Whether you are going away from your home for a few hours or even the whole day, sometimes having the right foods can go a long way to keeping yourself energized, interested and positive throughout the whole day.
Foods that do not need refrigeration are the best, as these can be set out first thing in the morning without fear of spoiling and are available to us all day long. Here are some ideas of unrefrigerated and low-cal foods:
1. Fruit
Fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals, and the fiber in them helps you to feel full for longer time.Fruit is also a smart choice because it is a safe food for most people to eat despite their health conditions. Citrus fruits are particularly energizing and refreshing. The healthiest among all fruits are avocados and bananas.
An unripe avocado will increase ripening in the fridge and spoil very fast, so if you want the natural slower process of ripening, don’t refrigerate it. The best is variant is rock-hard avocado. It needs a room temperature to arrive at their heavenly buttery texture. Like avocados, bananas are best at room temperature and shouldn’t be refrigerated.
2. Vegetables
Freshly washed and cut veggies are a nice alternative to fruits, especially for an after-lunch snack. Tomatoes and cucumbers are great at room temperature and you don’t have to put them in a fridge. They are also a low-calorie food option that can last for days. Assorted whole-wheat or whole-grain crackers pair well with veggies.
3. Kale chips
Eating kale chips can help with maintaining a healthy weight when you substitute them for other high-calorie foods. One cup of chopped kale contains just 33 calories, and 1 tbsp of olive oil contains 118 calories for a total of 154 calories in a homemade batch.
They don’t need to be in the fridge and are very easy to make. Just toss chopped kale in a small amount of olive oil and then bake the chips in the oven until they are crispy. This method of making retains all the nutritional value of the kale, creating a low-cal, and nutrient-dense food that is really good for your health.
4. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are very popular snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated. After all, they are a handy and easy snack to bring to work or on hikes and most of them are packed with nutrients.
But even if they contain valuable vitamins and minerals, most nuts and seeds should be consumed in moderate amounts, because they contain lectin and phytic acids which should be kept to a minimum. But we can make the nutrients in nuts and seeds more bioavailable and remove the anti-nutrient properties in seeds and nuts by soaking them in salty water overnight.
5. Healthy snack bars
Whether you are always on the go ( running or jogging) or you just need a quick pick me up at work, there are a number of healthy low-calorie bars you can create that do not require refrigeration.
You can take these little energy boosters and appetite suppressors out of your pocket or a purse without feeling too guilty about gaining weight or adding excess salt or sugar to your diet. Use store-bought bars are if you don’t have other option because they’re often too heavy in sodium and sugar. It’s much better to make your own ones. In all homemade bars, you can also add some freshly ground flax seeds for healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.