Getting organised  for the impending birth of my son, I wanted to go over my snacks list to make sure I have them here if I want them. It occurred to me that they are great snacks for anyone and for all the family. What else would you add, or have you used?

Labour and post labour Snack Ideas: (for him and her!)

• Frozen grapes, mango and coconut icelollies. Honey ice cubes
• Banana smoothie (all my smoothie recipes are here): banana, oat milk, mango, Pumpkin seed protein powder, nut butter and cinnamon (can also be frozen like an ice-lolly or in drinks bottles to thaw on route.) A common breakfast in our house.
• Vegetable crisps. Homemade in the dehydrator or use a peeler to get nice thin layers and bake in the oven till crispy with a little olive oil or coconut oil.
• Dried apricots, blueberries, apple, banana chips, prunes, dates, papaya, mango
• Nuts; almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews
• Coconut water (fresh- here is my coconut milk and coconut yoghurt recipes also- how to open a coconut here)
• Crystallised ginger
• Protein bars, energy balls, homemade bounty bars (chock full of coconut!) fat bombs like vanilla fudge and chocolate fudge, homemade chocolate and this homemade rocky road.
• Oatcakes and jar nut butter. Or nut butter with slices of apple and pear. Or a personal favourite in the groove of celery.
• Raw chocolate! Or at least 70% cocoa
• Straws for drinking through
• Carrot and celery and hummus/white bean dip (already cut in fridge ready to grab)
• Water melon to help restore electrolytes (can also be blitzed and frozen in drinks bottles)
• Falafel (to eat with hummus)
• Iced raspberry leaf, nettle and peppermint tea with lemon and honey to taste. (of course can be hot too or made into ice cubes) Can also use tulsi tea. (holy basil) can chill you out during labour. Also can add rescue remedy.

Recipe idea:

HIGH PROTEIN SUGAR FREE ENERGY BAR

• 250g desiccated coconut
• 200g ground almonds (can use pumpkin seed protein power for allergies)
• 100g sesame seeds
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• approx 14 dried pitted dates, chopped
• 2 eggs (can use egg replacement for allergies)
• 2 tbs pure organic coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature.

Melt coconut oil over very low heat until it is liquid. Do not cook or
boil.
Chop dates and mix together with dry ingredients (coconut, ground
almonds, sesame seeds), and cinnamon.
Add 2 beaten eggs and mix till mixture is moist.
Pour in melted coconut oil and mix with fork or hands
Spread into a shallow tin lined with baking parchment.
Bake in a moderate oven (gas mark 4) for 30 minutes. Remove when top
is golden.
Cut into slices while still warm and soft.

Enjoy, I know we do!