snacking is having a moment as we wfh. here's how to do it healthily.
the term 'snacking' sometimes comes with a negative connotation — chips anyone? but there are a lot of nutritious ways to 'snack' in a way that is tasty and satisfying, and also healthy.
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there are actually are a lot of nutritious ways to 'snack' in a way that is tasty and satisfying, but also healthy. getty
in a recent survey
of dietitians on nutrition trends, respondents reported that their clients are snacking more — a consequence of both working from home and an increased desire for more comforting foods. they also note that convenience, nutritional value and taste are the primary criteria their clients use to determine which snack options are best. recent ipsos data also looked at our current snacking habits, finding that half of canadians snack between meals.
i am seeing this trend in my clients as well. but while the term ‘snacking’ sometimes comes with a negative connotation — do you think of chips and cookies? — there are actually are a lot of nutritious ways to ‘snack’ in a way that is tasty and satisfying, but also healthy.
here are my top five favourite snack suggestions based on convenience (prep time, if any, should be under 30 seconds), nutritional value (the product contributes meaningful essential nutrients), and taste.
roasted legumes. legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc.) are among the most under-appreciated foods relative to their nutritional value, a sentiment i wrote about in previous column. legumes are ultra-satiating owing to their high fibre and protein content, and the roasted varieties bring a level of crunch and mild saltiness to them too.
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if you are someone trying to minimize hunger and cravings between meals, there is no better snack option.
there are a number of delicious product varieties in this category available online and you can always roast your own if you’re willing to go that extra mile.
seaweed. one of the food items that are readily available online and in most stores, are seaweed snacks, which can be a tasty, lower caloric, alternative to potato chips. seaweed also contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that many of us might not otherwise be exposed to (unless you eat sushi).
yogurt parfait (homemade). this will require more effort than opening a single package, but yogurt is a quick and a nutritious snack choice because it’s so easy to add nuts, seeds and fruit (all important foods) — and perhaps little chocolate, dark for bonus points — with little cost to your time and energy. yogurt itself, especially greek or icelandic yogurt, is also high in protein and contains varying amounts of healthy bacteria (probiotics). you can also add kellog’s all bran buds to make it an ultra-satiating snack.
chocolate protein bars. on the nutrition scale from an actual chocolate bar to, let’s say, roasted legumes, the wide variety of chocolate protein bars on the market probably fall somewhere in the middle. they are fun, delicious and certainly tend to be lower in calories while being loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. in my experience, among the most popular products include the rx bar and the midday square.
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other solid ideas included fruit with peanut butter, veggies with hummus or even a good old fashioned granola bar with a glass of milk.
andy is a registered dietitian and author who has operated a private practice in toronto since 2015. he spends his free time eating, writing and talking about kale @andytherd. he can be reached at andytherd.com
do you have health question you’d like andy to cover? send us an email at info@healthing.ca.
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