Snacking can be healthy when it keeps your metabolism going strong and you don’t “pig out” and overeat when mealtime finally arrives. With that in mind, it’s then important to have a delicious Healthy Snack within easy reach at all times so you’re never tempted to eat unhealthy foods between meals!
Healthy snacking is especially important for anyone who’s watching their weight.
How often should you be grabbing a snack?
There is no rigid rule about how often you should snack. But many experts agree that you’ll curb hunger cravings if you eat a healthy snack every three to four hours. However, you should also make sure you eat the right number of calories at snack time. Portable snacks are easy to overeat, even when they are healthy.
That means it’s important to plan your snacks in advance so have something convenient and healthy to munch on when you’re in the car, at school, at the office or wherever.
You’ll need Portable Snacks that are easy to eat with one hand if you plan to nibble while you’re driving a car. Here are some suggestions:
- Almonds. Get the unsalted variety and pre-pack your nuts into single-serving containers. That’s just a small handful of nuts per serving.
- Animal crackers. An entire package of animal crackers has just 180 calories.
- Fresh fruit. You can eat a banana or an apple while you’re en route.
- Graham crackers. Add a dollop of peanut butter for added protein.
- Mini peeled carrots. This veggie is easy to eat when you’re in a car.
- Snack bar. Get a diet-friendly bar with protein. Here’s a recipe to make your own: Healthy Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
Other healthy snacks for school or the office need to be easy to pack and carry. When refrigeration is not an option you may want to consider taking the snacks listed on the next page …