How many of you feel a little cranky or sleepy around 10am or 3pm? Often it’s our body telling us it just needs a little fuel in the form of a healthy snack. Often people think snacking is a habit they should eliminate in order to “stay on track” with their healthy lifestyle, but the right kind of snacking can be beneficial to weight loss or maintenance for that matter.
Snacking prevents us from over eating at meal time, improves blood sugar control and can contribute to the intake of important nutrients. The type of snack, however, makes all the difference. My recommendations for my clients is that snacks run ~100-200 calories, but it really depends on your meal plan and the size of your main meals. A planned snack should be substantial enough to get you to the next meal, but not too many calories that are being taken away from meal time. Also, if you are simple not hungry and your next meal is approaching, by all means skip the snack!
Snacks do take planning, just like meals, or else you’ll be using the vending machine instead of choosing something healthy. Trust me, when you’re really hungry I know how good a bag of chips or candy bar looks! Set yourself up for success and plan those healthy snacks to have everyday.
Here are some other tips for healthy snacking
- Make sure you snack provides you with the recommended food groups, more than one is even better, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains
- When possible, make sure you have protein in each snack which will keep you full longer
- Change up your snacks just like your meals. You can even have a small portion of leftovers if it fits the calorie level.
- Add snack planning into your meal plan to ensure you have the right foods to chose from
What makes up the perfect snack? Protein, fiber and under 200 calories. Here are some ideas:
If you have a little extra time and want to add to your meal prep, I highly encourage you to make something like the following snacks for healthy fuel to energize you and fill the gaps in your diet.
Homemade Coconut Cream Pie Larabars
Sweet Potato Banana Bit Recipe from the Lean Green Bean
Almond Joy Energy Bites from Emily Kyle Nutrition
Roasted Pears with Dried Plums and Pistachios from Nutrition Starring You
Deconstructed Chocolate Dipped Apple from Nutrition Starring You
Fig and Walnut Energy Bites from Supermarket Nutrition
Protein Packed Toast from Shaw Simple Swaps
Spicy Broccoli Cheddar Quiche from the Hungry Hobby
Double Chocolate Almond Muffins
The risk of gaining weight is low if snacks are well-planned and well-balanced. Also i is also important to space meals out by ~2.5 to 3 hours which will help boost your metabolism instead of constant grazing.
Happy snacking!
Roasted Tomato Salsa
How To Build An Easy Charcuterie Board
Meal Prep 101
Easy Homemade Granola
Great bunch of snacks
Thanks Candy!
I love this list! This is so helpful! I always struggle trying to switch up my snacks from the same old thing, and this is great! 🙂
Thank you Cara! Glad it’s helpful 🙂
These snacking tips and lists are great! I need to be more mindful of all of my snacks. Scheduled a pin for later 🙂
rachel @ athletic avocado recently posted..11 Unique Healthy Banana Bread Recipes
Thanks so much Rachel! 🙂
What a great list! I am a fan of prepping ahead of time so I WILL snack and keep me from STARVING. Thanks!
Yes, it’s worth snack prepping in my opinion!
The list of snacks is so helpful! I pinned it.
Great, thanks Lisa!
Awesome list! Thanks for including my quiche! It’s a weird snack but sometimes it just really does the trick!
Kelli @ Hungry Hobby recently posted..Advice For Your First Half Marathon (and my Nerves)
Thanks for sharing. I love non-traditional snacks. Sometimes I’ll just have a chicken leg or something leftover, lol
Great snacking tips + easy snack ideas! I usually only do one snack a day, right around 3:30, and before I head off on my chauffeur duties for the rest of the afternoon. I am also a fan of a big spoonful of peanut (or other nut) butter to keep me full & energized until dinnertime 🙂
Thank you! Yes, a spoon of nut butter always does the trick!
My son asked for a snack yesterday. He wanted chips. I made him hard boiled eggs. Thanks for the list. I have to pick up/ make more healthy grab and go snacks.
These are all great suggestions and came at the perfect time! I’ve been looking for healthy snack ideas I can incorporate into my diet and love all of these! Thank you so much for sharing!
Great round up and thanks for including my toast! I second EA- Peanut butter is always on hand for me!
Elizabeth recently posted..Comment on Homemade Cranberry Chia Jam by Elizabeth Shaw
What a great post to show how easy healthy snacking can be! Thank you so much for including my Almond Joy Energy Bites 🙂
I’m so glad I came across this post. I typically feel so guilty about snacking but I love that you give some great options for healthy snacking.
I’m trying to lose weight so I’ll definitely be trying some of this!
Great tips and love the infographic with snack ideas. Pinning now! I need to have a snack between lunch and dinner, especially since there are days my husband and I don’t eat dinner until 8:30 or 9. If I don’t have a snack I eat dinner way too quickly and end up snacking post -dinner too – not a good end result!
I love your healthy snack list! It is nice to have something to look at that has things listed out! I am a snack girls it will come in handy!
Missy – Getting Fit to Find Myself recently posted..Runfessions January 2016
Great snack ideas. I just have to remind myself that my body doesn’t need that second cup of coffee ato 10 am.
Great roundup of snack ideas. I’ve been into cuties/clementines lately with a handful of pistchios. 🙂
Becky @ Project Domestication recently posted..Happy Friday! Happy List! (VO. 8)
I’m trying to eat healthy, so these are great! Thank you!
Angie @ My So-Called Chaos recently posted..Birds at Wheeler Historic Farm in Salt Lake City, UT
Such a useful ideas and tips. I need a healthy snacks at all time and I always monitor my daily diet
Great tips! I do really well with balanced meals – not so much with balanced snacks. Saving this for sure!