Good foods on the go

When you’re looking for nutritious items to pack as office snacks or in school lunches, pick foods that combine protein and fiber. They'll provide energy and help keep you satisfied, says Jennifer Ventrelle, MS, RD, LDN, a dietitian at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Here are 10 ideas for healthy, tasty and portable snacks:

1. Nonfat or low-fat cheese* with six whole-wheat crackers.
2. Light yogurt* mixed with 1/4 cup of high-fiber cereal or 1/4 cup dried fruit.
3. Homemade trail mix - a handful of unsalted nuts, 1/4 cup dried fruit and 1/4 cup high-fiber cereal.
4. Fruit, such as apple slices or a banana, with a handful of nuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter for dipping.
5. A 100-calorie snack pack. These commercial products offer portion-controlled selections of popular snack foods, such as crackers and popcorn.
6. Sliced vegetables, such as celery, carrot sticks or broccoli, combined with ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese.*
7. A low-fat, low-sugar granola bar.
8. A hard-boiled egg* with high-fiber crackers.
9. A glass of skim or 1-percent milk* with half a peanut butter sandwich or one to two graham crackers.
10. One tablespoon of peanut butter on six whole-wheat crackers or a slice of whole-wheat bread.

*Must be well chilled or refrigerated for safety.

More Information at Your Fingertips:

• For more information about nutritional services at Rush visit ourFood and Nutritional Services home page.
• Looking for information on other health topics? Visit our Health Information home page.
  
• Looking for a dietitian? Call (312) 942-DIET (3438)
• Looking for a doctor? Call toll free: 888 352-RUSH (7874)

Please note: All physicians featured in Discover Rush Online are on the medical faculty of Rush University Medical Center. Some of the physicians featured are in private practice and, as independent practitioners, are not agents or employees of Rush University Medical Center.

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