Healthy snacking

A lot of people complain that eating healthy is boring, tasteless and leaves you hungry. I always ask if they snack between meals and the majority of the time, the answer is no. Well no duh your hungry! I eat at least every 2 hours. If you go too long between meals your blood sugar dips and creates false cravings for intense sweets and salt as well as a dip in your energy. Instead of grabbing a red bull, grab one of these healthy snack options. Try it for a week and see if you notice a difference in your energy level and cravings. I betchya u will 😉

Fruit

I always have fruit on hand for mid-day snacking. The sweetness satisfies my sweet tooth and the natural vitamins and minerals give me that extra boost of energy to get me through the rest of the day. I always shop fruit in season as well to save money. This week it was grapes, bananas, nectarines, and my fave, honeycrisp apples!

Air popped popcorn

This is a great snack because it is chock-full of fiber to keep you full. I portion out small baggies and bring them to work with me to munch on in the afternoon. It makes a great substitute for chips if you are craving something salty and crunchy. For flavor I spray with cooking spray and sprinkle on nutritional yeast (if I’m in the mood for cheesy), garlic salt (if I’m in the mood for salty), or cinnamon (if I’m in the mood for sweet!).

Fruit smoothie

I make these all the time and they curb my hunger all day! The ingredients change from day to day but the base is always spinach, a frozen banana and frozen strawberries. I switch up the liquid between Pom juice, coconut water, plain water or soy milk. I will occasionally add different fruit like frozen mango, blueberries, raspberries, or apples. Then I will add chia seeds, protein powder (I use Vega most of the time) or oats. Those are just a few ideas to get you rollin’!

Veggies and hummus

Ever notice how at parties when there is a veggie plate you will eat veggies (a la whatever dip it is served with…) but you never have the urge to make a little plate for yourself? Why not? I cut up veggies on Sunday and pack them up to bring to work on Monday. Every time I get the urge to munch on snacks mindlessly, I grab my baggie of veggies! It’s perfect, I get the satisfying crunch from the carrots and I am full for hours afterwards since they are so nutrient dense and the beans in the hummus are full of fiber.

Random health food finds

Parooze stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s and you’ll find all kinds of health food gems! The other day I discovered Mama Chia drinks (I had seen them on Katie’s blog and have been dying to try them). The consistency is that of jello shots meets raspberry smoothie, so you have to be prepared! I have tried several flavors now but my favorite is the Cherry lime.