Health-wise snacking

My top 10 healthy snacks

When you’re looking for a mid-morning or afternoon snack, you should be aiming for about 300 kJ or 100 cal.

Snack packs are tasty, convenient, and portioned for calorie counters, but often have added sugars and salt and questionable nutritional value.

Give these treats a try instead – here are 10 of my favourites.

Stash them in your desk drawer, fridge, or car — wherever hunger pangs hit you. The best part: most will curb your appetite for hours because they’re high in filling fibre or satisfying protein.

1. Midmorning Fill-Up: Add hot water to a small packet of apple and cinnamon instant oats (avoid the sugary versions)– it smells and tastes great. No chocolate guilt, and there’s a bonus: plenty of filling, cholesterol-fighting oat fibre.
2. Peanut Butter and celery: using 1½  teaspoons peanut butter, fill your celery sticks for a fibre and protein hit. (I love this one!)
3. Apple Mousse: Mix a half cup of unsweetened applesauce with 3 tablespoons of  plain yoghurt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Make a batch and refrigerate in portable snack cups. Supplies 20% of your daily vitamin C and counts as one serving of fruit.
4. Veggies and Dip: Cut up some of your favourite veggies (almost 0 cal) and tuck into them 2 tablespoons of hummus (protein and fibre in one hit). For veggies, think broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, sugar snap peas, capsicum, cucumber and celery sticks – all of them filled with fibre, vitamins, and protective phytonutrients.  (a hit with the kids!)
5. Cafe Mocha:  Looking for a chocolate hit?  Stir a packet of no sugar added hot chocolate mix into hot coffee for an instant afternoon pick-me-up that only tastes decadent. It actually delivers 30% of your calcium, iron, and even some fibre.  Add a splash of milk for more goodness. Compare that to 200 calories for the smallest Starbucks Caffe Mocha (2% milk, no whip), with 6 grams of fat.
6. Cottage Cheese: grab a couple of thin rice cakes and top with a couple of table spoons of cottage cheese.  Add some tomatoe or cucumber slices – tasty, fresh and filling.
7. Finger Food: (a great one to keep in your handbag)  Grab a handful of nuts to get a great fibre and protein hit and the bit of fat will keep you going until dinner time.  Almonds, unsalted peanuts and walnuts are great!  Avoid the salted variety – too much salt and too more-ish (I find anyway).  Stick to about 30g
8. Have a banana: these are my favourite “meal in a peel” – keep one in your gym bag for a post workout energy hit
9. Happy Hour Combo:  Cocktail time? Mix ½ cup of tomato juice with ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, and a dash of lemon juice. Serve over ice with a celery stick and about a dozen dry roasted peanuts.
10. Frozen banana dessert: Need a sweet treat?  Freeze your over ripe bananas and then blend one small or 2/3 large banana with a table spoon of plain yogurt and a dash of milk.   Vary your liquid amounts to change the thickness.  Variations – add a handful of blueberries, a dash of vanilla or some cinnamon.  My kids love this as an afternoon snack, especially on hot days

There are some good protein balls out there on the market too – look for those with few ingredients and limited sugar (think anything ending in -ose)

Good nutrition and a plenty of exercise together help you maintain a healthy weight and good mental balance.  For exercise options – come and try our fun, outdoor exercises classes.  Check out my timetable page.