I shared with you that I am trying to manage my time better, but one thing that often gets pushed to to the side are my own eating habits.
I can guide my children to make good food choices, but I can go for hours on end without eating well myself. Normally, I end up snacking towards the end of the day and it all balances out, but lately this plan hasn’t been working so well.
I am hypoglycemic, which is just a fancy way of saying that I have low blood sugar. I have always had problems, but after I had Emily, it has seemed to have gotten worse.
These past couple of weeks have been really horrible and I have felt really rundown. I break out in a sweat, I have the shakes, my vision gets blurry, I feel faint, and I get extremely irritable. It seems like something like low blood sugar should be such a minor thing, but it can suck up hours of my day where I feel sluggish and generally out of it. I am sure my exercise routine is contributing towards the need for more eating, but I have been letting it go.
I decided to make it a priority this week and stocked our pantry with some mommy snacks. I got myself some cheese sticks, yogurts, fiber bars, and some canned & fresh fruit. I also bought black beans and whole grain rice to make tortillas for my lunches and to replace any late night cravings for junk food. I don’t know why, but I find it difficult to “blow” grocery money on myself for these quick snacks. I feel like I should be making all of these things, but sometimes time is more limited and then I find myself in these slumps with nothing stocked to eat. The planner in me knows that I could do a better job of this, but sometimes it is nice to have a couple store-bought goodies packed in your purse for when you feel a slump coming on.
As I sat munching on my fiber bar this afternoon, I suddenly felt two eyes watching me. Emily came around the corner and pointed to my bar. She threw down her apple and started kicking and screaming for me to give it to her, as only a two year-old can do. As I shook my head no, my mouth full of food, she began escalating and I felt my stomach rumbling in protest from the interrupted and stressful snack. Can’t a girl eat a fiber bar without having to share it?
I will admit that I now find myself sneaking into the bathroom or an unlit corner of the house to sneak in a little nutrition for myself, lest I have to share with everyone else in the house. Images of my own poor mother hovering over the sink to shove a little treat in her mouth and all us kids circling her like a pack of wolves comes rushing back to me. We could sniff those Girl Scout Cookies out like nobody’s business and I doubt my mother had many meals where she didn’t have to sacrifice a few bites between the three of us.
Do you have a favorite healthy mommy snack that you could recommend? What keeps you going during the day? Secret mommy confession… do you hide your snacks or keep them separate from the rest of the family’s food? Fess up! Where do you put your stash?
My favorite pick me up snack is a plain rice cake with a little bit of light cream cheese and a little bit of strawberry jelly. Yum! I don’t have to hide those because my kids think rice cakes taste like cardboard!
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My favorite snacks for myself are string cheese w/apple, raw whole almonds, a teaspoon of peanut butter or carrots w/hummus (homemade if I have the time).
I’ve found that I do better with a snack that includes protein. Otherwise, I’m right back in the kitchen looking for something else.
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I am totally guilty of everything you wrote! I am horrible at eating well throughout the day. I’ll just nibble here and there and then end up feeling miserable later and really, really hungry.
Oh and the joy of eating a jar of yogurt by myself or a granola bar w/o having to share…doesn’t happen unless the kids are asleep!
Probably my favorite snack throughout the day is either yogurt or I’ll pop some popcorn and lately I’ve taken to eating a handful of yogurt covered raisins and roasted almonds…yummy!
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Hon- you don’t see you’re doing to your daughter exactly what your mom did for you? Just substitute “fiber bar” for “Girl Scout cookie.” Sweetie, unfortunately what you’re modeling for your daughter is NEGLECT OF HER PHYSICAL NEEDS and not taking care of yourself. I’m not judging you, just giving it to you straight. Been there, trust me. Your daughter needs to see you eating healthy and prioritizing care of her body, so she will too.
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I too have low blood sugar problems, so I try to keep snacks in the pantry. And I agree, it is hard for me to spend grocery money on convenient snacks. I love south beach diet bars because they are loaded with protein. This keeps the blood sugar in check. I also love fiber bars and string cheese! I usually try to have something for my daughter to snack on while I am snacking, and usually that works. Sometimes she sees straight through the act, and she only wants what I am eating, not her own snack. Those are the times I might find a quiet corner to eat my food in peace:)
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I have to laugh because I have a a few places where I’ve stashed nutrition bars: in my dresser drawer, near the laundry detergent. “Oh do a load of laundry and have a bar”.
So often I don’t eat when my little dude does. I try to take advantage of the time he’s occupied – do some work, do the dishes, etc. Having my stash helps me get through the day without a headache or the shakes!
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Sorry, a few more words – IMHO, and experience, PRIORITIZING MY OWN HEALTH is essential to being a good (meaning effective) mother and wife. Your probably know that, so ignore the moralizing if you already do.
