How To Choose Healthy Snacks

We all have an idea as to what is healthy for us and what isn’t. We know that apples are good for us, and that packet of French fries is no good for our bodies. These are easy choices to make – right? Then why do so many of us choose “bad snacks”?

There certainly is an art to choosing the right type of snack at snack time. Many of us fall into the trap of not eating enough of a snack at snack time, which leads to further hunger 20 minutes later. Or we do not choose filling foods, so we become hungry and want to munch on something a little more within an hour or two.

If you want to find some healthy and filling snacks that are good for your body and your weight, and that will keep you fuller for longer, then read on.

The Filling Foods

It’s important that when ever you are on a diet or trying to lose weight that you familiarize yourself with the types of foods that will keep you feeling full for longer. This means, of course, that you will be eating less throughout the day since your stomach’s “hunger” alarm isn’t going off every half an hour. The best foods are those that are high in fiber. These can be healthy fibrous cereals or natural crackers, or fruits and vegetables with a bit of humus or a side serving of almonds or peanuts.

The Simple and Easy Foods

The more preparation that goes into preparing a snack, the less likely we are to actually eat it. We invest enough time as it is preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner on a daily basis; we hardly have enough time to throw together a good snack too.

Cut up any fruits and vegetables that you bring home from the grocery store that day and store them away in sealable containers. Do the same with fruit if you find yourself not wanting to take the time to slice them up when you come home from work, from the gym, or from a day out. Always keep things like humus, low calorie yogurt dips and vinaigrette dressings in your fridge to use as dips.

Nuts, along with whole wheat crackers and cereals, and low fat dairy products such as low fat cottage cheese, are also great snacks to have stashed in your fridge.

The Small Indulgences

Even if you are trying to lose weight, it’s important to indulge a tad from time to time, especially if it is to celebrate a goal that you have reached. A small piece of dark chocolate, a glass of wine once a week, or even 3 marshmallows or a tablespoon of chocolate chips are all good examples of small, sweet treats that you should indulge in every now and a gain (those extra calories that one day will not make or break your diet and weight loss goals).

That being said, it’s important to practice portion control both when you snack and when you indulge. If you find yourself having trouble practicing portion control when it comes to those sweet treats and greasy foods, stay away from them all together and reward yourself in another way (spa day, anyone?).