Healthy Snacking

Guess who is sick.  Yep…me.  It’s not an all consuming sickness though.  Just the usual cold symptoms – stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing, etc.  The good news is that I’m on the mend and already feeling better than I was earlier this week.

Anyways, I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a fabulous time with family and friends.  And for those of you who don’t celebrate, I hope you enjoyed a day or two off from work.  I’ll share more about our holiday staycation soon!

So the other day I was talking to a friend about healthy eating stuff, more specifically healthy snacking.  She feels that she her biggest obstacle is all the food consumption that takes place in between her three major meals.  I told her she’s not alone.  My personal snacking roadblock occurs when I get home from work.  It’s been 4-5 hours since lunch, and dinner is still an hour or two away.  If I don’t have healthy options ready to eat, I make the worst choices possible.

After talking to my friend, I made a list of my favorite healthy snacks to share with her.  I thought I would share with all of you too, since I know many people are now thinking about “getting back on track” after the holiday season.

1.  A small handful of almonds (or nut of choice)
2.  Greek yogurt + a small spoon of nut butter + a sprinkle of granola
3.  A piece of fruit (an apple + a small spoon of peanut butter is my favorite)
4.  Carrots and/or celery + a large spoonful of hummus
5.  2% cottage cheese + a few pieces of pineapple
6.  Piece of whole grain/wheat toast with peanut butter
7.  Boiled egg (one of Vishnu’s favorite snacks)
8.  String cheese + a piece of fruit OR a small handful of nuts
9.  Turkey and avocado rollups (again, one of Vishnu’s favorites)
10.  A somewhat new favorite of mine – KIND bars

My recent go to snack is definitely #10.  Not only are the bars tasty and an easy grab and go option, but they keep me full for hours at a time.  Case in point – our boat tour this past weekend was at 4:30 pm.  We ate lunch at 12:30, so I wasn’t super hungry but could feel a small hunger pang coming on.  I grabbed a bar on our way out and ate it around 4:00.  And I truly wasn’t hungry again until 7:30.

The thing I love most about these particular bars is that you can spot most of the ingredients without even taking a bite.  They are just that simple and wholesome.

Lucky me (and Vishnu) received a few bars recently to try out.  I didn’t think it was possible for me to find a new favorite after the Dark Chocolate Nuts and Sea Salt.  However, the Dark Chocolate Chili Almond and the Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan may just be my new go to flavors.  The sweet, spicy, salty combo makes my taste buds sing!

A couple of things I like to consider when snacking…

– Portion control.  If I don’t measure out my snacks, I’ll eat way more than I ever intended.  I guess that’s another reason why I enjoy KIND bars – they come pre-portioned.
– Water is key.  As soon as I get home from work, I drink a glass of water.  This reduces my hunger to a point where I can make a reasonable choice and eat a reasonable amount of food.

What are some of your healthy go to snacks?  Snacking strategies?

I was not financially compensated for this post.  I received a sample for review purposes.  The opinions are completely based on my own experience.