But about the snacks, when we have more money, I go through a lot of flavored yogurts. When we don’t, I use plain yogurt with cut-up fruit. Adding a little granola is also yummy, and filling. I’ve been known to cut-up tofu and add soy sauce for a snack as well.
I also want to ask, when you say “Should” be making your own, “should”on the basis of what? Your budget? Your picture of what kind of Mom you think you’re “supposed” to be?
Wishing you success,
Rachel
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Amy, I’m a hypo as well, and I have a four-year-old, so your story about your daughter is so familiar! My go-to snacks are either Dr. Melina or Luna bars (I get them off of Amazon, so they’re not unbearably expensive). Like you, I have trouble justifying buying groceries specifically for myself, but I just realized it wasn’t optional (a situation where I was driving with low blood sugar, passing people dangerously, then realizing my son wasn’t strapped in was my cathartic moment). Like they say in the airplanes, you need to put on your oxygen mask first.
Good luck!
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I, too, feel guilty buying snacks for myself. But when I do they include snacks like South Beach High Protien Cereal Bars, toasted chick peas, sugar-free fudgesicles, kashi granola & greek yogurt. If I don't buy this stuff for me I end up eating the kids' not-so-healthy snacks like crackers.
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I'm hypoglycemic too. Became much more apparent with my first pregnancy. My snacks go in with the rest of the snack foods. Just because they're there doesn't mean that my children (15 & 12) will choose to eat them. For instance, I like almonds. I've had the same can for about 3 mos. now because no one else cares to eat them. I wish others would eat them because they're so good for you.
When I was a kid, if my mom was eating a fiber bar and I knew that, there's no way I'd want to eat it. I knew WHY she was eating fiber and I didn't want to go there. Think it would work for a 2 year old? Of course, fiber bars are much improved over what they were in the 70's; back then fiber was stirred into the orange juice or it was cardboard tasting cereal.
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I have the opposite problem – I snack all the time, even when I’m not hungry. I keep nuts and beef jerky and crackers around even though I know I shouldn’t.
So I know this isn’t what you asked for, but I’ve recently (a couple of weeks ago) come up with a solution that has actually helped me stop snacking – and I’ve lost a few pounds! My worst snacking time is the afternoon. I do a good bit of computer work then, and just like mindlessly munching while I’m on the computer.
So now, as soon as I’m done with my lunch, I pop a fish oil capsule. (The non-burpy kind.) All that good fat makes me feel so full that I can’t even think about eating anything all afternoon, and actually eat a smaller dinner as a result!
Good luck with your finding good snacks!
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We discovered about a year ago that my 6 year old is hypoglycemic, so I am so regimented about his eating that I forget to keep myself balanced as well. I try to tell myself that the way we are trying to teach him to eat should be the way we all eat, little bits no more than three hours apart. We just got into the habit and it seems to work for all of us. If I feel a little grumpy or shaky, I do stop and pick up a quick snack. Rice Krispie treats are low points in Weight Watchers and they hit the spot really well. Even the chocolate fudge ones are still 1 point.
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My most recent mommy snack is healthy, yummy and I can afford to share some with the baby. I get Trader Joe’s chocolate cocoa non-fat yogurt and use it as a dip for apple slices. And since I don’t use near the full cup for dipping, I can feed the rest of it to my little one – so we both get a healthy afternoon snack!
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Rachel- Definitely a should from a budget standpoint! You are right though, my daughter needs to see me making my health a priority. They see me working out and even jog along with me on occasion, but I need to be better about my eating habits. I hope buying these snacks is the first step towards being better about that!!
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I’m not hypoglycemic, but I am a former anorexic, and I need to eat at regular intervals or it’s far too easy for me to get “out of the habit” of eating. Strange, I know.
I try to snack at the same time my kids do but, even then, they usually want what I have. Since that’s often cheese or lean turkey and fruit, I don’t really mind sharing… it’s good for me. It’s good for them too. : )
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Maybe tell Em that your bar isn’t a treat or a candy car, tell her it is Mommy’s medicine. If Em eats it, and Mommy doesn’t – Mommy will get sick.
I a horrible about eating – always have been. I am a vegetrarian – which some people think means that I am a healthy eater…not so. Just means I eat a lot of candy and junk food.
I have become addicted to string cheese (Sargento is the best, the low fat – expensive, but worth it!). String Cheese and some crackers (Seasme are a good compliment) is what I find myself eating a lot!
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Our family has a special phrase to describe any really good (i.e., expensive) block of cheese, such as smoked cheddar or pepper jack — “Mommy Cheese.” It’s because once when the kids were little and wanted some, I think I must have said, “No! That’s Mommy’s cheese!” Heh heh…
(I do share the Mommy Cheese these days. Well, I’ll give them a little slice or two, anyway.)
