Solutions: There is Nothing Ready To Eat Now

Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

We all watched the funny TikTok videos with parents acting like their kids. Most of them opened the refrigerator or pantry and cried out, “There is nothing ready to eat around here.” Obviously, ready was the operative word!

No, we don’t need to go out to a fast food restaurant because we do have food that is ready to eat!

Here are nine fast, healthful snacks to overcome that dilemma:

  1. Apple slices dipped in yogurt or peanut butter

  2. Baby carrots dipped in ranch dressing

  3. Bananas

  4. Plain yogurt with fresh fruit on top

  5. Overnight oats (rolled oats, yogurt, fruit)

  6. Peanut butter sandwiches

  7. Snack plate with grapes, cut-up cheese, and peanuts

  8. Trail mix - homemade - dried fruits, nuts, whole grain cereal

  9. Soup and crackers

The goal is to get 2-3 food groups per snack plus focus on whole foods instead of ultra-processed snacks like chips, cookies, and candy that are marketed to us as snacks.

Shopping list:

Apples

Bananas

Berries

Baby carrots

Nonfat plain yogurt or Greek yogurt

Rolled oats

Nuts

Peanut butter or other nut butter

Canned healthy soups

Whole grain crackers

Dried fruits

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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