Everyone knows that you should snack throughout the day, but sometimes it just doesn’t seem so simple. My fat self wants chips, chocolate and pretty much anything that has a carb in it. My skinny bitch self knows that the key to a small waist is celery sticks and tic-tacs. There has got to be a happy medium, and honestly I am still trying to find that balance. While I know I can’t live healthily by dining on Cheetos and junior mints there has got to be something more fun than celery.
Over the last couple of months I have slowly been learning what works for me and what will leave me willing to do very bad things for sugar by noon. Your morning has to start with a good breakfast, it has been pushed down our throats from the time we were little kids. Honestly breakfast is super important and normally I look forward to my morning meal, but there those extremely early days where I just can’t stomach the idea of anything before 9am. If you ever get stuck like this what I try to do is eat something small. I usually can suck back half a banana or a yogurt cup. Not eating anything usually leaves me ravenous and just plain old cranky. No one likes cranky people.
Now that we’ve got breakfast out of the way it should be free sailing until lunch right? Um, totally not true. If your like me and your in class/at work day dreaming of your next meal you should probably eat something. I usually get hungry mid morning, and when it hits I need something immediately. Lately I have been relying on Cliff bars, and as much as I love them they keep me full to long. This is wear some serious snacks come in.
Now I’m not the kind of girl who pre packs her 7 and 1/4 almonds and finds them completely satisfying. I need a little balance. I don’t want my snack to be to big, boring or leave me craving more. This can be challenge if you have a small food obsession like me.
- An english muffin (or rice cake), 2 tbsp of crunchy organic peanut butter (the kind that is only made up of peanuts) with an apple. Now this sounds like a pretty basic snack, you probably didn’t need me to tell you how to make this one. This snack honestly keeps me full for just the right amount of time. I love the real peanut butter, and the apple adds some crunchy sweetness. I would save this for an afternoon snack unless you tend to take a later lunch.
- Full fat greek yogurt with 1/3 mixed cereal. Oikos is currently my favourite, and they have a personal sized greek yogurt cup for only 100 calories. I add in my trusty Alpen cereal and I’m set. This cereal is awesome, containing oat flakes, almond slivers, barley, and the chewiest raisins you’ll ever eat. The greek yogurt mixed in with the cereal makes it a creamy treat.
- Random veggies dipped in fresh salsa or hummus. If I do do the veggie thing ( which I am trying to do more often) I have to be able to dip my veggies in something tasty. I hate ranch dressing! I do love celery dipped in fresh salsa or cucumbers and peppers smothered in hummus or white bean dip. The easiest thing to do is bring as many veggies as your little container can fit and then pre portion your dip. Something like salsa you don’t have to worry about calories as much, but if your like me and watching what your eating, I find already measured servings of hummus easier to have control over. Fresh hummus makes me look forward to eating my veg. (as a side note, don’t eat those crappy “baby” carrots. Whole carrots take a little bit more time to clean and peel but taste %100 better. Such a great flavour)
Probably the most important thing you have to remember while planning for the day is to mix it up. Everyone eventually gets bored with the same routine, and snacking is no different. I have found a few prepackaged granola bars that are awesome to bring with me places. Cooking healthy muffins and freezing them individually helps make it quick and easy to grab something when your in a rush. Plan for success and you will be successful. There are still moments where I cave in and buy a bagel smothered in cream cheese or want to stop and pick up a chocolate bar but those moments are slowly getting farther in between. Every little step makes a difference.
