My New Favorite Snack

Happy Monday! This weekend was jam-packed at times and relaxed at times, but always fun! I had a late girl's night out on the town Friday. Saturday was filled with paddleboarding, macarons, and a bubble bath. Yesterday was errands and church. I had plans to go to a yoga class but didn't make it. It's a shame that weekends are only two days, but what's a gal to do? I love having balance between getting recharged and making the most of my time off work. My weekends (this past one included) fall into a typical pattern. Saturdays are usually my relaxation/catch-up day and Sundays are usually reserved for yoga and errands after church. This may be embarrassing to admit but in addition to being a creature of habit, I'm that person who always has a snack on hand when I'm running around. Whether I'm out on errands, heading to the pool, or off to work- you can typically find a small bite in my purse. I am not cute/fun/pleasant when hungry, so I try to spare those around me and keep myself on task by being prepared.

Snacks are a tricky thing for me, because it's so easy to fall off the wagon of healthy eating here. Especially when we're talking about packaged foods. It's basically effortless to grab a bag of chips or a candy bar as you're running around. They taste great. But they can be stuffed full of unnecessary sugars, preservatives, and ingredients that leave me feeling lethargic afterwards- the exact opposite of what I want out of my on-the-go snack! I've tried a host of different snacks, and wanted to share one of my recent favorites with y'all- Nakd bars from Natural Balance Foods. These gluten free snack bars are AMAZING and so good for you. They're just the perfect snack for me, and I am confident that y'all will like them too.

The first thing that jumped out to me about these bars is the fact that they are gluten, wheat, and dairy free. While I don't have any issues with gluten, I do have issues with milk so the fact that I can eat these without any discomfort is perfection for me. They are 100% natural and don't contain any preservatives or icky additives. In fact, the labels contain ingredients that are plain and simple to understand. The brand describes their approach to production as "wholefood", meaning it's minimally processed and pretty dang close to eating the ingredients as they naturally occur.

While these bars maintain a host of positive qualities, the huge deciding factor for a new snack has got to be the taste. I haven't tasted every single bar that they make, but I'm just loving my 13 bar sample pack! The texture of these bars is unique, mimicking what a homemade energy bar would feel like. They are soft but not crumbly- an important factor to consider if you snack in the car! With flavors like Pecan Pie, Strawberry Crunch, and Caffe Mocha, they have great variety to pick from. My favorite so far is Cocoa Delight- my mouth is watering just thinking about it! I definitely recommend starting out with a variety pack, and you can go back to buy boxes of the individual flavors that you like best.

You can read more about these bars, as well as purchase them, on their website, or feel free to ask any question to me in the comments or in an email! I definitely recommend these for anyone looking to try a new delicious and healthy snack option. Especially those with food allergies! Have you ever heard of or had any of these bars yourself?

Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary variety pack from Natural Balance Foods to review honestly. As always, all opinions and words are my own. I benefit in no way if you purchase this product. Thank you for supporting brands that support A Peachy Sonder!

Head-to-toe hives.

Yesterday I made a mistake which I haven't made in a L-O-N-G time. I forgot to check a label and consumed one of my allergy triggers. My allergies are all over the place- from mold to milk to dogs. My list of food allergies is pretty short, so I am usually able to identify foods that contain them. My latest interest in cold pressed juice got me into trouble with an unexpected trigger. I am allergic to grass, which is something that I am able to manage fairly easy by not rolling around or sitting in it. I can honestly say that I never expected to have to check a food label for grass. Which is why I didn't. And why I spent all afternoon and evening in a miserable, itchy state.

Unfortunately I didn't have any oatmeal baths or any of the typical remedies I have done in the past to alleviate that excruciating itch. After a phone call to mom, I took a cool bath and covered myself in lotion to keep my skin chilled. That last feat was easy because it's still so stinkin' cold here. Winter has got to be one of the worst times to get hives because mine are irritated by warmth. And being warm is usually all I crave in the winter. Quite the predicament.

Needless to say, it was one of those evenings that made it hard to be away from home. My mom probably still to this day has at least one oatmeal bath packet and Benadryl on hand- just in case. How do mom's do it? They really are so thoughtful and prepared. As for me, I'm headed to the store on my lunch to pick up some supplies to have just in case there is a next time!

I hope your Monday was better than mine! xox.