Top 5 Tips for Healthy Snacking

Putting together a well-rounded, nutritionally sound meal isn’t so hard these days, but when it comes to snacking, that’s where most people tend to slip up and fall short. Snack foods are usually processed items that are easy to grab from a vending machine or the corner store like chips, fruit snacks (which don’t count as fruit) or m&m’s. Unfortunately, snacking on fresh fruit and veggies or a few almonds is way easier said than done.

Even if we try to make healthy snacks or choose better options, there always seems to be something standing in the way. Even I make poor choices on occasion, or I am just too lazy and go for convenience over nutrition. That is why I have put together a list of my top 5 tips for healthy snacking:

1. Be prepared – One of the easiest things you can do is pack your snacks and only let yourself eat what you pack. This applies to any situation whether you are just at work, on the road, traveling, or even just spending the day walking around town. I’m not saying you have to prepare snacks from scratch either; simply grabbing a protein bar or apple on your way out the door will suffice! My favorite bars to keep around are Lara bars, Health Warrior Chia bars, and Kind bars. Even Siggi’s yogurt now makes a drinkable yogurt tube – kid and adult friendly!
2. Portion control – Buying anything in bulk is always cheaper, but definitely not waistline friendly if you don’t monitor how much you eat at a time. If you prefer to buy larger containers of things such as nuts, dried fruits, etc, then create your own portion packs using ziplock bags or tupperware. Try making 5-7 portions to last you through the week and store the rest of the snack food away.
3. Out of sight, out of mind – Sometimes we end up in circumstances where pre-portioning our snacks is not an option, or your baking obsessed co-worker decides to bring in another batch of homemade treats for the office that aren’t exactly healthy. Research has shown that keeping tempting treats out of sight (i.e. put away in cabinets, or moving to a different room) helps to keep consumption of these items to a minimum.
4. Don’t skip meals – This is probably the most common trap that people fall into when trying to avoid unhealthful eating altogether, whether it is to ‘save up’ for a big dinner or brushing off breakfast because you’re in a hurry. You can’t save your calories for later, and skipping meals actually leads to indulging more than you intended either that evening or the next day.
5. Be social – Sometimes (or maybe most of the time) we eat out of boredom, stress, or procrastination. If you’re avoiding a work deadline or just need a break, find a co-worker to chat with or call up a friend or family member. Even making that long overdue doctor appointment is good enough. Find a way to distract yourself for a few minutes and that questionable need for food will likely pass.