Easy snacks

A lot of my friends and clients come to me for advice on what to go for when they want a healthy midday snack. When talking to my clients, I find that a lot of poor eating choices aren’t the result of cravings but rather due to lack of planning. They don’t have time to prep a quick snack or go to the store at the beginning of the week, so they end up grabbing snacks and meals out that they don’t even really want when they’re at a drugstore or a convenience store. Honestly, my snack choices are pretty boring so I am often hesitant to share - but you never know! I’ve found a handful that work for me and I usually stick to them. Hope these help!

Snacking and portioning tips:

1. Always lay your snack out on a plate - this way your snack is well defined and you don’t just keep grabbing from the bag or container.

2. Always add more vegetables to your plate - they’re nutrient dense and help you to feel full without adding a significant amount calories.

   My go-to snacks:

1. Vegetables and hummus - when I’m feeling hungry between meals, this is one of my first options in the fridge. I make sure that I portion out the hummus as it’s a little dense in (healthy) calories. Then, I let myself have as many vegetables as I want to add extra vitamins and volume to the snack.
   Snack plate
   2 tbsp hummus of choice.
   Unlimited carrots, bell peppers, celery, broccoli, or other vegetable.
   Optional: 5 or so of these black sesame rice crackers.

2. Greek yogurt and berries - I eat yogurt and berries at least once a day. For me, its a both a great high protein snack during the day alternative to dessert at night. I don’t usually measure my yogurt, but I try to go for about 1/2 cup of my favorite plain greek yogurt, then add low sugar fruits like berries (they’re in season now!) or citrus (a good choice in the winter months). If I want it to be a little sweeter, I’ll use a little bit of either honey or maple syrup - my two favorite natural sweeteners. This is also a great vehicle for the granola recipe I posted a while back!
   Snack bowl
   ~1/2 cup greek yogurt, usually 2% fat.
   A few strawberries and/or blueberries.
   ~1-2 tsp honey or maple syrup.

3. Rice cake + avocado, peanut butter, etc - rice cakes are a great base for any spread. They are really low calorie (~30 calories per rice cake) so you can add spreads and toppings without getting too high calorie.
   Snack plate 1:
   1-2 rice cakes
   1/2 avocado
   optional toppings: salt/pepper/greens of choice (chopped arugula or green onion)
   Snack plate 2:
   1-2 rice cakes
   1-2 tbsp nut butter of choice
   optional toppings: small drizzle honey, low sugar berries

4. Simple overnight chia seed pudding - This is a recipe I found and have liked. Like the author of the recipe mentions, this is a simple snack that takes about two minutes to prep the night before and keeps fresh in the fridge for the work week. A lot of people call chia seeds a “superfood”. Kind of a silly term, but they do have a lot of nutritional value.
   Snack bowl:
   One chia pudding (as made in the recipe)
   Toppings: berries, coconut flakes, nuts, fruit, etc. (really anything)

5. Raspberries and dark chocolate (pictured above) - you see this cute picture of raspberries with dark chocolate chips all over the internet. It’s photo worth and also really good idea since it makes an appropriate serving of dark chocolate seem a bit more substantial than it does when you just quickly down a couple squares.

6. Popcorn - popcorn is a great alternative to crackers/chips/etc. I pop my own on the stovetop with just enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a heavy saucepan. I follow the basic instructions on the back of most bags of kernels: heat oil in a saucepan over med-high heat, drop two kernals into the saucepan and cover with a lid. Wait for those to pop, then add the rest of your popcorn (usually I go for 1/4 cup as a good snack serving). Shake gently to coat the kernels in oil. Continue to occasionally shake until the popping slows. Remove and season with seasonings of choice (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, etc).

7. Favorite Trader Joe’s snacks - aside from offering sweet deals on some of my cooking essentials (like cheaper virgin coconut oil, cheaper almond butter, and a marinara sauce with no sugar added), they always get creative with convenient, sometimes healthy snacks.

   1. Flavored roasted chickpeas - a high protein, non-fried alternative to chips when you’re craving something salty and crunchy. Watch out for portions though.

   2. Favorite salad mix - I love this broccoli kale slaw mix (I was sold on it when they had it as a sample). If I’m trying to be extra healthy, I limit the dressing to 1/2 of the package and cut down on the dried blueberries.

   3. Frozen chocolate covered bananas and berries - I absolutely love these bite sized chocolate covered bananas and was stoked to see that they recently added a strawberry version.

   4. Crispy flavored peas - TJ’s version of Pea Crisps. These can add up in calories if you keep snacking on them, but they’re still a good alternative to chips.

   5. Heirloom popcorn -this sounds like a marketing gimmick, but these smaller kernels really don’t get stuck in your gums the way other popcorn does.

   6. DANGEROUS SNACK - probably don’t buy these unless you’re good at portion control - Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Almonds .
      

Raspberries and dark chocolate chips.