Snackaholics rejoice!
If you are one of my patients, you will know that I am an absolute snacking advocate! Two big problems I often see are 1) working patients going for long periods of time without any food and 2) school children being given snacks loaded with fat, sugar and salt! Snacking is an opportunity to fuel your body in between meals, especially if you include the right mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Remember, it is recommended to eat 5-6 times per day (3 main meals, and 2-3 snacks).
Here are a few healthy snack options:
-
Popcorn (remember no salt or butter!)
-
Whole fruits
-
Apples slices and sugar free peanut butter
-
Vegetable sticks with dips (e.g. carrot sticks and hummus, cucumber sticks and tzatziki)
-
Wholewheat crackers and fat free cottage cheese
-
Hard boiled egg or an egg muffin (See recipe here: My Delicious and Healthy Egg Frittata/Muffins!)
-
Low fat or fat free yoghurt
-
A handful of nuts (unsalted!)
-
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas (See the recipe here: Crispy Roasted Chickpeas)
-
Biltong (keep it lean!)
Make sure you always have healthy snacking options on hand so there is no temptation to reach for that packets of crisps or bar of chocolate. And last but not least, mix up your snacks as often as possible to ensure you are consuming a variety of different nutrients and so that your taste buds don’t get bored!
Shani
x
