The Best Snacks to Curb Hunger

To snack or not to snack? There are different schools of thought regarding snacking. Some “diet experts” will advise against snacking in between meals whereas fitness professionals recommend a pre-workout snack to ensure you have enough energy to complete your workout.

There are so few scientific studies to disprove either belief so eating in between meals is really dependent upon personal preference. However, there is a difference between a good snack and a bad snack.

It’s a given that if you’re snacking on junk food in between meals, that’s going to harm whatever your health and wellness goals are. And quite frankly, ruin your appetite for your next meal.

A healthy snack should consist of a complex carbohydrate, healthy fat, and/or source of protein and be around 100-200 calories depending on your daily caloric requirements.

The mix between a complex carb, healthy fat, and lean protein will keep you satiated until your next meal and not leave you crashing from a sugar high.

Here are some examples:

• 1 cup of veggies + 1/4 cup hummus

• string cheese + piece of fruit

• celery sticks + natural peanut butter 

• piece of fruit + handful of unsalted nuts

• hard boiled egg + 1 cup of veggies or fruit

• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup berries

I recommend that if you’re going longer than 5 hours in between meals, grab one of these healthy snacks to prevent you from eating too much at your next meal. Having that snack will also keep your blood sugar stabilized until your next meal and keep your energy up.

It’s also a good idea to keep some non-perishable snacks in your car, your bag, and office for when you’re on the go and don’t have time to grab something healthy. My faves to have on hand are single serving packets of lightly salted almonds or trail mix.

Have a favorite go-to healthy snack? Feel free to share in the comments or send us a message!

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