich dates are the only sweetener used in this recipe, and trust me- they’re sweet enough!
Check out the exclusive Healthy Mama Meal Prep video preview and corresponding recipe– and don’t forget to let me know in the comments or on Instagram @healthymamakris when you try them!!
Almond Snickerdoodle Power BallsMakes 12-18 balls
1 cup dates, pitted
1/2-1 cup almonds
2 tbsp almond butter (more if dry)
2 tbsp ground flax seed1/4 tsp cinnamonpinch sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract2 scoops collagen protein (optional)
1.In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients.
2. Pulse for 30-60 seconds, until almonds are well chopped.3. Turn on high for 2-3 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides, until mixture starts pulling away from sides.
*If dates are extra moist, more almonds may be needed. *If mixture is dry, add 1-2 tbsp almond butter or 1-2 tbsp almond milk.
4. Taste mixture for sweetness and roll into balls. If mixture is sticky, grease hands with coconut oil before rolling. Makes 12-18 balls, depending on desired size.5. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes and store in fridge for up to a week.
Healthy Mama Meal Prep is a self-paced online video course, consisting of 5 modules including over 20 videos teaching you the basics and beyond of how to meal plan and meal prep your way to a healthier life.
You’ll learn:
- the three types of meal prep because there is no one size fits all
- how to master meal planning for YOUR family
- the three steps to meal prepping quickly and efficiently
- how to create a grocery list based on your meals and budget
- how to organize your meal prep to save time in the kitchen
- how to create a balanced meal for everyone in your family
- Over 100 quick, and simple breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacksand so, so much more!
Did I mention there are over 20 bonus cooking demo videos, as well as lesson guides to go with each video lesson, over 50 pages of printable resources and 60+ real food recipes.
Yes mama, this is exactly what you need to serve yourself and your family healthy, nourishing meals on a daily basis- without pulling your hair out or giving up and piling the kids in the car for the drive through, again.
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