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Your guide to balanced snacking

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Snacking is a topic I often get asked about because it seems there’s so much different information out there.   So to help you out, I’ve put together a guide to balanced snacking to answer all your snacking questions.  For me, balanced snacking is all about choosing snacks that are both enjoyable and sustaining to nourish me between meals.   Here’s my guide to balanced snacking:

Should you snack?

If you’re hungry, yes!  There’s lots of theories about how you should eat, but the truth is there is no one right way to eat.  If you are hungry in between meals, then it’s completely fine to snack! Our body is great at telling us what we need – we just need to tune in and listen.  

Hunger is a driver to eat so we can fuel our bodies – and our bodies don’t like to go hungry! Ignoring hunger eventually causes your hunger hormones rise to the point where you get ravenous – a type of primal hunger that you just can’t ignore. At that stage it’s far more common to eat past the point of comfort and feel uncomfortable afterwards.   I think we’ve all had an occasion where you’ve been so hungry you just want to eat everything in the cupboard! So listen to your body and don’t be afraid to have a snack. You’ll feel better eating when you’re at a medium level of hunger rather than ravenously over-hungry.

 

Choosing snacks

For me, there are two requirements when it comes to choosing snacks.  It should be enjoyable and provide me with energy and nourishment to keep me going till my next meal.  The best way to choose your snacks is to go with what will satisfy you at that time.

There’s a bit of a myth that if it comes in a packet then you shouldn’t eat it, but sometimes it’s really convenient to have options like this available, especially if you need to quickly grab something on the run and there are definitely some great options available.

 

One of these options for me are the Nice and Natural Protein Nut Bars. The new flavours are totally delicious too – Arabica Coffee & Dark Chocolate and Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries.  So good! These bars are a source of protein contain 25% protein per bar and a source fibre which can help with satiety, plus if you’re looking for a lower sugar option they have approximately up to 5g a bar.  

Other options I have are mixed nuts, yoghurt, fruit, bliss balls and if I’m at home good old peanut butter on toast. Other ideas include wholegrain crackers with hummus or pesto and, a smoothie if you feel like something more substantial.   

All of these options both satisfy my taste buds, give me energy and provide nourishment.

 The other important thing to know is that ALL snacking should be guilt free! Guilt has no place in a balanced diet, so if you really feel like something that might not be nutrient dense- have it and enjoy it guilt free. Feeling guilty doesn’t help us be healthier, in fact it do just the opposite.   Food is for pleasure too! 

Balanced eating

The other part of balanced snacking (and eating in general) is how you eat.  If you feel like your snacking is out of habit;  or you find yourself eating without even really paying attention, then this is for you!  

Hungry or habit?

Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between the feeling of actual hunger and the feeling of just wanting to eat because your bored or tired etc.  

So here’s the easy thing to do to know for sure.  Check in with your stomach and ask yourself ‘Am I hungry?’!  It sounds obvious but it actually helps. If your stomach feels hungry, then you are hungry.  This small step helps create awareness you give yourself time to actually assess if you’re actually hungry or if you’re bored, tired etc.  Then you can choose if you want to eat, or if something else like a quick walk or a drink of water will better suit you.

 

Mindful eating

It’s not always possible, but try and eat your snacks mindfully.  I need to take my own advice here because sometimes if I have a bag of nuts in my drawer I’ll just keep eating them without paying much attention to what I’m doing then end up feeling just a bit too full.  Mindful eating is about paying attention without judgement. As well as helping you tune into your body and it’s hunger and fullness levels to know if you’re hungry and when you’ve had enough, it helps make snacking more enjoyable.  So take five minutes out, sit down undistracted and enjoy your snack.

 

Be prepared

I think we’ve all had those times where we’ve been super busy or not had food with us and we end up hangry.  That’s where a bit of preparation can help. Keep some snacks in your handbag or office draw so you can eat when you get hungry. I like to keep nuts, fruit and some of the Nice & Natural Protein Nut Bars handy for those occasions so I’ve got a range of things to choose from when hunger strikes.  

If there’s any other questions you’d like answered about snacking, then feel free to comment below!

Competition closed – winners are Meagan and Robyn MacKay and they have been notified via email.

WIN: I’m giving away a box of each of the Arabica Coffee & Dark Chocolate and Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries Nice & Natural Protein Nut Bars.  To be in the draw just comment below with what flavour you’d try first!  Winner will be drawn on the 28th March and notified via email as well as their name being published on this post.

