Tips for Strategic Snacking

Snacks seem to have earned the reputation as a "waste of calories." Well fear not, my friends, here at LTN we are HUGE snack people. Generally, the issue with snacks is not the concept of a snack itself but with the way that people choose to build that snack. Most people build up snacks in a way that simply provides calories but doesn’t necessarily maximize nutrition. They opt for drive by, convenient snacks that fill the “right then and there” hunger but are not planned out enough to hold you over until your next meal. This is often leads to “grazing” and the constant snacking on “carby things” that send us over our calorie range and give snacks a bad reputation. The best way to break out of this cycle is to start forming well planned snacks. Well-planned snacks can absolutely fit into a healthy diet and are actually very beneficial when it comes to eating healthy and losing weight. 

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Instead of viewing snacks as a “waste of calories” we need to start viewing them as an “opportunity to nourish” instead. People tend to put so much effort into building up balanced meals that they forget to build up balanced snacks as well. Let me tell you, snacks SHOULD get just as much attention as your main meals. They are an eating opportunity and can be an asset when built up properly and here’s why:

• Snacks provide essential energy and can decrease overall hunger, helping you eat less at mealtimes and maintain a healthy body weight.

• Snacks also provide an opportunity to include foods and food groups, like fruits and vegetables, that we may have a hard time eating enough of at meal times.

• Finally, snacks simply just provide us with extra nutrition. Especially for those who are eating in a calorie deficit, finding every opportunity to fill your calories with nutritious foods is key to the health of your body!

My Snacking Strategy

I help my clients build up better snacks by presenting them with my two step strategy to better snacking: pick a base and add a protein. People go wrong with snacks for a variety of reasons but more often than not, it’s because they are not taking time to balance out the macronutrients of their snacks. We tend to choose ONLY a carbohydrate food (what I like to call a “base”) and that’s where our snack ends. These snacks will not keep you full for very long and can open the door to constant grazing because you are never giving your body what it truly needs. Instead, pick the base you would have picked then balance it out with a protein. When you enter into EVERY snacking opportunity with this mindset you will be well on your way to building balanced and better snacks.

Let’s Break it Down

When I say “base,” I’m typically referring to the carb that most people snack on. Yes, you can eat carbs at your snack. We want to choose healthy carbs majority of the time and then balance those carbs out with a protein. Personally, I love to use the base of my snack as an opportunity to get in a fruit or vegetable, but you do you boo. Here are some examples of a base:

            - Crackers                                    -Tortilla

            - Popcorn                                      -Whole wheat bread

            - Fruit                                            -Pretzels

            - Vegetables                                  -Berries

            - Rice Cake                                   -Granola

When I say a “protein,” I’m referring to any food that will add a bit of protein to the base. The protein will help keep you fuller for longer and really helps make the most of the snack. Here are a few examples of a protein:

            - Beef Jerky                                    -Edamame

            - Nuts                                            -Greek Yogurt

            - Cheese/Cottage Cheese             -Almond Butter

            - Peanut Butter                               -Hardboiled Egg

            - Hummus                                       -Seeds (chia, sunflower, etc)

Instead of choosing JUST the rice cake base, balance it out with some protein by adding cottage cheese. Instead of 12 crackers, choose 6 crackers for a base and add some protein with hummus. Pick a cutie orange and add some pumpkin seeds. Are you picking up what I’m putting down? This strategy will maximize those snack calories, give your body the protein it needs, and will keep you full until your next meal. Pick a base and add a protein. Pick a base and add a protein. This is the mantra you want repeating in your head as you build your snacks.

Some Other Snack Suggestions

Now that you know my snacking strategy, I will give you a little snack inspiration to get you on your way to building better snacks! 

                Base:                                                     Protein

           -Pineapple                                         -Cottage Cheese

          -Carrots                                              -Hummus

          -Banana + Whole wheat tortilla           -Peanut Butter

          -Mixed berries                                    -Vanilla Greek Yogurt

          -Celery                                               -Light cream cheese + EBTB

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Hey! I’m Lauren

I’m a registered dietitian and my goal is to give you tips and tricks to make healthy eating fun, easy, and even delicious!