What should I be snacking on? It’s one of the top questions my clients ask.
When it comes to snacks (scratch that, when it comes to ANY kind of eating), it’s important to include some protein and, ideally, some fibre. Why? You need protein (and fibre) to keep your blood sugar stable, so you’ll have a constant supply of energy to get you through to lunch or your evening meal. There’s also the small matter of the energy crash (and sometimes even weight gain) when snacks cause blood sugar to spike. Unfortunately, many of the snacks we’d routinely eat fall into this latter category – including chips, chocolate bars and many so-called healthy granola bars. So what can you eat? Healthier snacking at home can be easier than at the office, depending on the facilities you have at work. If you don’t have access to a fridge, a small cooler bag can be useful for foods like hummus and cottage cheese. Non-refrigerated items like rice and seed crackers, oat cakes, jars of nut butters, assorted bags of nuts… can be stored in your desk drawer (that is what the big one bottom left is for, isn’t it?). Here are some healthy snacks ideas 1) 2 oatcakes/seed crackers/rice cakes with sugar free nut butter (nut butter is superior to peanut butter but if peanut butter appeals more or best suits your budget, don’t worry) 2) Hummus with crudités like raw carrot, cucumber, cauliflower, peppers, courgette, celery – choose ones you like but go easy on the cauliflower if you have a thyroid problem 3) Fruit and nuts. Apple slices with nut butter of your choice (or if this is too messy for you, apple or pear and a small handful of nuts) 4) Small handful of seeds (pumpkin and sunflower) and a chunk of cheese no bigger than a small match box 5) 2 oat cakes with cottage cheese and tomato or cucumber slices 6) Berries and a small handful of almonds 7) 2 squares of dark chocolate and a piece of fruit 8) Olives (around 5) and a piece of fruit 9) Small tub of plain yoghurt with handful of berries 10) A handful of roasted chickpeas 11) Large handful of cherry tomatoes and a half circle of feta 12) Handful of homemade trail mix (your own mix of: seeds, nuts, toasted coconut strips and goji berries) 13) 1 seeded Ryvita with cream cheese and cucumber 14) 2 oatcakes (or other) and half an avocado 15) Homemade popcorn, with a small amount of salt
Top tip: If you stock up on healthy snack options (both at home and the office), you’re less likely to snack on unhealthy options. Save the less healthy options for an occasional treat Happy healthy snacking Fiona/ Into Nutrition |