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I’ve suffered from hypoglycemia for years and now am insulin resistant.
I snack on cheese, South Beach cereal bars, peanut butter with apples or carrots, and yogurt.
It made me laugh to hear you talk about sneaking off to snack! I do the same because every time I eat my 3 year old feels he has to as well. And we can’t share snacks because mine are full of protein (and dairy or soy) and he is allergic to both. Poor kid is dying to get into my “mommy snacks”!
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I snack on popcorn. I love salty and crunchy foods so it works well.
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As I type I’m munching on a homemade trail mix that I like to keep handy for snack attacks. It’s made of dried cranberries, mini pretzels, peanuts and diced dried apricots. I’m finding that anything with nuts in it keeps me going longer than a regular granola bar. Another protein-rich snack I like (but it’s high in fat) is a few slices of salami and cheese from the deli. Roll them up and you’ve got an instant protein booster!
I always thought I was hypoglycemic but turns out after having our second child my thyroid is wacky. Have you ever had your thyroid checked? It’s a pretty common problem for younger women because of hormone imbalance after childbirth.
After skipping breakfast for several days because I was too busy meeting kid demands I had a scary low blood sugar moment that landed me in the hospital! That was when I realized how important it is to take care of myself first.
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I love Luna bars and caramel rice cakes (they taste like caramel corn!). Other faves are toasted english muffins, almonds, apple slices w/pnut butter, string cheese and Wheat Thins.
So far, I’m “lucky” since J doesn’t eat any food by mouth, I don’t have any “competition” so there’s no need to hide my snacks or snacking.
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Alicia- That is exactly what my doctor thought was wrong, but my thyroid has always checked out good. I was losing a ton of weight after my babies so that is why they checked.
When they did a fasting glucose test though, my results came back at 35 so that was pretty darn low. I just have to be more aware and I am trying to develop healthy habits so it doesn’t go into diabetes, as I know this is a precursor to that.
You guys have some really great suggestions- I am going to have make a snack list for my fridge!!
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Funny enough, I am very much like you. When it is time for me to eat I’m stumped and don’t have anything. I have a hard time buying snacks for myself as well.
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I eat a lot of dried fruit for snacks. (Not the kind covered in sugar though!) It’s an easy way for me to get fruit into my diet, and I can eat it on the go.
I also love snacking on yogurt. Oh, and Skinny Cow ice cream when I can find them on sale.
That’s my mommy treat.
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I have low blood sugar too and have to snack A LOT, especially since I’m pregnant right now. It seems best for me to have a snack with some protein, so cheese, PB, and the like are great. I am avoiding nuts right now (pg/allergy reasons), but generally my snacks include PB crackers (tasty and cheap), protein bars (So. Beach are great), and a piece of cheese toast in the morning. I could eat fruit all day, but it doesn’t satisfy without some protein and a little fat. Weird, but that’s how it is for me.
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That’s funny, I was having a Quaker Dips bar for a snack today and Munchkin saw me, pushed her yogurt aside and started asking for my snack.
My favorite snack is homemade bread with a little bit of pb spread on it.
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I love the fiber one bars, especially peanut butter or carmel flavor. Kroger makes a generic that can often be found for $1.69, I usually by the kroger brand. My mom also got me hooked on light laughing cow cheese on rice crackers (in the oriental section, I like the sesame)
I usually hide the fiber bars in the baby’s closet, with a few stashed in my purse or the diaper bag for when I need them on the go. The rice crackers and cheese look uninteresting enough that I don’t have to hide them!
I definitely have to plan ahead or I end up hungry, lightheaded and irritable.
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If it is something special, I most definitely HIDE IT!! But my favorite snack is dried fruit and carrots w/ ranch dressing. These are a free for all, but I will admit that I’ll put them further back in the cabinet so nobody else can see them;)
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Guilty as well.
I find myself going all morning on just coffee and then realizing at 2 that I haven’t had any real food! I have type I diabetes as well! Fortunately, I use an insulin pump now so I can be flexible, but it’s still not a good idea. 
May I make a suggestion, re: low BS situations? My mother tends to be hypo and she had me thinking for years that if you’re feeling low, you NEED protein (peanut butter, eggs, whatever). HOWEVER, if you’re low already, protein’s going to take too long and you feel yuck a lot longer. Look into carrying glucose tabs or drink shots (they’re little bottles of a syrupy stuff – one bottle is 15g carbs) or hard candy, something with straight sugar. You don’t need much (15g carbs, which is about 3 glucose tabs), but that will get your BS closer to normal before you head to the protein.
