Turn your Snacking Habits Around!

SNACKING - WHERE IT GOES WRONG… AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT!

One of the most common goals you guys set in our recent habit challenge was to stop snacking. But the thing is, snacking in itself is not bad - in fact, it can help your energy levels stay stable throughout the day, help you manage cravings and assist you in hitting those daily nutrition targets. Why snacking has a bad reputation is because so many of our snacks aren’t supporting our goals. Read on to find out the biggest mistakes people make when snacking, and some balanced snack options for you to try!

The most common snacking errors include:

• thinking all snacking is “bad” - as above, snacking can be a fantastic tool when used to manage hunger levels between meals. Most of us need fuel every 3-4 hours, so if your next meal is further away than that, a snack is in order. The key with snacking is using them when you’re hungry… not bored (after dinner snacking, looking at you)!
• not planning/preparing them - we plan meals, but often forget about our snacks. This means we end up grabbing whatever is available when hunger strikes, which is often a nutrient devoid option like biscuits, chocolate or chips.
• not balancing them - just because its not a meal, it doesn’t mean your snack shouldn’t be thought out and balanced like a meal. A handful of almonds or a single piece of fruit is not going to keep you full for very long at all. Think about combining at least two of the three macronutrients in your snack to make it more filling and nutrient dense (protein, healthy fat, carbs).
• making them too small - a Tim Tam, a coffee, a handful of random biscuits… again, these things just aren’t going to properly satisfy (especially if your next proper meal is several hours away!)
• So now we know what not to do… here’s some balanced snack options for you to try!

Grab and go options (no prep required):

• low sugar muesli bar (Carmen’s fruit free is a tasty option!) with a small tub of Chobani plain light Greek yoghurt
• a piece of fresh fruit and tablespoon of peanut butter (100% peanuts)
• sliced light tasty cheese(2-3 slices), Vita Weets or seeded crackers, cherry tomatoes
• veggie sticks (carrot, cucumber, capsicum) and 2 tablespoons hummus

Quick and easy prep options:

• smoothie with fresh/frozen fruit, light milk, greek yoghurt and chia seeds
• muffin tin frittatas with ham, cheese, spinach and tomato
• protein shake with water or milk