It’s mid-morning and you’re just an hour away from lunch, but the thought of raiding the pantry for a snack is creeping up on you. What should you grab as a snack? Should you even be snacking at all? Here’s a few tips on making smart snacking choices the next time you’re feeling peckish:
1. Don’t snack mindlessly – Which means no snacking while watching TV or even while you’re standing over the fridge trying to figure out something to snack on. Experts strongly suggest against mindless snacking simply because once you’re done with the snack, you realise that you want more to nibble on. Snacking while working might help you get through those emails, but it also helps you go through a bag of chips fast.
2. A snack and a treat are two very different things – A handful or cookies or fried fritters from the food court may seem like a small dose of guilty pleasure calories. But 5 pieces of banana fritters could easily set your #eatclean plans back by 560 kcals. Not only is that a whole load of calories, but these treats won’t do much to satiate your hunger. Craving for something to snack on? Try some mixed nuts instead!
3. Healthy carbs love company – The rule of thumb is this – balance is key. It’s better to have more than just one macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) at each snacking session rather than an excess of only one food group. Try snacking on few nuts (protein and fat) and some grapes (carbohydrates) and see how these two items could really keep you going until your next meal.
4. Pack snacks with you – Plan ahead and carry a small bag of healthy snacks in your purse! This will come in handy when you’re craving for something to nibble on and will most likely stop you from turning to stuff like cookies or candy bars.
5. Be sure to treat yourself every now and then – It’s been proven that giving yourself treats may just be the secret to losing weight. If you’ve got a hankering for a slice of chocolate cake, go for it. Rather have wine than dessert? Skip the cake and get yourself a glass with dinner. Savoring a small treat each day won’t ruin your diet.
6. Go nuts – Unsalted and baked nuts make great snacks. Be it almonds, walnuts, pistachios or cashews, nuts contain many beneficial nutrients and are more likely to leave you feeling satisfied (as opposed to a bag of No-Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies at Famous Amos). Thanks to the oil content in nuts, nuts are high in calories – but hey, as long as you stick to a handful of Nature’s Wonders nuts, you’re only consuming about 160 kcals at one time.
Feeling peckish? Get yourself a pack of Nature’s Wonders nuts today! For more on Nature’s Wonders, access here.
