Blog Post #13: Healthy Snacks

We talked abut easy meal ideas in Blog Post #10, now let’s discuss snacks! Usually people try to fit two snacks in their daily routine. Personally, I have one snack in my day, usually in the afternoon so I am not super hungry at dinner and over eat. I will sneak in a morning snack before I work out, but honestly I will not have a morning snack if I eat a big, healthy breakfast. The goal is to fuel yourself for the day, and sometimes you need snacks to carry you through all the tasks you need to get done. Snacks can help you control your hunger in between meals, and can help you to manage portions during your bigger meals. Snacks are also great ways to get more nutrition in your daily routine. I send my husband to work with healthy snacks all the time, so it can help manage his hunger during a busy work day and carry him to the next meal. So let’s break it down: 

Tip #1: focus on fruit and vegetables - sometimes it can be hard to eat all of your fruits and vegetables in the day. Try to sneak them in during your snack break. You can eat celery, apples, berries, carrots, dried beans, nuts, and/or seeds. There are fruit and vegetable alternatives to chips in the grocery store, like dried vegetable straws, or vegetable crisps. 

Tip #2: add some protein - protein can help you to feel full for a longer time. Try peanut butter, yogurt, hummus, eggs (boiled eggs are popular), beans and/or nuts. 

Tip #3: watch portion sizes - aim for eating about 250 calories per snack. Once you pass the 300 calorie mark, you are starting to make yourself a meal. Eating too many snacks will just end up being your next meal! Try to watch how much of your snack you eat at one time. I will tell my clients that eating 5-6 small meals during the day can be beneficial for blood sugar control and monitoring portions throughout the day. If my client chooses this plan for their life, it can help reduce big portions during the three major meal times, but also help to not make you uncomfortably full, especially right before bed or before a workout. 

Tip #4: limit the sugar - try not to grab a soda or a candy bar on snack break. None of those things have nutrients to help fuel your body, only empty calories and sugar. You may get a quick spurt of energy after eating, but then you usually feel tired and hungry again very quickly after a sugary snack. You tend to eat more after a sugary, not nutritious snack since you do not feel satisfied. Try to eat a satisfying and nutritious snack to feel better and fuller for longer.

Tip #5: get in some fiber - Fiber also helps you to feel full longer, as well as helps your digestion and excretion (sorry, but we all do it). Any whole wheat snacks, beans, fruit, vegetables, and seeds will help get some fiber into your daily routine. Flaxseed crackers with some cheese can be a simple, yet satisfying snack. You can also sprinkle flaxseeds on your yogurt.

Tip #6: try not to eat too close to bedtime - Many people snack in the evening, usually right before bed. This can become a bad habit, especially if you reach for sugary, fatty snacks. It is recommended to not eat 2-3 hours before bed, so your body can digest your foods well before you lie down. If you go to bed on a full stomach, it can lead to heartburn. Good late night snacks can include popcorn (the ones not drenched in butter or coated with sugar), as well as a handful of nuts or fruit. I always keep frozen fruit bars in my freezer, so my husband and I can have a simple, healthy, yet sweet treat at the end of the day. 

Practical Ways Towards “Peachy” Living:

1) See how you can get healthy, nutritious foods in as snacks during your day. A protein bar counts! I like the Luna bars, and my husband goes for Nutri Grain bars.

2) Mix up the flavors and try new snacks every day. Try not get stuck and eat the same snack all the time. Variety is the spice of life!

3) Start small and make small swaps/changes. Do not change too much at once!