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Peanut butter!! Peanut butter on a Ritz, of course, all Aldi’s brands on this stuff. That’s what I do for my low-blood sugar.
It’s great protein, keep the blood sugar level and it is cheap!!!
Blessings,
Sher
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I have some blood sugar issues too. I get shaky and lightheaded if I don’t eat. Mostly, I try to eat snacks that I don’t mind W having. But I do enjoy Larabars and other treat type snacks sometimes. And yes, I do it out of sight unless I want to share.
I like portable, no prep snacks so I have no excuse to skip it when I feel hungry.
Cheese sticks, apples, bananas, raw almonds, raisins are some of my favorites. When the mood strikes, I’ll whip up a batch of hummus and chop some veggies and snack on that all day. I’m more than happy to share that snack!
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I like to make an “emergency” sandwhich at night so I can have it in the fridge for the next day. That way when the foodtude, starts, the snack it already prepared. I also find myself having to share my mommy snacks with my own little vultures
Other ideas include hummus, peanut butter on celery, a bagel and cream cheese, Clif bars.
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I am so glad I’m not the only one who has to share with the babies. My son always wants my food, even if he’s eating his own stuff!
I got a free sample of Fiber One oats and chocolate bars. It was incredible!!!! There are coupons in various inserts from August for $.50/1 and they are only $2.99 at my Publix. *Hoping for a sale.*
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Bethany- I discovered Walmart carries an off-brand of the Fiber bars and the fiber yogurts. I got boxes of the bars for $2 each, which I thought was pretty good. Kashi bars were $2.67 at Walmart, but had less fiber and higher caloric content so that is why I picked the Walmart bars. I think they taste just as good and cost a little less. I like the chocolate & oat ones best. That might help when you don't have the coupons!
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The Quaker Simple Harvest bars are good, too ~ they meet the Brand-Aid standards, if you’re familiar with those (www.ebrandaid.com). I’ve only tried the dark chocolate, which are delicious, but there are a couple of other varieties as well. I also like whole roasted, unsalted, almonds (so do my kids, but I do share these with them:-) and baked tortilla chips with salsa and some low fat cheese.
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My favorite snack is any of the 100 calorie packs. I call them 50 calorie packs though because usually DS finds me eating them and eats half my pack.
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I like celery sticks dipped in a little light Garden Vegetable Cream cheese. Yummy!
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After reading everyone’s great ideas, I’d like to share what I did. My kids are 16 and 14 so we are past the “mommy snacks”. I also have to eat frequently to not get head aches. My kids wanted my food and I used it to my advantage. When I wanted them to try something I didn’t think they would try willingly, I would purposely not give them any. It had the affect of them wanting my food and they would then try it and sometimes like it! For the most part I modeled good eating habits in front of them. For example, I would eat the same apple my daughter ate and add some string cheese to it. I kept meal bars for errands and told my kids I had to eat it so I wouldn’t get sick. They usually had their own granola bar.
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Being pregnant, I find that I snack more often–sometimes out of “need,” sometimes it’s just a way to justify the munchies. =)
I love cheese and crackers, and I keep Nature Valley granola bars stashed all over the place.
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That makes me laugh – I remember at some point finding a white tupperware container conveniently tucked behind things in a corner cabinet and feeling like I hit a gold mine – my mom’s stash! I know now why she did it, too. Anything that’s in the cupboard that’s of any interest is fair game, it seems, and hubby is just as guilty of raiding as the kids are! I finally started putting my chocolate Dove bars in the back of the vegetable drawer in the fridge. NO chance of anyone looking in there!
)
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This is a great snack and recommended in a book I read on having more energy: 1 cup non fat yogurt, a handful of berries (I buy frozen and throw them in frozen
and some quick oats (uncooked) on top. Makes a fast little parfait packed with energy and taste pretty okay! Enjoy.
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I do snack, but try to make sure there’s some redemptive nutritional value: dry cereal, edamame, fruit and yogurt, popcorn, dried fruit and nuts, Kashi bars, blueberries, etc.
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I love rice cakes (I've also just discovered these yummy quinoa crisps-awesome!) with cashew butter, apple butter and ground flax sprinkled on top- it keeps me regular!
a piece of dark chocolate with some dried fruit
walnuts with cinnamon honey
raw fruit & veg are best… the only way to get the 5-10/day!
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I don’t have a stash of my own snacks. My kids are teens and usually I don’t want their snacks and they don’t want mine. I suppose my favorite snack would be popcorn followed closely by Tostitos lime chips. And apples when they are in season.
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I love to stash my sweet treats in separate cabinets, a little here a little there. I never really keep it a secret, but that way if someone finds my stash they don’t find it all.
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