Snacks tend to veer healthy or decidedly unhealthy, depending on several factors.
Hunger level, sugar cravings, distractedness, and especially what food we keep on hand all play a role in what we choose to nibble on between meals.
Watching a movie while mindlessly scarfing down potato chips with no regard for quantity, for example, isn’t the healthiest.
"When it comes to snacking, first consider a snack that combines lean protein with a complex unrefined carbohydrate because it will keep you feeling full longer,” said Dawn M. Herbig, MS, RDN, LDN, a clinical dietitian with Endeavor Health.
Next, practice portion control. Staying within portion guidelines is a way to get appropriate nourishment between meals, prevent being overly hungry for your next meal and help with weight management goals.
“Things like a cup of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt with a medium-size apple or pear fits the bill perfectly,” she said. “Or a cup of raw veggies with two tablespoons of guacamole, or 3 cups of air-popped popcorn with 1/4 cup of almonds.”
A lot of healthy snacks would satisfy that sugar or salt craving – a cup of sweet berries with 1/4 cup of cottage cheese or one serving of whole grain crackers with 1 oz of low fat cheese, for example.
Getting in the habit of healthy snacking will help you feel better in the long run. Here are some healthy snacks to have on hand when a craving strikes:
- Fruit + 1 cup of non-fat, plain Greek yogurt. One serving of fruit is 1 medium whole apple, orange, pear, nectarine, peach OR 1 cup berries or melon OR 1 small banana OR 2 Tbsp dried fruit without added sugars
- 1 cup of raw vegetables + 1/3 cup hummus OR 2 tbsp guacamole
- 3 cups of air-popped popcorn + 1/4 cup unsalted/low salt nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) OR 1 oz (~47) pistachios
- 100 calorie whole-grain snack pack
- 1 sliced tomato + 1 oz mozzarella cheese + balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 of a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread
- Homemade smoothie: 1/2 cup Greek yogurt + 1 cup low fat milk + 1 cup frozen fruit blended together
- Whole wheat or whole grain crackers (follow serving size on box) + 1 string cheese
- Whole grain tortilla chips (follow serving size on bag) + 1/2 cup fresh salsa
- 1/2 of whole grain English muffin + 1 Tbsp peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter)
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese + 1 serving of fruit
Take your snacking to the next healthy level by ditching the chips and opting for nutritious snacks that will help maintain your energy throughout the day.
Ready to say goodbye to afternoon slumps? Join us from 11 am-noon on Wednesday, March 19 for a "Beat Fatigue with Energy-Boosting Foods" webinar, as Endeavor Health clinical dietitians discuss the top foods to fuel your body, show how to prepare easy, energy-packed bites, and lead a Q&A session. Register now.
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