When I bring up snacking with clients, most think of mindless grazing throughout the day and the classic, hyperpalatable bag of chips. I often have to shift their thinking on snacks, and that if consumed intentionally and in a balanced way, they can really support your day by keeping you alert, satiated, and keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy range. 

The key here is adding a fiber source to a fat and protein source. Once you have a few of these pairings up your sleeve you’ll have them on repeat. 

Protein sources can promote a sense of fullness as it has the highest “thermic effect” of all the macronutrients, meaning it takes more effort, energy, and time to digest. 

Adding a source of fat into your snacks can also  help you feel full and satisfied. Fats help your body absorb vitamins, regulate your metabolism, balance blood sugar, and manufacture hormones (so needless to say, our body needs them). Snacks are an excellent way to add different fat sources into your day.

Fiber is another essential component of balanced snacks that can keep you full by slowing the rate in which food enters your bloodstream and increases the speed in which it exits your body. This supports healthy blood sugar levels, and if you haven’t noticed by now, stable blood sugar = quality energy and feeling satisfied. For snacks, I generally recommend a fruit or vegetable as a fiber source. 

A few snack ideas for you:

Raw Veggies and Yogurt Dip: This can satisfy that ranch craving, but can be plain, full fat Greek yogurt, dill, and lemon juice paired with carrots, celery, snap peas, red pepper or broccoli for dipping.

Crackers, Hummus, Smoked Trout and Dill: This is a little fancier and honestly could also be used for entertaining. I like Mary’s Gone Crackers as a gluten free option and Fish Wife for the smoked trout, but you can get creative with other brands. 

Cottage Cheese Toast: Can include sourdough bread, cottage cheese, raspberries, honey, chia seeds, and cinnamon. 

Olives and Walnuts: Packing in some fiber and quality fats with both of these items to help reduce overall inflammation and support brain health. I recently found Trader Joe’s “Just a Handful of Olives” and I’m obsessed. 

Jerky and Tangerine: A personal classic for me, since both you can take pretty much anywhere. Chomps is a classic go to, but I am writing a more extensive jerky roundup, so stay tuned. 

Greek Yogurt Parfait: Can include plain, full fat Greek yogurt, berries, and almonds or walnuts.

I hope these pique your interest, if not there are endless options out there.  
If you’d like to discuss your current meals, snacks, and meal timing and if they support your lifestyle, we’re always here to help. Simply fill out this application form and we will be in touch. During my free consultation, I deep dive into a “My Symptom Questionnaire” to take all of this to another level and really help you understand your body. All visits are telehealth and I do have insurance options.