Snacking is a common pitfall when it comes to losing and maintaining weight. Taming your snacking habit is easier when you replace low nutrient snacks with healthier options from more than one food group.
You may remember from elementary school that there are there are five food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains/carbs, protein and dairy. A balanced snack combines 1-3 of these food groups.
Plan snacks from the main food groups and when you need a larger snack, make sure to combine foods from 1-3 of the food groups. For instance, Greek yogurt with fruit and granola is a great energy boosting option with plenty of nutrients.
It is not necessary to eliminate food groups from your snacks. You can have your carbs and eat them too, as long as you make smart choices. Get more information about healthy carb choices here.
Using the food group method for snacking increases the likelihood of meeting your nutritional needs without additional supplementation. The key is to eat whole, minimally processed, high quality, nutrient-dense foods. Check the ingredient label and look for snack options with less than 5 ingredients when you can.
Hummus and Veggies
Many veggies make great scoopers with hummus and you can feel good about eating hummus because it contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Hummus is a great source of plant-based protein. It is also a great source of fiber and protein, which may promote weight loss. Pair hummus with red pepper ribbons, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots or celery.
Smart Snacking with Fruit
Fruit is the perfect snack. Fruit is portable, you can find it just about anywhere and it’s delicious! Apples, bananas, blueberries, peaches.. there are so many choices. Combine fruit with Greek yogurt and granola or quinoa for a filling, nutritious snack that can double as a dessert!
Many people wonder whether fruit is really healthy after all, because fruits are relatively high in sugar compared to other whole foods. It has been reported that fructose consumed in excess can be harmful. The deal is, though, there is not enough fructose in fruit to cause concern.
Energy Bites
This mixture of oats, peanut butter and apricots is a mix of goodness that can be formed into bars or balls. Easy to make and easy to pop into your mouth any time of day. Get the energy bite recipe!
Hard Boiled Eggs
One of the keys to smart snacking is to make sure your snacks are nutritious and contain protein. Protein promotes fullness because it signals the release of appetite-suppressing hormones. There are a lot of protein options for snacking and one of the easiest is hard boiled eggs.
Cook up a batch of 6-10 eggs in your instant pot and slice 2 up for a snack. Pair your eggs with avocado for a healthy fat / protein combination.
Snack Bars
There are so many snack bar options around these days. It’s important to check the ingredient label so you know your snack bar is actually working for you and your goals. I taste tested and compared prices on a lot of snack bars and this one is my favorite and most nutritious! Check out my complete travel snack bar comparison post.
Using the food group method for snacking increases the likelihood of meeting your nutritional needs without additional supplementation. The key is to eat whole, minimally processed, high quality, nutrient-dense foods. Check the ingredient label and look for snack options with less than 5 ingredients when you can.