Smart snacking means choosing something with protein for balance and slow absorption and avoiding sugar. Drink plenty of water. Sometimes you are dehydrated, not hungry. Below are some great grab and go ideas to become a smart snacker:
– Create “snack--attack packs” to avoid food emergencies and crashing blood sugar. Include unsalted, raw nuts, seeds, raw cacao nibs, goji berries, and healthy, low-- sugar granola.
– Carry low--sugar fruit such as apples, pears, blackberries, blueberries or raspberries.
– Carry a small cooler in your car with ice--packs for things that need to stay cold.
– Make yogurt dip, hummus, or guacamole with raw veggies (zucchini, celery, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower and broccoli florets, pea pods).
– Hard boil eggs and store in the refrigerator.
– Toss together a bean salad (too with olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper, any spices like cumin, onion or shallot).
– Stock plain or Greek yogurt to mix with a handful of blueberries or blackberries (in a container).
– Eat cottage cheese with fresh fruit for sweetness or chopped fresh herbs and chives for a savory version. You could even add in chopped roasted red peppers. Be creative.
– Save leftover soup for lunches.
– Stock mini--packets of nut butters.
– Got a blender in your office kitchenette? Take simple ingredients for a small smoothie.
– Stock healthy jerky (salmon, turkey, grass--fed beef, bison, organic, without added nitrates or MSG).
– Make organic air--popped popcorn (do not use microwave popcorn as it usually contains unhealthy ingredients).
– Buy canned wild sardines in olive oil and low mercury tuna.
– Stash bittersweet dark chocolate (70 percent), and eat small pieces when you want a sweet treat.
