You ate lunch two hours ago, but it isn’t quite dinner time yet. You head to the kitchen to grab a snack and are drawn to the chips in the pantry. These Doritos or Pringles can be hard to resist, but there are better options.
Here are some healthy snacks to eat throughout the day that won’t leave you feeling guilty.
1. Celery
Celery is a food with one of the lowest-calorie counts. It takes so much energy to chew and digest that it is sometimes called a negative calorie food. Celery on its own is not the most tasteful thing— it is mainly made of water. So, pairing it with another flavor can make the taste 10 times better.
Try dipping celery in hummus, ranch, peanut butter or even cream cheese. These dips and spreads can add taste to the fresh but almost tasteless veggie. Celery can suffice your craving for something crunchy, and it is undoubtedly more nutritious than potato chips. Try celery filled with cream cheese and topped with everything but the bagel seasoning.
2. Peppers
Peppers have such a great taste and each color has a slightly different flavor of its own. Simply cutting up and dipping these peppers in your favorite dip can make them even yummier.
Peppers can be turned into creative snacks because of their unique shape. One of these options is pepper boats. You can cut bell peppers entirely in half for a big boat or into smaller pieces to make them more like poppers. Then, you can put any kind of dip, sauce, spread, cheese or grain mixture into the boat shape. These are nutritious and give you a healthy crunch as well.
Another option is to make a bell pepper sandwich. These take away the need for bread and extra carbs. Put the same things you would put on your standard sandwiches on them— a choice of meat, cheese, mayo or mustard, lettuce and pickles. The post below is a grilled chicken bell pepper sandwich
3. Yogurt and Berries
Yogurt and berries can seem like more of a breakfast meal, but it can be a perfect snack to hold you over until your next meal. There are so many different kinds and flavors of yogurt to choose from to mix with your favorite berries and granola or cereal.
You can add any berries or types of granola based on your personal preferences. One of my personal favorites is low-fat vanilla yogurt with chopped-up strawberries, Special K Red Berries cereal and a drizzle of honey on top. It is the best breakfast, but also a sweet snack to satisfy your sweet tooth.
4. Edamame
Edamame is a salty snack you can eat hot or cold. It is steamed soybeans with salt and is sometimes topped with soy sauce and sesame seeds. If you can steam it in your own kitchen, that’s a perk. But, if not, there are pre-cooked containers of edamame sold at most grocery stores.
5. Trail Mix
Trail mix is such a delicious salty and possibly sweet snack. You can buy it premade in stores or make it yourself with your favorite mixture of nuts. Make your own mix using almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts and pecans. You can also add dried berries or seeds for a wider variety of tastes.
A lot of trail mixes also contain some form of chocolate. Although this additive is not needed, many people enjoy it. Just be careful if you add chocolate candy, don’t add too much and don’t pick out just these pieces. That will go against the purpose of trail mix being a healthy snack. If you feel the need to add a little sweetness, stick with a small amount of M&M’s or chocolate chips.
6. Apple and Peanut Butter
A classic childhood snack that always hits the spot. You can make this option even healthier by using a different kind of nut butter. Almond butter is an excellent place to start if you’ve never tried a peanut butter substitute.
Although it is crucial to maintain a balanced diet when you’re craving a snack, aim for more nutritious foods instead of highly processed, fatty foods. Enjoy!