We often trade convenience for what we know is best for us.

Many healthy people will wait for an elevator to take them 1 or 2 flights rather than using the staircase.

We'll eat takeout, fast food or processed meals instead of cooklng with fresh ingredients.

But nowhere does convenience dominate more than in the realm of snacking.

"I'm eating chips because I didn't have time to grab anything healthier!"

When you go from work or school right to another activity, then perhaps even another before ever getting home, snacking becomes more of a necessity than a treat.

What we choose is almost always the most convenient item that's immediately available.

Which makes planning ahead such an important step if you want to ramp up your snack game.

The fuel you need to sustain an active lifestyle comes from whole foods, not processed ones.

They may not be able to last on a shelf or in your fridge for months at a time, but their value to your health is profound.

Instead of stocking up on chips, sports drinks, low cost energy bars and the like, here's a handful of better choices that are equally convenient.

WORLD-CLASS PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH

There are only a few peanut butter options on that grocery store shelf that are truly healthy.

You can find out which ones are by reading the ingredients.

When you see just 2 things - peanuts and salt - you've found a winning brand.

Use sourdough bread for a slow digesting, healthy carbohydrate, and you've got a winning snack.

Add bananas, cinnamon or other all natural items for flavor if you want.

RAW VEGGIES

This one's admittedly tougher to get compliance, but can do wonders for your immune system and energy levels.

Baby carrots, sliced peppers, raw broccoli are just a few common examples.

If they need a little flavor, all natural dips like hummus or guacamole are excellent additions.

HOMEMADE TRAIL MIX

Small plastic bags filled with trail mix store and travel nicely.

Mix a protein source - nuts and/or seeds - with a small amount of sweet tasting items like dried fruit, chocolate chips or M&M's.

Make your mixture 3/4 protein source and 1/4 sweets.

If you want a few more trail mix suggestions, check out this article:

https://www.thehealthymaven.com/how-to-build-a-healthy-trail-mix/

QUALITY INGREDIENT PROTEIN BARS

You're looking for bars that are low in sugars and chemical based ingredients.

The bar should be made from a high quality protein source.

And it should include a decent amount of fiber.

With so many brands available today its hard to know which are best. Start by reading the labels to look for the above standards.

If you see it at the checkout line next to the tabloids, gum and candy, its a fairly safe bet those aren't your best options.

Personally, I've come to like an online company called Paleovalley. Their ingredient mix is excellent, and the taste is pretty good for a healthy bar.

FRESH FRUIT

For all the effort made to create great tasting snacks packaged for an on-the-go lifestyle, it's funny that fresh fruit has been exactly that forever.

It's especially effective for those who need to satisfy their sweet tooth.

Just be careful going overboard with fruit, as the sugar content is still high despite being all-natural.

One serving a day is plenty.

PLAIN WATER

It's still better for your hydration than any fad sports drink on the market.

I'm so glad to see the tide turn in the direction of drinking plain water over the past decade.

Save your sports drink money and put it towards some of the other higher quality snack items.

So many of us can't help but to reach for what's immediately available when we're hungry.

By thinking ahead to stock more nutritious items that require almost no prep time, and travel well, you'll win the battle before its ever fought.

Our food choices don't make dramatic change in our appearance or health overnight.

But they do slowly accumulate inside of us, driving either positive or negative change.

Make better snacking choices, then sit back and enjoy all the positive changes that come from it in time.