What gives you an energy boost? Share with Nairn’s Oatcakes

[EllieMumsnet]

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Everyone needs a little boost now and then. We all have those frantically busy days - whether at work, at home taking care of the kids or just rushing around trying to keep all those proverbial plates spinning – and it’s easy to forget how to keep yourself well nourished and energised. Not only can making better nutritional choices help keep you energised, but also little emotional boosts such as listening to your favourite song can also have a huge effect on how we handle life’s demands and whatever the day throws at us! With that in mind Nairn’s would really like to know what gives you an energy boost?

Here’s what Nairn’s have to say: “Nairn’s are all about ‘grabbing life by the oats’ and over the next few weeks we’ll be bringing you some exclusive, energising tips - we’d like to think it’s a pretty good fit considering just how naturally energising oats can be for you. You’ll find interviews with our inspiring and energetic ambassadors, expert advice from our resident nutritional therapist and loads more over on our website.

So, if you’ve got a go-to snack or energising habit that you swear by to keep you up and running, why not share it with the community? You could be lucky enough to win a hamper of incredible goodies from Nairn’s and friends, worth £150!”

What part of the day are you most likely to feel the need for an energy boost? What are the danger signs that your child’s energy is flagging? What foods or snacks do you give them to stop them getting ‘hangry’?! Do you get an energy boost from having a bit of family time? Maybe you get a boost from listening to your favourite playlist on your way to work? Would you say that exercise is what helps give you a boost? And if so what snacks do you eat to make sure you keep your energy going after exercise? What are your favourite breakfasts and lunches that help keep you going for the day? And what foods do you avoid that make you ‘crash’? How do you incorporate oats into your diet?

Whatever gives you an energy boost, share them on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a Nairn’s hamper worth £150 and one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

I normally need an energy boost around 3 pm - and will generally reach for a banana, which seems to to the trick. As I have a porridge breakfast I am generally full til around them. I do sometimes reach for a kitkat or twix but find them too swee tand give me a crash half an hour or so later, and have recently tried oat and granola bars which are not as sweet and can also help. Our favourite teas are generally chicken, and when we saw on a recent television programme a healthy way for crunchy chicken - I dip chicken drumsticks into beaten eggs and oats - baked for 30 minutes make a healthy tasty tea for us all - why not try this?

I realised recently (totally sleep deprived with newborn) that a glass of water first thing gives me energy and the more dehydrated I am the tireder I feel.

@ifigoup

I love how many people on this thread are saying their boost food is oats, as though that will make the oatcake company more likely to pick their comment as a winner! I’m pretty sure the winning posts on these kinds of threads are just chosen randomly.

I know, right?! Too much brown nosing going on!

Exercise for sure. Preferably outside in fresh air

I think I most need a boost mid afternoon so very likely to put on some good music to give me motivation to keep going and I can crash after dinner time.

My daughter definitely gets hangry. So we like to give her a mix of raisins, dried fruit and nuts for a healthy snack either mid morning or afternoon if she is flagging a bit when we are out and about. Fresh fruit or yoghurt when we are home.

I definitely try to avoid a sandwich for lunch at mid day as it really makes me sleepy.

My Dd favourite night snack is porridge oats with milk and honey. We often take porridge pots out with us to make breakfast on a busy day, camping holiday etc as they make such a good start to the day.

I agree with morning exercise, especially when it's outside - I struggle to find time for morning exercise during the week other than on a Friday when I muck out DHorse's stable and afterwards I always feel that I have so much more energy!

Dark chocolate and coffee! Not sure that’s a particularly wise nutritional choice but sometimes needs must!
For the DC I find that a banana is handy. We do also like the selection box of mini packets of nairns (though the ginger flavour always get left til last!)

My go to is a smoothie with banana, peanut butter, coconut water, plain yoghurt and oat powder (usually ready brek). I find porridge tasty, but it only fills me up for a couple of hours. Protein needed to last for long enough

Peanut butter and chocolate spread on toast :)

I graze generally, I don't really bother with big meals, so lots of veg, salads, nuts, cheese, pulses etc spread throughout the day. I definitely need a pick up around 3pm though, and do think an oatcake with cheese is a really good energy boost.

Oatcakes and peanut butter. Very good for cholesterol and high in protein too.

Exercise & fresh air.

Food wise sometimes just an apple is enough to give me a boost - other times chocolate is needed!!!!

An "everything " smoothie. Chuck in berries, a banana, some kefir, OJ, chia seeds and spinach. Maybe a blob of peanut butter to sweeten it. Pour into a takeaway mug and good to go (have been known to turn up at work with green moustache though).

A walk, a smoothie with some oats whizzed into it

We make our own granola with oats(naturally) nuts , seeds and spices .
We have oat cakes as snacks. Dd2
Loves oatcakes plain because they are 'cakes' 🙂and I quite like them myself.
We also sometimes make jammy Katy bars for dessert/snacks.

If we need an energy boost we have a jog around the park.

Exercise in the morning helps, although I don't have time every day. I try and eat well through the week, but it can be tricky as sometimes I miss lunch due to meetings, travelling etc. I usually have peanut butter on toast or with an apple for breakfast. If I have a sinking feeling mid morning I have either a banana or some almonds. Lunch is usually soup, sometimes with oatcakes, sometimes with a yogurt for afters. My feel energy low point is 3 pm when I just have to have a coffee -and- -a- -biscuit-. Towards the end of the day my energy levels can vary. I find if I have something planned such as a gym class, cinema or dinner with a friend, I feel totally 'with it'. If I'm just going home to dinner and an evening of TV I can feel totally drained by 6pm. Often I work late too, and by the time I get home I am so exhausted I don't know what I want. On these evenings, exercise is out of the question and I mostly just stand in front of the fridge eating everything or have a glass of wine and collapse into the sofa.

Oat cakes with peanut butter or cheese ones with avocado and chili sauce perk me up. As well as a cup of coffee.

a good hearty brekky sets me up for the day

Salmon, broccoli, fruit and nuts are foods that give me a lift.... Also organic potatoes

Water, Walking and Fresh Welsh Air !

We use oatcakes as a mid afternoon snack all the time, my four year old thinks of them as biscuits and can eat about ten at a time. (She has actual biscuits too but just has a thing for oatcakes!) She has them with blueberries.

We've recently discovered the coconut and chia seed low sugar oat biscuits which are amazing.

Just had a look at the range and didn't realise you did oat biscuits that are dairy and soya free! They will be straight on my shopping list to go with a cup of coffee after a million wake ups from my 14month old.

Porridge oats every single morning, staves off any hunger pangs until lunchtime. I add flaxseed and cocoa mix for a bit of flavour.
If I get peckish later in the day, usually around 3pm, then I'll have fresh fruit or a couple of crackers.

Nairn's oatcakes with hummus and cucumber and a squeeze of lemon works for me. If out at work I keep it separate until I want it so they stay crisp

Oats for breakfast with blueberries and some lovely Greek honey - a splurge but a nice treat to start the day.