When you think of the term ‘snacking’ you probably imagine something unhealthy and fattening like sweets or crisps. However, snacking does not have to be unhealthy. To make snacking healthy just takes a little bit more thought and effort but you will be better off for it. We have suggested 10 healthy snacking options to get you started. These options will help you to fill that energy gap but will avoid all those extra calories! Our healthy snack ideas provide the energy boost needed to keep you going until your next meal and nothing more…
Fruit: chopped, canned or packaged make for great healthy snacks as they are low in sodium, contain little or no fat, provide fiber and also satisfy a sweet tooth.
Dried Fruit: naturally sweet and are full of nutrients that will benefit you. Keep portions to a small handful.
Raw Vegetables: any raw vegetable is the perfect healthy snack for in between meal times. We suggest broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, celery and cherry tomatoes.
Breakfast Cereals: whole grain cereals are the healthy choice here and you can have them with or without milk. They are full of minerals and fiber and if you add fruit to them they become even healthier not to mention tastier.
Popcorn: Low in calories and low in fat but satisfy cravings for food in the unhealthy savory food bracket. Word of caution – steer clear of sweet, salted or toffee varieties.
Whole-Grain Granola Bars: as they are generally sweet and salty, eating one as a healthy snack satisfies cravings for other unhealthier sweet options. Always check the calories and try to opt for one less than 150kcal.
Low- fat plain yogurt: this healthy snack is a great source of protein, calcium, vitamin D and B vitamins. Add honey or fruit to sweeten it up but keep it healthy.
Peanut Butter on Rye crispbreads: peanut butter is high in protein and magnesium, as well as the ‘good’ monounsaturated fats. Rye crispbreads are low in salt and high in fiber keeping the snack healthy. Spread thinly and limit to 2 crispbreads.
Fruit Smoothies: you can throw anything (from the fruit world) in to a smoothie and it will still be healthy and delicious. Smoothies as well as being loaded up on minerals and vitamins, also contain the pulp of the fruit which makes it higher in fiber.
Dark Chocolate: if you really can’t resist reaching for chocolate make sure it’s dark chocolate with more than 7o% cocoa as this contains various anti-oxidants which benefit your health. However chocolate still contains a lot of calories so watch your portion size.
