Smart Snacking
14 Aug
I’ve talked about snacking habits here on the blog several times before. Lately, it’s something I’ve been thinking more about, since I’ve caught myself doing quite a bit of mindless snacking out of boredom. (Someone please remind me of how “horrible” being bored is in 2 months when I’m grading stacks of essays, thanks!)
This morning after breakfast, I sat down to flip through the August issue of Real Simple when I came across a feature titled “How to Snack Smarter.” The article had a lot of great tips + snack ideas, so I thought I’d pass a few along in case you’re not a Real Simple subscriber (which you should be; it’s my favorite magazine by far)!
When to Snack
Only snack when you’re hungry, not just because it’s your usual snack time. Jessica Crandall, an RD consulted for the article, suggested gauging hunger on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = starving, 10 = stuffed). The best time to snack is when you would rate your hunger at a 3 or 4.
What to Snack on
Snacks should be between 150 to 250 calories, with about 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and no more than 12 grams of fat. Of course, as the article points out, it’s impossible to always achieve this ratio, so it’s all about balancing snacks throughout the day and being mindful of what you’ve already had.
How to Snack
The key word here should be no surprise; it’s all about being mindful. This is something I definitely need to work on! The article suggests treating each snack as a mini-meal and enjoying your snack on a plate, if possible.
Snack Ideas
There were several yummy-sounding snack ideas provided in the article that I want to try out, including:
- Ham and jicama wraps – wrap 6 jicama (or celery) sticks with ham & serve with mustard for dipping
- Bagel with ricotta and strawberries – spread 1/2 toasted whole-grain bagel thin with 2 tbsp. ricotta. Top with strawberries and a drizzle of honey (this seems like it would be perfect for a sweet treat!)
- Whole grain bread with almond butter and peaches
I couldn’t find the entire original article online, but I did find a few other helpful reads on the Real Simple website:
- 9 Healthy Pre-Dinner Snacks
- How to Snack Smarter
- Easy On-the-Go Snack Ideas
- Which Snack will Satisfy your Food Craving?
How many snacks do you eat during a day? During the school year, I typically snack during my prep period, when I get home from work (pre-workout), & after dinner (dessert).
Good recap on some smart snacking. I used to set 2 times to snack in the day, but since changing around my daily diet, I’m usually snacking/fueling up after a workout. (I always “treat” myself to a chobani after dinner, though…It’s my “dessert” but I suppose it could be a snack)
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Have you ever tried a frozen Chobani? I haven’t, but it seems like it would make a fantastic dessert!
LOVE Real Simple!!
It is my favorite magazine too! ……I need to work on my snacking for sure! I just love to snack!!! A little something here, a little something there is how I roll- oops!
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haha it’s fine; you’re snacking for TWO!
Great post! I snack so much and til recently I wasn’t aware of the kinds of snacks I was eating. They definitely weren’t in the suggested caloric range. The bagel and ricotta thing sounds like an awesome idea!
Kate @ Kate is eating recently posted..Easy peasy
I have definitely caught myself snacking more frequently while being at home during the summer. If I’m going to snack so much, I at least need to be AWARE of what choices I’m making!
I’ve been snacking way less now that I’m not at a boring desk job. Makes sense, I guess. My downfall is late night snacking. I LOVE to eat at night. I’m working on it!! I love popcorn as a decent option though.
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I’m pretty good at night as long as I have something that represents dessert to me. If I feel like I’ve eaten dessert, then I usually don’t go back for an additional snack.
What a great recap. Thanks for sharing. I never though to put ricotta cheese on a bagel thing. I’m thinking I may just try it on a waffle for dessert with some apples & honey
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Oooh that sounds good too!
Thanks for this post! I typically snack about 3-4 times throughout the day but always small and most of the time healthy. I make my own granola (to control the sugar/added preservatives) and bring alot of fruit and veggies to work. Normally I’ll have a small greek yogurt, a nectarine, or even some slices strawberries and blueberries. If I’m EXTRA hungry and about to work out I try to do something with more carbs. I’ve never thought to try the ricotta thing! I just recently used that in place of cheddar on some sweet potato & chicken chili I made and it gave it such a nice creamy texture. Can’t wait to try it out on wheat bagel or english muffin. Sounds like it could be yummy with a slice or two of turkey bacon
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Ricotta + sweet potato sounds like a great combo… I’ve definitely going to try that! I also like your idea of make your own granola! Granola is something I could easily prepare myself & keep on-hand at work for when a craving hits!
Great post. I mindlessly snack all the time (I know, shame on me!). I was just eating popcorn and working at the same time. At least it’s a low-cal and filling snack
I obviously need to cut down on my multi-tasking.
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That’s one of the “good” things about my job — I can’t really snack while teaching! I definitely snack waaay less during the school year than I do when I’m at home all day during the summer.
I’m always the most hungry before bed. Between the hours of 8-11 I’m just ravenous! I need to figure out how to snack healthy during that time!
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I hear ya! Lately I’ve been getting super hungry before I fall asleep! Luckily, I always fall asleep quickly, so that prevents me from sneaking down to the kitchen for a midnight snack.
I’m usually not a horrible snacker when I’m at work (because I’m usually too busy to realize I’m hungry), but on weekends – watch out. I have to constantly remind myself not to mindlessly snack, or else I just naturally gravitate towards the pantry or fridge. It’s BAD!
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