15 Healthy Snacks to Take When Visiting a Hospital

It’s amazing how hungry you can get while visiting friends and family in the hospital, nursing home, or rehab facility. It may be nerves, it may be boredom, or it may be actual hunger but whatever the cause, packing healthy snacks before you leave home can help save your stomach and blood sugar.

When my precious Daddy was in the hospital I wanted to be with him as much as I could. I did not want him to feel alone during the long days of treatment, therapy, and recovery. Sitting there, however, often made me hungry.

But when I got hungry it wasn’t always convenient to go to the cafeteria. Or I didn’t get there until after hours. Or the food options were limited. So, I decided to pack a few healthy snacks in my bag for the times when hunger hit.

Here are some of the best healthy snacks that don’t require refrigeration and won’t go bad if left out:

1. Cut or peel some fresh fruit, such as apples, oranges, or cuties ahead of time. Store them with other fruits in an air tight container. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and other fruits make a delicious fruit salad.

2. An apple with peanut butter, Nutella, or your favorite nut butter, is an excellent source of protein. This added to the sweetness of the apple can really satisfy. It also provides healthy fats that are essential to brain function.

3. Slice a banana open lengthwise and top with a spoonful of peanut butter. Add raisins, chocolate chips, blueberries or strawberries for an easy and healthy treat.

4. A twist on the banana with peanut butter is celery with peanut butter and raisins. When I was growing up we called it ‘ants on a log.’

5. Grab a can of fruit, such as mandarin oranges or pineapple chunks, to eat on the go. No refrigeration needed.

6. Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, or walnuts are a great source of protein and contain healthy fats for the brain. Pack them in small ziplock baggies to avoid a mess.

7. Carry some dried fruit like raisins or cranberries in a purse and will help to satisfy your sweet tooth.

8. Cereal bars, granola bars, and protein bars are small and easy to toss in a bag. Check the label for the amount of sugars and choose bars higher in protein.  

9. Pack a few individual servings of protein such as hardboiled eggs and canned or packaged tuna fish along with crackers, pretzels, or toast points.

10. A glass bottle or thermos full of your favorite tea or coffee (hot or cold), or infused water, is important to keep on hand to stay hydrated.

11. Mix almond butter into plain Greek yogurt for a great protein packed snack. Try adding in a few chopped strawberries or blueberries for a sweeter option.

12. Throw some yogurt sticks in the freezer and grab one on the way out of the door. It will likely thaw out before you want to eat it, though it is also a delicious frozen treat.

13. Oatmeal packs come in a variety of flavors and can be filling. Carry a thermos of hot water or grab hot water at the hospital (I always found hot water with the coffee in the visitor’s room). Fill a cup with the water, stir in the oatmeal and enjoy.

14. Dry cereal is easy to portion out in small snack bags or storage containers. No need to add milk. Just grab and eat.

15. Make a quick and easy trail mix by mixing your favorite nuts and dry fruits. Adding dark chocolate chips adds a nice, sweet bite.

Word of advice:

Make sure the person you are visiting is ok with you eating in their room. If they are not, step out into the hall for a few minutes, take a deep breath, and munch on your snack. Also, make sure that your snacks do not have a strong smell as this may bother the person you are visiting.

Let me share a story…

When my Daddy was in the hospital, he was experiencing a lot of confusion. I was concerned about leaving him alone at night as I did not want him to try to get up, fall, and get hurt. After many sleepless nights of sitting with him, I hired someone to stay with my precious Daddy overnight.

Every night, the sitter would bring an entire plastic container filled with whole gloves of garlic. Now, I love garlic as much as the next guy but boy did this smell. I mean, it SMELLED!!! The whole room smelled like garlic. She smelled like garlic. Her bags smelled like garlic. And it really upset my Daddy. He did not like the smell but there was nothing he could do about it (aside from telling her to stop; she did not).

So, my advice is…make sure the person you are visiting is ok with the smells that you bring into their room.  

These 15 healthy snacks are easy to grab and toss in a bag or purse. They help satisfy hunger and take the edge off during those long visits. Play around and find your favorites. Then you can focus on your loved one and not your grumbling belly.