Mastering the Art of Snacking
To many people, (me included) snacking is a non-negotiable. I always make sure to heave some nutrient-dense, wholesome and delicious snacks around for when I feel like I need a boost of energy, or to grab as I head out of the house for a busy day.
Snacking isn't a bad thing as many people seem to make it out to be. It's totally up to you when you eat and how many meals/snacks you choose to have during the day. I believe (and the evidence also suggests) everyone should find what works best for them and their bodies, goals and lifestyle.
Snacks help keep your blood sugar stable, which is especially important for me as a type 1 diabetic, keep your energy levels up, increase your nutrient intake, balance your mood and hormones AND, well, they're delicious. So personally, I LOVE snacks.
I like to prepare a bulk batch of a few snacks to have on hand through out the week, and keep them in the fridge or freezer and ready to go. Making your own snacks and always taking something with you when you leave the house instead of always having to buy expensive things (such as bars or smoothies from cafes) can save you quite a lot of money, plus it saves you from the very difficult situation of being super hungry/tired but not having any food around to pick you back up. Also, when you make it yourself you know exactly what's going in there to give your body the best fuel it deserves. So let's get right into some of my favourite snacks:
- Fresh fruit (whole, chopped up or made into fruit salad, frozen fruit chunks also make the best snack!)
- Homemade smoothies/smoothie bowls or nicecream or my homemade frozen yoghurt recipe
- Raw nut and seed mix
- Medjool dates stuffed with nut butter
- Apple slices dipped in tahini
- Bliss balls (see here and here for some recipes!)
- Coconut date rolls
- Brown rice cakes or spelt/sourdough bread topped with hummus/avocado and sliced tomato OR nut butter and banana, or check out this recipe for more topping ideas
- Chia pudding with fresh fruit
- Dried/dehydrated fruit (my current FAVOURITE is the spicy watermelon jerky from Pure Glow, get on it!)
- Healthy homemade baked goods (some of my favourites include this, this, this and this or these)
- 2-ingredient cookies - just mix oats with mashed banana, shape into cookies and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (you can also add cinnamon, nuts/seeds, cacao powder...)
- Homemade granola by the handful or with fruit and plant milk (see this and this recipe)
- Single Serve Bun (see the recipe!) topped with nut butter/coconut yoghurt and banana or hummus/avocado
- Whatever you would have as a meal, just smaller!
I hope this post has given you some (or lots of!) ideas and inspiration for all your snacking needs. And be sure to let me know if there's any snack recipes you'd like me to create! xx
