Snack Time

It seems like in this “diet culture/wellness industry,” snacks and packaged products are demonized; I'm here to tell you why this is not always the case.

(**Reminder: NOTHING in life is so black & white!)

Snacks can be useful in many ways and circumstances. We snack to satisfy cravings for sweet or salty foods, prevent or relieve hunger (especially if we are in a rush, on the go, or not near food options), boost nutrient intakes (in cases of needed weight gain, pre/post workout, or get extra needed nutrients into the day), rev their metabolic rates (smaller more frequent meals, in some cases, have been shown to help maintain or increase metabolic rates), pass the time (YES- sometimes this is OK), deal with unsettling emotions (eating always involves emotions, as long as we are aware of them and staying present while we eat, we are ALLOWED to emotionally eat!)  or replace meals (sometimes a real meal is not an option/available).

However, when we want a snack, try to..

• Focus on nutrients instead of calories: 

  • Are there complex carbs, quality proteins, heart healthy fats? 

  • Are there vitamins/minerals? 

  • Are there unnecessary sugars/ingredients? 

• Create snacks using foods from different food groups:

  • Tip: snacks should have at least TWO different macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat) to make them more satisfying, satiating, and filling.  

  • Ex. apple + PB, Crackers + cheese, veggies + hummus

• Choose whole foods whenever possible

  • Add a fruit w/ your granola bar; add some tuna with your crackers; add some fresh veggies w/ your packaged hummus; etc 

• Use snacks to curb your hunger: 

  • Do not let yourself become starving. This can lead to overeating/eating too fast by the time a meal comes. This is where snacks come in handy! 

• Be mindful:

  • Make sure you are listening to your hunger cues, your body's needs, and are able to be present with the food while you eat. When we eat while driving or in front of a screen, sometimes our brain and stomach are not able to communicate and our bodies get a little confused-> this leads to feelings of dissatisfaction, cravings, and mindless eating later on. 

ALSO- I love to get to know my food more… It makes the entire process of purchasing, eating, and mindset so much more fun.

…… What I mean is…. Get to know the creators/people/visions behind the brands. 

Are they a small company? Local company? Women owned? 

Are they a non-profit? Where do they buy/get their ingredients from? What is their mission? When and why did they start their brand?

Sometimes knowing where your money is going, who/why you're supporting them, and the dedication/love they may have towards their product… makes your snacking experience more mentally and physically enjoyable. 

So, these are some brands/companies/snacks I truly love, buy, and eat myself all the time. But, when I can, I also try to buy/support my local/small businesses when I can. 

Bars:

• Perfect bars https://perfectbar.com/

• Elemental superfood bars/crumbles https://www.elemental-raw.com/

• Nutzo bars/nut butter https://www.nuttzo.com/products/

• Purely elizabeth bars/granola https://purelyelizabeth.com/

• Lara bars https://www.larabar.com/

• No Cow Bars: https://nocow.com/

• GoMacro bars: https://www.gomacro.com/

Dips/spreads/etc

• Granola butter https://oat.haus/

• Ground up (nut butter) https://grounduppdx.com/

• Majestic hummus https://majesticgarlic.com/product/original-hummus/

• Hope food hummus https://hopefoods.com/products/original-recipe-hummus

• Kite hill cream cheese https://www.kite-hill.com/

• Primal Kitchen https://www.primalkitchen.com/

Chips/chip-like

• Lesser evil puffs/popcorn https://lesserevil.com/paleopuffs/

• Barnana plantain chips https://barnana.com/collections/plantain-chips 

• Siete chips https://sietefoods.com/collections/tortilla-chips

• RW Garcia 3-seed crackers https://rwgarcia.com/products/ 

• Simple meals crackers (ALL their stuff!) https://www.simplemills.com 

• Biena chickpea snacks https://bienasnacks.com 

Cereal/Granola/Oats:

• Gr8nola https://www.gr8nola.com/

• Purely elizabeth granola/oats: https://purelyelizabeth.com/

• Love Grown cereal/granola: https://lovegrown.com/about/our-foods/ 

• MUSH: overnight oats https://eatmush.com

• One degree sprouted oats/cereal: https://onedegreeorganics.com

• Love grown cereal https://lovegrown.com/

• Three wishes cereal https://threewishescereal.com/

Protein/protein powder:

• Nuzest: protein powder https://nuzest-usa.com

• Chomps: meat sticks https://chomps.com/collections/chomps

• Perfectly peckish: hard boiled egg packs https://perfectlypeckish.com

• The good bean: roasted chickpea snacks http://www.thegoodbean.com

• Enlightened Bada Bean Bada Boom: Roasted broad bean snacks https://www.badabeansnacks.com

Protein drinks/on the go smoothie drinks:

• Rebbl, Koia, Noka superfood pouches, Apres, Owyn, Orgain

Easy recipes ideas: 

1. Peanut Butter overnight oats: https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/

• 1/2 CUP DAIRY-FREE MILK + 3/4 TBSP CHIA SEEDS + 1/2 CUP ROLLED OATS 

*Flavor ideas: Peanut butter + chocolate almond milk or cacao nibs; Topped with sliced or baked apples + cinnamon; Coconut yogurt + berry compote; Homemade nutella + banana; Carrot cake (add in some finely shredded carrot, walnuts, and a chopped date!); Peanut butter + “jelly” compote; etc

1. Breakfast egg muffins: https://cafedelites.com/breakfast-egg-muffins-3-ways/

• Eggs + cheese of choice + veggies &/or meat of choice + muffin tin + oven

1. Easy Portable lunch anyone can make: https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/healthy-portable-lunches-anyone-can-make

   1. 15-minute or less meal option!

      Written by RDN Emily Bown