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Avoiding “HANGER” With Healthy Snacks On-the-Go

If we're not prepared, it's much easier to make unhealthy choices. Check out some tips on avoiding "hanger" and a list of my favorite healthy snacks.
healthy-eating-on-the-go

healthy-eating-on-the-goWithout a doubt, there is one rule in nutrition that always stays the same – If we are not prepared, it is much easier to make poor choices. We can thank our blood sugar levels for that! When we go too long without eating, we experience the mood that our friends and family members dread most – HANGRY!

When our blood sugar drops too low we get moody, short-tempered and are more likely to overeat, eat too quickly, or make poor food choices.

One of the best things you can do for your health is focus on improving your sugar handling, or your ability to maintain more stable blood sugar levels through the day. This will improve your sleep pattern, moods, decrease headaches, improve energy levels, increase sex drive, help to balance hormone issues and more!

Here are a few ways to start making an improvement in your sugar handling:

Avoid refined carbohydrates: Even if you are staying away from most sugar products, refined carbohydrates like breads, crackers, bagels, pasta and other processed grains have a negative effect on your blood sugar. Your body responds to these carbs just as if they were the same as a bowl of sugar. After eating these, you will have a spike in blood sugar, followed by a crash which results in you searching for another sugary/carby snack to help stabilize your blood sugar once again. It’s a vicious cycle that takes a toll on your system!

Eat the right carbs: Don’t avoid carbs! Most people have come to think that carbs are the enemy – and you’re right, the WRONG carbs like mentioned above are! But your body NEEDS carbohydrates, especially for proper thyroid function (your thyroid regulates tons of metabolic functions in your body!). Eat whole food, nutrient-dense carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, winter squashes, lots of veggies such as carrots, beets, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, kale, swiss chard and more!

Eat every 2-3 hours: Letting our body go too long without nutrients hurts us. While working on improving sugar handling, it’s important to keep our blood sugar levels as stable as possible, which means fueling ourselves with good proteins/fats/carbs through the day. Aim for 3 solid meals and 2 snacks.

Now, eating every 2-3 hours brings us back to being prepared! We live very hectic lives and spend most of our time on-the-go. This makes it very difficult to plan and be prepared to eat so often. While I try to eat real, nutrient-dense whole foods most of the time, there is definitely a time and a place for packaged foods! Throwing a few of the right packaged foods in your car/purse/desk can help to keep you feeling good, avoid that dreaded hangry feeling and have you on your way to improved sugar handling. Here are some of the packaged snacks I would recommend that stay in line with a healthy diet.

My Favorite On-The-Go Packaged Snacks

Bars:
Bars are pretty much the simplest and easiest on-the-go snack to have on hand. Once I find a bar that I like, I usually buy it by the box to save a few $$$. It’s also a great way to always have something available to you.

Other Easy Snacks:
Bars can get boring, especially if you’re eating the same ones over and over. These are some fun snack packs to mix things up a bit that are great for on the run.

Best Chip Options:
Chips are not always the best option as they are usually carb-heavy, but people always ask which ones are okay to eat, so I figured I’d include them on here. Snacking is done better with a heavier emphasis on proteins & fats to keep us satiated, so if snacking on chips, having some protein or fat on the side can help avoid the blood sugar roller coaster. Keep in mind with chips, it is very easy to overeat, so I recommend checking the serving size on the packages and pre-portioning the bags out into individual plastic snack bags or containers.

Best Online Resources for Snacks & Pantry Items:

Finding healthy snacks can be a daunting task. I find it best to order them online, in bulk, if possible. This saves time and money, keeping you right on track with your healthy lifestyle. These are some of the sites that have the best deals on some of the items listed.

I hope you enjoyed this list and find the resources useful in your pursuit of health!

Jessica Sullivan, LMSW, NTP, DBTC

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BIO

Cameryn (Cam) received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marist College. Prior to joining Nourish Your Mind, she worked in private practice, primarily serving children, teens, and their families. During this time, she developed a passion for helping clients navigate their unique challenges through the transformative power of play and expressive arts therapy. Cam believes that every individual deserves a safe, nurturing space where they can authentically express themselves. She is dedicated to empowering her clients by identifying and utilizing their inherent strengths to help them achieve their personal goals.

