While some people can go through the day with just three meals – I need, and like, my in between meal snacks. Snacking can be an area that people struggle with when it comes to their diet. It’s tempting to grab a big muffin to have with your coffee when you’re out and about, or just to grab a packet of muesli bars without looking at the nutritional information. While muesli bars/snack bars might sound like a healthy option, many of them are really high in sugar and fat with little nutritional value.
A couple of healthy snacks in between meals can help keep energy levels stable and stop you from getting too hungry so you over eat at the next meal. If you exercise after work, a good afternoon snack can really help boost your workout so you get the best from it. So don’t be afraid to snack, but choose healthy ones that provide you with nutrients and energy.
Here’s some of my favourite healthy snacks:
- Chopped vegetables and hummus
- A handful of nuts (I sometimes also have a couple of dates with these, or also a piece of fruit if I’m feeling like something sweet)
- 1/4 cup home made muesli/granola with milk
- 1/2 a banana with 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
- I love Chocolate Oat and Nut energy balls that I shared over at Here Comes The Sun. They are perfect when you want a sweet treat that’s still high in nutrients. See below for the recipe.
Chocolate Oat and Nut Energy Balls
Makes 22 balls
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of dates + boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup almonds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup coconut
6 pieces of dark chocolate
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Soak the dates in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Blend the almonds in a blender until they are cut up into small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients, including the dates. Pulse the ingredients until combined. You may need to stop the blender and push the ingredients down from the sides with a spatula.
Squeeze a spoonful of ingredients together in your hand and push firmly into a ball shape. You can either roll these in coconut or leave as is.
Store in the fridge and enjoy for a delicious, tasty snack.
I’d love to hear what your favourite healthy snacks are – leave a comment below to let me know.
I like a green smoothie, especially after a workout. I add a little vanilla protein powder for a protein boost. Tastes pretty good too.
Those energy balls look great! I like the nice and natural nut bars for a prepackaged snack, and just a good old piece of fruit is also nice.
My favourite snack is a handful of dry roasted almonds. I buy a big bag and put them in smaller snap lock bags for work so I’m not tempted too many as it’s easy to go overboard on nuts!
wholegrain crackers and cottage cheese are nice. Sometimes I make my own hummus too.