How many of you reading this post eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner without any snacking in between? I'm not one of them! For some people, it's taboo, but really, reaching for a snack isn't something to feel guilty about guys, if it's healthy!
Mind you, I do enjoy un-healthy snacks, my favourites being Twix and M&M's, but I don't eat them everyday..!
Everyone gets peckish between meals, so it's perfectly normal for your body to need a little extra nutrition throughout the day. The problem with many though, is that we tend to reach for the easiest and most gratifying fix; sugary and fatty foods. Probably that's why snacking has such a bad reputation and leaves us feeling guilty . .
So I made a little research and came up with some healthy alternatives to your usual munchies!
From personal experience, I have found that when I pre-plan my healthy treats, I don't reach for the baddies . .
It's a good idea to plan your snacking needs for the entire week on the weekend!
So many colours! Now, shopping is tricky when trying to look for healthy snacks, especially when you you pass the sweets and biscuits counter and your mouth starts to drool.....yeah, that's what mine does anyway! So, I would recommend buying from health shops. I love health shops!
I also suggest looking for single-sized portions, as it's easier to control how much you eat.
When shopping for your healthy snacks, check your ingredients and avoid buying staff that have hydrogenated oil, salt, sugar and artificial colours and flavours.
Besides checking the ingredients, please don't forget to also check the nutrition label! Ideally, your snack should have less than 7g of fat and little or no trans fat. Try finding snacks with not more than 150 calories if possible.
Doing the above will help you do some smart choices but remember, fresh produce is full of natural goodness and would beat everything else! Also, if you opt for fresh fruit and vegetables, you won't have to worry about unhealthy additives! I especially love nibbling on baby carrot and hummus!
yummy!If you like cooking, making your own snacks is also a good way to avoid artificial ingredients.
Here are some snack ideas : oatcakes, brown rice cakes, bran muffins or wholegrain toast, a small box of raisins, wholemeal crackers, flapjacks, fruit bars and banana bread .To make your crackers and oatcakes interesting, you can add a teaspoon of cottage cheese or a low fat spread! But always check the ingredients and nutrition label !!
Hope this helps in some way. I will post more snacking tips in the future!
Denise xx
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