Session 4:
Snacks, Shopping, and Cooking
Welcome back!
We’ve talked before about how it’s easier to eat healthy if you build healthy habits instead of relying on willpower. We’ve also talked about portion control and strategies for avoiding your Food Kryptonite as specific tools for building healthy habits.
This week we’re going to focus on healthy snacks and on how to shop and cook meals that help you lose weight but that you still enjoy. If that can become another habit you develop you will be well on your way to long term success.
Healthy Snacks
Waiting too long between eating times can lead to overeating, blood sugar swings, and low energy. Snacks help bridge the gap. Having healthy snacks around that you enjoy eating can help you avoid eating something you’ll later regret when you feel overly hungry. We created some simple guidelines and listed some ideas to get you started.
Create balanced snacks by combining healthy fats, protein and carbs. Bonus points for veggies!
Pick foods from each category to build the perfect balanced snack.
Protein: Lean meats (chicken and turkey), fish & seafood, tofu & tempeh, cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt, eggs
Carbs with fiber: Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal), sweet potatoes, 100% wholegrain bread/ crackers/wraps, beans & lentils (also contain protein), peas & corn, fruit.
Healthy fats: Nuts & seeds, avocado, plant oils (olive, avocado, coconut), olives
Veggies: Broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, leafy greens (salad, kale, chard, spinach), green beans, sugar snap peas & MANY MORE!
Try to Choose:
- Whole grains and whole-grain flours instead of white, refined flours
- Less processed foods (i.e. foods that look more like their natural state)
- Foods you actually enjoy (what a concept!)
Ideas for Snacks and Small Meals:
- String cheese and a piece of fruit
- Peanut or almond butter on an apple, banana, or whole-grain crackers (we like original Triscuits because they only have three ingredients!)
- Veggie sticks (carrot, celery, bell peppers, cucumber, jicama, sugar snap peas) with hummus
- Small handful of unsalted nuts or seeds and a small handful of dried fruit (or go all out at the bulk bins in your grocery store and make your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, a small amount of dried fruit, a dash of dark chocolate chips, and coconut flakes- yum!)
- Whole grain toast topped with turkey breast and avocado
- A hard-boiled egg and some sliced fruit/veggies (apple, carrot, celery, peppers)
- Crackers with hummus and cucumber slices
- Cottage cheese with pineapple or pear chunks (canned in fruit juice if using canned)
- Half of a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread
- Whole grain toast topped with spinach and a poached egg (or hardboiled)
If you need to buy bars for easy on-the-go snacking, look for one with 3 – 5 grams of fiber, at least 8 grams of protein, less than 10 grams sugar, and less than 8 grams of fat (no more than 1 gram saturated).
Reviewed by Emily Matson, MS, RDN
on June 9, 2020. Emily is a Registered Dietitian with her Master's degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA, and is one of our Brook Experts.