Take your snack from eh to extraordinary…

Everyone loves to snack. But how can we snack when you are on a weight loss plan? And how can we make our just ok fruit and veg snacks go from "just ok" to "YUMMMM!"?

Eating healthy can be so difficult if you feel like you never have food to grab in a hurry that is healthy, satiating, and satisfying. When reaching for a quick meal or snack that will have to last you a few hours, you want to focus on 2 important things: protein and complex carbs or produce. Pairing the two can take your mediocre snack to a new level by making it slower for you to digest, thereby keeping you fuller longer.

Sliced Apples with a drizzle of melted Natural PB

Frozen grapes with walnuts

Reduced fat cheese on a large rice cake

Clementine sections with reduced fat yogurt

Sliced hard boiled egg on multigrain bread

Banana with natural PB open sandwich on a rice cake

Celery sticks with hummus

5% Tsfatit Cheese with Sliced Pears

1/3 avocado mashed with homemade whole wheat pita chips

10 whole almonds with 2 Tbsp of dried fruit

These are great snacks you can really throw together in as little as 1-2-3. To keep the budget low, I usually suggest picking 2-3 snacks per week and alternating them. Don't worry about the calories, just keep the portions smaller. A good snack should be about 100-150 calories between meals. It should be able to keep you going till the next meal and also keep your metabolism burning.

If you are working out regularly, you may also need to bulk up your post workout snack. Don't reach for those manufactured protein bars though! Try a protein smoothie with no added sugar. Here are a few of my favourite combinations:

Watermelon Mint Smoothie

coconut water, frozen watermelon, and fresh mint

Muscle Soother Smoothie

unsweetened almond milk, 2 soaked and pitted dates, 1 banana, 2 tsp of tahina paste

Superfood Protein Green Smoothie

unsweetened almond milk, ripe pear, cucumber, mint, 1% bio yogurt, 1 soaked and pitted date

You don't need to make your smoothies right before enjoying them. You can also puree your smoothies in bulk and then freeze them in ice cube trays. Then pop a few cubes into a portable air-tight container and enjoy on the go, when the cubes have melted (after giving it a good shake or stir of course!).

The three most important things to remember when it comes to snacking well are:

1) convenience

2) nutritious

3) helps keeps hunger at bay until your next meal

I love hearing from my readers! Email me pictures of your favourite snacks at healthybysabrina@gmail.com or tag me in your Facebook snack posts (#healthybysabrina)!

Happy snacking!