Healthy Habits: Get Snackin'

For this edition of Healthy Habits, I thought I would highlight a question I get a lot: What do I eat for snacks? My snacking habits might be a bit of a mystery to you all because I mostly just post meals (and smoothies, of course). My snacks are more spontaneous creations (read: I'm too hungry to make it look pretty for the camera), plus they can be repetitive, so I choose not to post them very often. Nonetheless, I am an avid snacker, and I have developed a few guidelines for smart snacking.

A lot of people the misconception that snacking is "bad." Not so. Eating between meals is an excellent way to keep your energy levels up and to keep your metabolism chugging. For me, it is also a great strategy to fill in nutritional gaps within my diet; food groups that I don't often incorporate into meals can easily become part of a balanced snack. A final advantage of snacking is that it fits easily into a fast-paced schedule. That is, if you're running short on time, you likely don't have time to sit down to a 5-course meal, but you might have a few minutes to spare on a snack.

Although I consume multiple snacks per day, most people seem to be most interested in keeping those mid-afternoon munchies at bay. Thus, I will focus on the ever-popular afternoon nibbles. My basic formula is:

healthy fat + calcium source (dairy/non-dairy/dairy alternative) + fruit or whole grains

This pattern works for me because:
1) I often lack dairy in my meals, so snacktime is a great occasion to balance out my diet and ensure that I am getting adequate calcium
2) The combination of protein, fat, and healthful carbs (i.e., fiber) keeps me full for a few hours until I am ready to prepare dinner.
3) There are myriad combinations of these food groups! Keeping it interesting is simple.

Speaking of possible snack combinations, here are a few of my favorites:

At Home or In the Office options
-Plain yogurt with nuts and dried fruit
-Greek yogurt with a crumbled snack bar (such as Clif Z or Mini Clif) and nuts

-Whole grain crackers and cheese, pistachios
-Cottage cheese with ground flax and dried fruit
-Pumpkin Bread in a bowl: plain yogurt with nuts (walnuts recommended), raisins, pumpkin, and cinnamon

On the Go options
-String cheese, small baggie of GORP (Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts)
-Larabar or Jocolat bar with a to-go carton of soymilk/milk such as Soy on the Go

-Pretzel sticks with a PB packet (such as Justin's) and a piece of fruit

-Apple or banana with nut butter (if using almond butter, it contains calcium AND healthy fat)
-Trail mix: simply combine your favorite cereal with nuts, dried fruit, and your favorite mix-ins (chocolate chips, anyone?)

Here are a few other examples from the past:

This list is in no way comprehensive but rather a mere sampling of what I like and what works for my current schedule.

I hope that demystifies my snacking style for some of you, and I also hope you all find it useful. Happy snacking:)