Who doesn’t love snacks? A staple of our childhoods, you’d think that packing that extra little treat would seem simple enough! But did you know that you can do it WRONG?
In the news, an example of “lunch shaming” was highlighted in the media, when a woman sent her child to school with a healthy lunch…and two Oreo cookies. Innocent enough, right? (I was raised on deli sandwich meat or pb&j sandwiches with fruit roll ups and I came out okay. I think). Long story short, the school confiscated the cookies and sent the daughter home with a letter, and school officials outlined guidelines for packing a healthy and nutritious lunch. (Read the full story here!)
I think it’s safe to say that snacking is something many of us wish were easier, more affordable (monetarily and calorically) and less packed with guilt. Sometimes clients will ask me, “so what kind of snacks *should* I eat?” And it’s not that you don’t know what to eat, often the first things that pops into your head is what NOT to eat! Images of cookies, cake pops, mochas, bagels, chips, a handful of candies…convenience food! It satisfies the needs of portability, fills you up, has everything your instinctual brain wants (sugar, salt, fat and carbohydrates), and usually tastes better than it feels.
Obviously you know the WHY of snack healthily (maintain blood sugar levels so we can stay focused, keep our emotional state steady and prevent getting “hangry,” stay efficient in our tasks, prevent crashing etc), so we’ve compiled a big list of potential snack ideas for you.
Some days we feel like Martha Stewart herself, and have the time to root through Pinterest or the internet for amazing snack ideas that look gorgeous and make us feel like the epitome of health, and it only takes 2 hours to collect, prep, wash, peel and carve out the swan neck in your pesticide free hand picked farmer market apples for presentation on a silver platter. For a snack. Oh, and wrapped in a bow too, of course.
Don’t get me wrong, they ARE beautiful but I just don’t have the time.
Let’s be honest – on days that like, eating healthy isn’t a problem. It’s a problem for people that rush from dropping their kids off (with their organic Whole Foods lunch, receipt included) at school, to work where they sit in meeting after meeting and need something simple, easy, tasty and healthy. So in this list you might see the words “dark chocolate” or “protein bar.” At the end of the day, I think it’s better that you have something a bit healthier in your belly than a jelly donut or heaven forbid, skip meals completely. Baby steps!
Pick a few options this week, a couple different ones the week after, try them all out and see which ones work best for you. Mix and match a few suggestions, and remember to switch it up. You’ll have your faves but moderation and variety are the best! Enjoy!
86 Awesome Snack Ideas
- Frozen grapes
- Cottage Cheese and Pineapple
- Whole grain Crackers and Cheese Bites
- Home made steel-cut oatmeal
- Veggies and Hummus
- Pear and String Cheese
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
- Veggies and Salad Dressing dip
- High fibre breakfast cereal with milk (or milk alternative) and blueberries
- Cherry Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
- Avocado chocolate mousse
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Blackberries and greek yogurt
- Chicken and Crackers
- Snap Peas and Grated Parmesan
- Cup of soup (add extra chopped veggies for crunch and fiber)
- Canned Peaches and Sunflower Seeds
- Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
- Crisp bread with Cottage Cheese and Apple
- Veggie Sushi Rolls
- Peanut (or almond or another substitute) Butter and Apple Slices
- Single serving of air-popped popcorn
- Pretzels and Honey Mustard
- Raspberries
- Multi-grain English muffin with fruit spread
- Edamame Beans and a little sea-salt
- Banana with crunchy Peanut Butter
- Baked sweet potato and cinnamon yogurt
- Baked tortilla chips and salsa
- Fresh mango salsa in a lettuce roll
- Graham crackers
- No-added sugar applesauce and pecans
- Celery and reduced fat cream cheese
- Turkey with Apple Slices
- Strawberries and home made whipped topping
- Apple Slices and (Swiss) cheese
- Avocado with Sea Salt
- Crunchy baked garbonzo beans
- Scrambled Eggs and Salsa
- Home made mini pizza
- Home made baked potato topped with low fat cheese, salsa and green onion
- Probiotic yogurt with dried cranberries, blueberries and almonds
- Sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella
- Canned tuna (water packed) with lemon juice and chopped celery
- Granola
- Handful of walnuts and an orange
- Wasabi Peas and water
- Fruit and Nut Bars
- Cashews and dried cranberries
- Home made toasted corn nuts
- Hard Boiled Egg and Banana
- Low sodium turkey jerky
- Low sugar, natural fruit leather
- Dried Apricots
- Whole wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers
- Cherries with Pits – The pit will encourage mindful, slower consumption!
- Dried Fruit and Veggie Mix
- ½ cup pistachios with shells
- Protein Bars (read the labels)
- Sunflower Seed Cookies
- Air popped popcorn
- Avocado on toast
- Sunflower Seeds
- Half a sandwich – Sharing a sandwich or saving half for later is a great snack option. Skip the huge deli sandwich and keep it simple
- Biscotti and a skinny latte
- Fruit sorbet
- 8-10 dark-chocolate almonds
- Greek yogurt and a little honey
- Your favourite Smoothie
- Pita Bread and Hummus
- A couple Clementine oranges
- Mixed Berry “salad” (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
- Trail Mix
- Healthy kabobs of cheese cubes, meat, veggies and cherry tomatoes
- Veggies and Guacamole
- Dates with almond butter, rolled in shredded organic coconut
- Lettuce wrap
- A hand full of almonds and dried fruit and dark chocolate chips
- Simple Green Salad
- 1/2 of your favourite protein bar
- Sliced Tomato with Feta and Olive Oil
- Egg White and Toast
- Fresh Corn Salsa with multigrain tortilla chips
- Frozen fruit skewers with yogurt
- A pickle
- Sushi roll with black rice
What are your favourite snack ideas? Tell us below or post your favourite snack recipe if it’s not on here!
