Filling Snacks for Energy & Purpose
Everyone knows the saying that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day", but mid-morning hunger and the afternoon munchies can be just as important times to eat something healthy and delicious. Don't let unpreparedness hinder your performance in work, school, or life. Plan ahead and make sure you have some of these delicious snack options in the cupboard or stashed in your car. It’ll make life so much easier.
We’ve all been there. Hunger can strike when you’re at home and it’s the day before you go to the grocery store. Or it could happen you’re out and about without anything prepared. Knowing a few favorite options that you can access easily, even in places like convenience stores can stop you from being tempted to go for the unhealthy options.
Knowing what you should be eating in advance, even if you don’t have it on hand can be important. When the afternoon slump hits, it can be hard to make good decisions and far easier to reach for high-calorie snacks when your energy levels are low.
Here are some filling snacks to keep on hand. Opt for high protein, high fat, or high fiber options to keep you satisfied.
Here are Some Great Options of Filling Snacks for Energy
Nuts
Get pre-portioned ones (e.g. ones you can buy in individual packs) OR pre-portion yourself. You want to eat about ¼ cup for a snack. They are high in fat, so don’t go above and beyond this amount. Eating a variety of nuts is a good idea as they all have different nutrients too.
Turkey jerky
High in protein, this snack takes a while to eat since the meat is tough and there's often a lot of jerky in one package. A perfect way to make sure those messages about being full reach your brain before you’ve over-eaten. It’s a great one to keep in the car or in your bag as it keeps for ages too. It’s high in protein so single serving provides a great mid afternoon snack option.
Greek Yogurt
My best advice when it comes to yogurt is to choose plain and add your own fruit. I like to let frozen fruit thaw and mix in, the juices will make it taste just like flavored yogurt. or choose brands with the lowest amount of added sugar and check the grams of protein per serve.
Hard boiled eggs
This is one of my favorite snack options. On a Sunday I like to boil up a whole lot of eggs. They keep in the fridge for up to a week, unpeeled! Be aware of the smell, so you need to be selective of where you’re choosing to eat these. To make them a little more interesting, season with salt and pepper, or my favorite — Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel seasoning!
Beet or Carrot Chips
These can be the perfect replacement for potato chips. Look for any sort of “chips” that are made from non-startchy vegetables. There’s a huge range out there, from parsnips and carrots through to beets or sweet potatoes. Mix it up and try something different, just don’t get tempted by the potato chips.
Baby Carrots
These are such a great snack! Fresh and healthy, a bag can be purchased in most grocery stores wherever you are. The sweetness of this snack will make you forget you’re actually eating a snack that’s good for you!
Fiber Bars
Eating well doesn’t just mean getting all your amino acids in. Protein and fiber are important! A fiber bar is a great way to make sure you’re getting in enough of this essential nutrient and staying regular. If you’re not getting enough, I’m sure you’ll know about it soon! Make sure you don’t go too far the other way though. Stick to only one of these bars as they mean it when they say they’re high in fiber! Look at the different options to see what the calories are. I know that I’ve seen them range from 140 to 90 calories. You don’t want to spend too many of your daily calories on a snack, so make sure you’re looking for the lower end of the scale.
Dark Chocolate
This is one of my favorite snacks. In fact, I wrote a whole meal plan based around dark chocolate as a snack! Again, you want to stick with single servings to control your portion sizes, otherwise, it can be just too tempting to break off one more square! Otherwise, take a full-size bar and break it up and keep it in individual baggies in your pantry. I definitely find dark chocolate doesn’t keep me coming back as much milk chocolate. The sugar in milk chocolate can leave you wanting more and more, whereas dark chocolate leaves my chocolate craving feeling satisfied without having to go overboard on the calories. Check out the 100-calorie bars at Trader Joe’s to help with portion control.
String Cheese
Cheese is loaded with healthy fats and protein. This means it will help you feel fuller for longer. Stack up your fridge with some single-serving options for when you know you’re going to be out and about.
Baked Cheese Crackers
Another great for those with cheese cravings. I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not those cheese crackers! I’m talking about the baked cheese crackers that are made to look and taste like normal crackers but are made of only cheese. So they’re very low in carbohydrates! A great indulgent tasting snack that’s still high in protein content. If your local store doesn’t have them you can buy one of my favorite options online here.
Veggies and Guacamole
This one takes a little more time to prepare, but it’s so worth it. Healthy, crunchy vegetables and creamy guacamole. The perfect afternoon treat! Guacamole is high in fat which balances out the veggies perfectly and will leave you feeling full. I like to buy the single-serving packets as avocados can be so hard to time correctly and once you’ve made guacamole it does go brown very quickly! These single-serving packets are tasty.
Nut Butters
An energy boosting way to get a combination of proteins into your diet! Again, I love the single serve packets of peanut butter but you can mix it up and try different kinds like almond butter or sunbutter. Nuts are an awesome complex carb and energy boosting snack to incorporate in any diet for sustained energy. Add to a piece of fruit like a banana or apple to mix things up.
Protein Bars
Protein bars or energy bars make a great snack. This is another option that you want to look at the amount of sugar that has been added. Sometimes companies are almost selling chocolate bars with a protein label on them! Here's a list of my faves.
Veggies with Salsa
Salsa is basically made of cut up veggies with delicious spices added. Therefore, if you cut up non-starchy veggies to have with it, it’s veggies on veggies! Delicious and good for you. With basically no calories in this snack, you can almost eat as much as you want!
Trail Mix
Another great way to get a serving of good protein and fat filled nuts into your day! I love this option because you can mix it up and make it more interesting with dried fruits, chocolate or different kinds of nuts. Aim for variety and keep the amount of fruit (and it’s associated sugar) low. This is a great snack for added protein and fiber and to give you a boost of sustained energy.
Turkey
I love a few slices of deli turkey as a high-protein snack to keep me energized in the afternoon. Try it wrapped in a few slices of iceberg lettuce to add some crunch to your snack.
Popcorn
Popcorn is a great low-calorie treat if you’re making your own. Check out what’s added to store bought options before you eat too much! Mix up your toppings with sweet or savory to make it a little different.
Smoothies
Try your hand at smoothies when you need an energy boost! I love how versatile they are and the fact that you can add in protein powders (or a plant based alternative if you need one for dietary restrictions) to bump up your protein and fiber intake. Add in your fresh fruit and vegetables and use a natural sweetener like agave as to not spike blood sugar levels. You can purchase them pre-made or DIY at home.
Energy Drinks
Did you know there are healthy energy drink options now on the market like Celcius and Zoe+? Energy drinks with clean ingredients loaded with vitamins, minerals and functional ingredients rather than the tons of sugar, additives and flavorings that make traditional energy drinks a no-no.
HERE ARE SOME FAVORITE SNACKS