This post was sponsored by Nice & Natural 

 

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Comments

  2. Eddy Gies

    The Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries that sounds extra special for a protein bar. Yes please.

  3. Alisa Duncan

    Arabica coffee and dark choc would be awesome and I’m sure my coffee loving husband would agree to try.

  4. Michelle Hudgell

    Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries would be the first I’d start nibbling on!!!

  5. Carrie Baylis

    I love raspberries so I’d be totally keen to try the coconut dark chocolate and raspberry flavour. These would be a great after gym snack

  9. Ruby Greenhalgh

    Arabica coffee and dark chocolate sound so good! I’ve never heard of a muesli bar that’s coffee and chocolate in one! Too good – would love to give them a try ?? ?

  10. Megan

    Arabica Coffee and dark Chocolate sounds divine! I love these bars already, so I’ll be trying the new flavours regardless ?

  11. Jo Cook

    I’m not a coffee fan so Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries would definitely be my first pick. Sounds yum!

  12. Roxana

    I’ve been eyeing up the Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries at the Supermarket! Would love to try!

  17. Gillian Kelly

    Coconut & Dark Chocolate with freeze dried Raspberries sounds scrumptious. I will definitely try these.

  18. Robyn MacKay

    Arabica Coffee and Dark Chocolate for me please – would be good to find a packed snack that’s tasty AND healthy!

  24. Deborah

    Coconut dark chocolate and raspberries please. I live the tangy sweetness of dried raspberries.

  26. Michelle

    I’d try the Arabica Coffee first as I’ve already tried the raspberry (new favourite), so technically I wouldn’t be trying it ?

  27. Sophie Vabulis

    Wow they both sound so yummy! But think the dark Choc and raspberry sounds extra yummy!

  29. Yoka Kogelman

    I would love to try the Coconut with dark chocolate and freeze dried raspberries please!

  30. Helen Firth

    Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries – YUM! These sound like great lunch box snacks for my school kids too.

  31. Jaime

    Arabica and dark chocolate sounds amazing. Would love to try and convince my husband to eat them.

  32. Kate Chapman

    freeze dried raspberries sounds delicious. great snacks for the day while at home with a young bubba and my partner to take to work.

  33. Nicole

    Dark Chocolate and freeze died raspberries sounds next level amazing. Healthy alternative to my fav Lindt dark raspberry chocolate ?

  36. Harriet Harrex

    Heya Nic! Most definitely the coffee and dark chocolate – a flavour match from heaven ?

  40. Tanya

    Yum coconut and dark chocolate! These would be the perfect healthy pregnancy snack when you don’t have the energy to make something!

  41. Sarah Bevin

    Arabica coffee and chocolate would be fabulous for a morning snack in the office! Yum!

  42. Stacey

    Arabica cofree and dark chocolate flavor sounds like it would be an amazing snack for that afternoon slump.
    I loved reading this blog. I’m really trying to improve on my eating so this was a great read.

  48. Andrea Fitzpatrick

    Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries would be the first i would get my hands on for sure! 🙂

  49. Marlene

    I would love love love to try the coconut & dark chocolate with raspberry please!! It sounds so scrumptious!

  53. Robyn MacKay

    Arabica Coffee and Dark Chocolate sounds really yummy, great for a mid-morning snack to keep me going until lunchtime!

  55. Jeanette Hall

    I have always found most muesli bars too sweet. Love to try the chocolate and raspberry bar though. Great blog – very relevant.

  56. Caitlin

    Coconut and dark chocolate sounds devine! I’m an avid snacker and always wondered if it was okay. These are the best snack bars I’ve come across and I would love to try the new flavours 🙂

  66. Alice Young

    I have these bars regularly at Uni! Such a good snack – have tried the Coconut & Dark Chocolate with Freeze Dried Raspberries (very yum) so would love to try the Arabica Coffee & Dark Chocolate!

  67. Meagan

    Definitely the coffee and dark chocolate! I love the cacao and dark chocolate (and a good mocha) so I think these would be great

  70. Melissa King

    Coconut and dark choc with freeze dried raspberries sound like the perfect hunger snack

  72. Michelle Barns

    Definitely the Arabica Coffee and Dark Chocolate please! Two of the best things in the world combined in a bar!!

  79. Marina Robertson

    Dark chocolate with freeze dried raspberries sounds like an amazing taste sensation and a real treat. Delish

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