How often have you resorted to the snack you later regretted simply because it was at hand and quick and easy? 

As with everything nutrition, eating great snacks comes down to planning more than discipline.

Your winning snacks will be:

=> Always on hand.

=> Quick and easy.

=> Non-trigger foods or portioned controlled.

It’s worth having a glass or two of water before eating an unscheduled snack or getting a 5 minute chore done first and seeing if the desire to eat is still there.

In the following list of safe (for your best body) snacks you are also avoiding two common pitfalls:

1. ‘TOO GOOD’

That’s the snack you’re initially really proud of… that cheating your body little UNsatisfying number that leaves you craving something else. Needing something else. Obsessed with something else! The too good snack is more trouble than it’s worth.

2. ‘TOOO GOOD’

That’s the snack you over indulge in every time… its super more’ish, addictive and absolutely tests your ability to stop once you start gobbling. The ‘just one more’ snack. Or perhaps the ‘I’ll have double today and miss it tomorrow’ snack. How often do you manage that though? The tooo good snack is a discipline exhauster.

So here are some great options:

Keep at HOME Snacks:

Smoothies. What I love about smoothies is the limitless variety.

Start with a liquid of choice: water, almond milk or coconut milk.

Add fruit: berries, apple, mango, passion fruit are my favs but anything goes.

Next add some veg: spinach, kale, broccoli, cucumber.

Finish with a good fat: nut butter, hemp or chia seeds, avocado.

AND optionally turbo charge with protein: vegan protein powder or spirulina.

=> Time saver. Buy your fruit and veg on mass at the markets, whatever is in season.

Freeze portions of everything except liquid in snap lock bags.

Ready to add a cup of liquid to and blend in 60 seconds.

Mini omelettes/frittata. A make on mass option that freezes well and you’ll find super handy.

Start with your fav veg: cauli (great instead of potato), spinach, mushies, capsicum, zucchini, onion.

Add eggs and perhaps some sun-dried tomatoes or vegan pesto for extra flavour.

Next add your herbs of choice: coriander, basil, parsley, rosemary and chili too if you’re a fan.

Finish with a sprinkle of cheesy nutritional yeast or a layer of sliced tomatoes.

=> Time saver. Spray with oil and line mini muffin tins with a leaf or 2 of kale. Crack in an egg. Sprinkle with chopped veg, perhaps mushroom+cherry tomato and bake for around 15 mins in an oven preheated to 400 F.

Patties. They don’t need to be confined to dinner time. Whatever your fav mix, make on mass and freeze for an easy snack.

Start with your fav legume/bean or even mashed sweet potato.

Add veg: grated carrot, zucunni, celery, onion.

Next add your fav herbs and spices and veggie stock if needed to bind.

Finish with a low sugar salsa or similar dip.

=> Times saver. Add an undressed bag of causlaw mix (my fav includes carrot, broccoli. Spring onion and red+white cabbage) to your fav beans (mash 1/2 the beans to help bind) and season with a quality dried mixed herb blend.

Keep at WORK Snacks:

Nuts. The easiest option. Portion control is key. I recommend buying an amount and committing to the numbers of days/servings it needs to last. So a 250gm bag of my fav roasted unsalted cashews should last me 5 days.

Kale crisps. If you can make on mass and Not devour straight away they store in an airtight container well.

Protein shakes. Keep the (ideally vegan not whey or soy based) powder at work and add a tablespoon of nut butter to make it more satisfying.

If you have a fridge at work…

Eggs. Hard-boil on mass free range organic eggs once a week and take to work.  If you are so inclined, stuffing them makes them a lot more enjoyable.

Leafy roll ups. Store your washed leaves of pref at work (maybe cos or rainbow chard). Spread with your dip of choice maybe hummus + pumpkin seeds or vegan cheese + tomato + pesto or salsa + avocado and roll up for a simple snack.

Non rollable veg. Store a more substantial veg of choice at work, I like capsicum and fill with your fav quick combo.

So perhaps, 1/2 capsicum with 1/4 avocado and 50 gm of hummus.

At the SUPERMARKET Snacks:

The supermarket is a massive temptation zone.  Here I cover >> 5 steps to Avoid Supermarket Sabotage:

Beyond that…

Nuts. Again buy the size that divides easily into the number of servings you want to get out of it.

Fruit spread with nut butter – like an apple with a tablespoon of almond butter.  (adding the good fat is going to make that fruit more satisfying).

Can of tuna or salmon, if you can handle it.  Even when I ate fish I couldn’t!  However, if you are a fan of canned fish then check the label and choose the option that is sustainably fished + low in carbs and high in protein. It’s amazing how much sugary filler they can jam those cans with instead of fish, don’t be fooled, I’m sure you can think of much better ways to get your carb fix than sugary sauce.

Veg sticks/pieces (most supermarkets sell snack size ready to go now) with your fav dip.  Actually possibly NOT your most fav (they can have a hugely high caloric density)… go for the one with just a few ingredients and the best combo of high protein, med fat and low carb that you can find.

What about those easy to grab ‘health bars’???

Some can be ok.  I used to be hooked on fake-proceessed protein bars.  They served a purpose, as they are quick and easy and a good replacement when I wanted to switch from chocolate bars.  Long term I believe they encourage the taste for that fake fix and that’s not super helpful.

Some can be chock full of sugar and fat to surpass even your fav chocolate bar.  If a bar has to advertise it’s ‘healthy’ or ‘light’ or ‘natural’ it’s probably worth avoiding!  Ignore the front of packet advertising and check the nutritional break down on the back of the bar. Look for:

=> The less ingredients the better AND do you recognise them all?

=> The higher protein and lower carbs and fat the better… they can be tricky, just because you see ’10’ that could mean 10% carbs, or 10% of your daily requirement (how can they know that anyway) OR 10 gms.

=> Portion size… again never assume a bar is a portion.

Ok, love to hear some of your go to snacks?

OR perhaps those snacks you used used to indulge in that really didn’t do your best body any favours?

To illustrate how possible it is to absolutely change your eating habits and cravings AND still get just as much enjoyment from food that fuels your best body I’ll get the traded-in-snacks ball rolling…

As a teenager my best afternoon tea was a six pack of white sour dough rolls from the supermarket filled with a packet of raw 2 minute noodles.

Carb+processed crap-o-la overload, right?!

P.S. For more of my fav body friendly snacks (including PROTEIN PANCAKES and ZERO CARB DESSERT) check out this post >> Fat Loss Fuel To Choose Your Curves.