In her therapeutic approach, Cam integrates a holistic wellness model with strengths- and mindfulness-based methods. She employs a variety of evidence-based techniques, including DBT and Nondirective Play Therapy, and she recognizes the importance of tailoring interventions to meet the specific needs of each individual and family.

When she’s not in the office, Cam enjoys reading, traveling, weight-lifting, and immersing herself in music and films. She also values spending quality time with friends, family, and her cats.

  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor
  • Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, Marist College
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, SUNY Geneseo
  • Member of the American Counseling Association (ACA)
  • Middletown Office
BIO

Brianna earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Siena College and her Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University. Throughout her education and early career, she worked with at-risk adolescents experiencing trauma and maladaptive coping as both a clinician and crisis interventionist. She later spent several years in emergency services, specializing in trauma-informed care for adolescents and adults. Brianna has extensive experience working with individuals struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, self-esteem, and relationship challenges.

Brianna takes a strength-based, integrative approach to therapy, empowering clients to discover their own path toward healing and self-acceptance. She believes that while we cannot change the past, we can change our relationship with it. She is passionate about helping clients develop effective coping skills, reconnect with their inner resilience, and build lives that extend beyond surviving trauma.

Brianna believes healing is not only a journey of the mind, but a whole-body experience. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) and thoughtfully incorporates mind-body practices into therapy to support nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and emotional awareness. She is also certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an evidence-based trauma treatment that helps clients process distressing experiences, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), offering a holistic approach for individuals seeking deeper healing from trauma, depression, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. By integrating traditional psychotherapy with somatic approaches and specialized trauma treatments, Brianna helps clients create lasting, meaningful change.

Above all, Brianna is dedicated to creating a safe, compassionate, and authentic therapeutic environment where clients feel seen, supported, and empowered to reconnect with their truest selves.

Brianna resides in Orange County with her two rescue huskies. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time in nature, painting, practicing yoga, and cooking while surrounded by music, friends, and family.

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of New York
  • Master’s of Social Work, Adelphi University
  • Master’s of Social Work, Adelphi University RYT-200
  • Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Certified, Journey Clinical
  • Accelerated Resolution Therapy Trained, Rosenzweig Center for Rapid Recovery
  • Middletown Office
BIO

Ashley received her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from SUNY New Paltz. While attending her graduate program, Ashley worked as a supervisor at a Crisis Intervention Program and interned at an Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program, gaining valuable skills in crisis management and group therapy. Before joining Nourish Counseling, she spent several years working in a long-term outpatient care clinic specializing in children, adolescents and their families. Ashley has expertise in partnering with those suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, family conflict, and personality disorders.

Ashley believes that each client is their own expert. She provides an integrative approach that focuses on both the thoughts and behaviors her clients may be struggling with in order to help them find balance and build resiliency. She works with clients in a person-centered and skill building approach to help determine and reach their own individual goals. Following a Dialectical Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach, she encourages and supports clients to reach their full potential.

Ashley lives in Middletown, NY with her husband and a very loved dog. She enjoys family time, cooking, and trying new things whenever possible.

  • American Counseling Association
  • Middletown Office
BIO

Amanda is a Certified Clinicial Trauma Professional with a deep commitment to guiding clients through their healing and discovery. She believes that you are the expert of your own life, and she is dedicated to building a safe, collaborative space where you feel both validated and motivated for change. 

Amanda specializes in treating those with Complex Trauma, Grief and Loss, Anxiety and Depression, Chronic Illness, Infertility, Infant/Pregnancy Loss, Women’s Health and Neurodivergent Disorders. She works with individuals aged 5 and up. 

Amanda’s unique, holistic approach to psychothreapy is rooted in evidence-based practices and tailored to fit your specific clinical needs. She seamlessly integrates practices like mindfulness and meditation with powerful theraputic modalities, including Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Internal Family Systems Therapy. 

After gaining experience in Baltimore – including intensive work in Residential Foster Care and as a Medical Social Worker – Amanda has been settled back in her home, the Hudson Valley. She enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her husband and two young daughters. She has journeyed with cleints for nearly 5 years at Nourish and is now ready to partner with you!

  • Cornwall Office
  • Middletown Office