When I am working with clients or people hear I am a nutrition coach I often get the question of "What can I eat when I want a snack?"
It's honestly such a good question and I want to unpack that in this blog post for you today.
First off, let's start with the fact that when most people think of and reach for a snack, it's usually something processed like chips, crackers, cookies, etc. Am I right?
I'm not here to demonize processed foods. That's not my MO and even if it were, I think it's helpful to teach you to navigate our current food system which, unfortunately or not, is very high in these "processed foods." So...let's talk about processed foods in the context of snacks. Going back to our chips example, these foods are designed by food scientists whose sole job is to make these foods taste delicious, have the best texture, and the perfect balance of crunchy and salty or salty and sweet, whatever it may be. These foods are created so that it is nearly impossible for you to have what they would consider one serving. Not only that, but if you can succeed at just eating one serving, more often than not we are not very satisfied-or maybe we are for a bit but we find ourselves scavenging for more food an hour later.
Has this ever happened to you?
Look, I love snacks. However, I truly believe that if we were able to get rid of these processed snack foods all together, we could grossly reduce the amount of extra weight we are carrying around and I will die on that hill. The fact of the matter is, these foods aren't going anywhere, so let's learn to navigate this food system we live in, shall we?
Ok, back to snacks...
Before we dig into the nitty gritty of what I think are some of the best options for snacks to support healthy weight and energy, I have one thing I want to say (type 🤪) first...
If you consider yourself a snacker and struggle to eat single serving portions of things, you may want to look at the size of your meals. It is very common when I am working with clients for them to initially constantly be eating (or want to eat) snacks. You can easily eat more calories in a couple of snacks a day that are not portion controlled than in your meals. If you are feeling like you always need to eat a snack you may want to try bulking up the size of your meals so that you don't feel the need to snack so much (hint: add more protein first!) There is no reason you need to snack. Eating 3 to 4 meals a day for most people is plenty if their meals are big enough to support their activity level. But...if it works out better for you to have a snack or two (no judgment, I usually have one a day) then lets dig into some good options:
Protein Based Snacks
Did you know that protein in the most satiating of the three macronutrients? If we base our snack options around protein it can help keep your energy levels stable and our blood sugar levels stable as well. Another great reason to eat protein based snacks is that most of us struggle to get in enough protein during the day but carbs and fat are easy peasy. If we snack on foods that are higher in protein we'll be more satiated and get more protein in: win-win!
Here are a few of my top protein based snacks:
Hard boiled eggs-super easy to make in the instant pot or most stores
have them ready to eat which is even more convenient!
String cheese or babybell cheese (light or regular)
Cheese crisps-a great option for when you are feeling kinda “chippy” just watch portion size.
Turkey pepperoni
Protein Bars-look for ones that have more protein than carbs! I love the ones from costco and also barebells brand (you can get at Trader Joe's or order online) but if you have dietary preferences or avoid dairy make sure you check the ingredients.
Beef or turkey sticks or jerky (watch out for a bunch of hidden sugar)
Low sugar greek yogurt-a great option if you want something sweet!
Cottage cheese (plain or flavored. I love the good culture brand)
Pre-made Protein shakes or grab a single serve powder and a shaker.
Protein chips-If you need protein but want a chip. This sub is crunchy and may help to fill that void! Pork rinds- Salty and crunchy they can definitely hit the spot!
Lunch meat roll ups-roll up turkey slices around pickle spears and add a bit of mustard if you’d like.
I hope that some of the ideas I have given you will go on your grocery list! As you have probably figured out, I am a lover of protein. I think it's missing in a lot of our diets in the quantities that we should be eating. Everybody is looking for the next best diet or supplement when we are missing the mark with simple habits like drinking enough water and eating enough protein!
If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at erin@erinstimac.com! Happy snacking!