Snacking 101

Most of us tend to have a love-hate “all or nothing” relationship with snacks.

One day we’re super strict about avoiding them…

And then we do a face plant in a carton of ice cream after a bad day (or even a great day when we have something to celebrate).

The good news is, there is a healthy — and delicious — middle ground that can actually HELP you reach your goals.

It’s all about planning your snacks ahead of time, and then working them into your regular meal schedule to hold you over if you get hungry.

Here are 4 healthy snack swaps to try next time you’re hit with a major craving!

1) Instead of potato chips, try:

Homemade kale or zucchini chips. Toss some kale or thinly sliced zucchini in olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and bake at 225ºF/107ºC until crispy (15-30 minutes for kale chips, 70-90 minutes for zucchini). Stir at least once during cooking to ensure even toasting!

Jicama or sweet potato fries. Heat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Prep the veggies by peeling, washing, drying, and cutting them into fry-shaped sticks. Toss the veggies with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Layer on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. They should be cooked through and crispy-tender.

2) Instead of candy, try:

Fresh berries or frozen grapes. Both are sweet options with no added sugars.

3) Instead of ice cream, try:

Frozen banana bites. Slice a banana, place it in a freezer-proof bag, and pop it into the freezer. When you want a creamy snack, place a few “bites” in a bowl and enjoy the sweet, creamy goodness!

Frozen chia pudding. Mix 2 Tbsp with ½ cup (120 ml) of your favorite milk and 1 tsp of honey or maple syrup. Let it sit for 30 minutes to thicken, then pop into the freezer to freeze.

Instead of cookies, try:

Crunchy-creamy rice cakes. Slather brown rice cakes with a thin layer of peanut or almond butter. Yum!

Here’s something to keep in mind: it’s not about depriving yourself or having a “perfect” diet. It’s about making choices that support your health and your goals!

You just have to be open to exploring new options and tweaking things to make it right for YOU.