Now more than ever diet and healthy lifestyles are key factors for our health and happiness, but where do snacks fit into the equation? Healthy snacks are a great addition to a healthy lifestyle to help boost nutrition and provide satiety between meals. There’s no guilt in snacking as long as you choose the right foods! Our friend and Registered Dietician Laura Ashley Johnson has shared with us some of the benefits of healthy snacking and tips on how to snack like you mean it!
Snacking can be an integral part of a healthy meal plan and essential to a healthy lifestyle! Over the years, snacking has gained a bad reputation, but companies like Pure Flavor® are trying to change that by offering delicious, high quality, healthy snacks that come in convenient grab-and-go packages!
A healthy snack should be low in sugar, 100% natural, contain real food ingredients and free from things like artificial colors and flavors. If the snack you have chosen has a list of ingredients that you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce, you should probably pass on it. Once you have found snack foods that are right for you and meet all the healthy snack requirements, incorporating them into your daily schedule has several key benefits.
Key Benefits of Snacking
- Healthy snacks can boost brain power! They can fuel your brain and help keep you engaged and alert.
- Healthy snacks can help with weight management! They can help prevent ravenous hunger between meals, thus resisting the urge to overeat at mealtime. They can also increase metabolism.
- Healthy snacks can help with blood sugar control! They can help prevent low blood sugar and help with carbohydrate control at mealtime.
- Healthy snacks can help speed up muscle recovery! Exercise or intense activity uses up glycogen stores and snacks can help your body rebuild them.
Incorporating snacks into your daily routine is easy when you stay within some guidelines. While portion and types of snacks can vary from person to person, choosing the right snacks is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Tips for Choosing Healthy Snacks
- Add a rainbow of colors and flavors with nutritious veggies and fruit.
- Try to keep snacks less than 200 calories.
- Incorporate an element of protein with snacks.
- Avoid stocking up on snacks high in saturated fat and sugar.
- Portion out snacks into smaller containers or bags to help avoid overindulging.
- Aim for 15 grams of carbohydrates or less.
- Foods higher in sugar and fat, such as chips and sweets, can be incorporated as well. Just be sure the portion is limited and eat sparingly.
- Choose snacks that are nourishing, satisfying and tasty!
To get you started on your healthy snacking journey, here’s how to make my delicious recipe for Garlic Rosemary Dipthat is a perfectly nourishing and satisfying snack.
In a blender or food processor, add garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, beans, salt and white pepper. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Add olive oil and blend once again until smooth and free of lumps. Scrape the dip out of the container and into a serving dish. Garnish with everything bagel seasoning, olive oil and paprika. This is perfect to serve with Uno Bites™ Mini Cucumbers, but any of Pure Flavor®’s snacking line will taste incredible with it!
Healthy Snack Ideas
- Juno® Bites Red Grape Tomatoes with mozzarella cheese
- Greek yogurt with berries
- Aurora Bites Mini Sweet Peppers with guacamole
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Celery sticks with herbed low-fat cream cheese
- Baby carrots with Greek yogurt ranch dip
- Sugar snap peas and turkey jerky
- Cottage cheese and peaches
- Aurora Bites Mini Sweet Peppers turkey and cheese mini sandwiches
- Dark chocolate and pistachios
- Sangria® Medley Tomatoes with feta cheese cubes
- Egg salad stuffed Aurora Bites Mini Sweet Peppers
- Tuna with whole grain crackers or lettuce wraps
- Chickpea salad Long English Cucumber boats
- Kale chips and pepper jack cheese sticks
- Uno Bites™ Nano Cucumbers with smoked salmon
- Celery sticks with almond butter
- Broccoli florets with Greek yogurt spicy ranch dip
For Laura’s full Garlic Rosemary Dip recipe, click here.
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