Eating healthy takes effort: mental, emotional and physical effort. Once you’ve opened the bag of chips and said “just a handful,” you start telling yourself “just one more” until the chips have vanished into thin air. Maybe you invented a shrink ray?
If that were the case, you know what bits you’d take that shrink ray to first. Nope, there’s no reasoning or imagining yourself out of a bad case of binge snacking, which is often triggered by stress, emotional concerns or habit.
Eating healthy takes time. At least that’s what most people think — you have no time to spare to make all those healthy snacks. Put down the crazy plans for the shrink ray, and pick up the shrink wrap instead for nutritious snacks! There are many healthy snacks to make on the go to help you stay on target when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight:
- Berries and Greek Yogurt
Want to feel full and get your fruit and calcium count in for the day? Regular Greek yogurt with berries, such as blueberries, strawberries or blackberries, are healthy and delicious. Greek yogurt is also packed with potassium, has a protein count of eight and acts as a natural probiotic to keep your good gut bacteria count high, boosting your digestion and metabolism.
Berries are chocked full of antioxidants, like the kind you get from a glass of red wine. When you mix up your berry choices, the more varied and potent your antioxidant boost will be. So, take a yogurt cup and mix in half a cup of berries for a tasty, fruity snack that tastes like a heavenly dessert!
- Mozzarella and Cherry Tomatoes
If you can have yogurt, you can certainly have cheese — within reason. It’s so easy to pop cherry tomatoes in your mouth like popcorn, but they pair better with the cheesy, stringy goodness of mozzarella.
Tomatoes are deliciously rich in potassium, vitamin C and lycopene, which is an antioxidant that potentially reduces your risk of heart disease and cancer. Mozzarella is great for calcium, of course, but it’s also wonderful when it comes to vitamin B12 and protein. Yep, mozzarella has protein, and eating more than three servings of dairy daily could reduce your body fat.
- Kale Chips
Some people think the perfect way to cook your kale is to mix in some coconut oil, making it easier to slide the kale into the trash. These people haven’t tried the tastiness of kale chips.
Kale is super healthy, even if it has a weird texture, with antioxidants and fiber. The leafy green fiber of kale improves your digestion and metabolism, too, which will help you lose weight and absorb nutrients better. Just one cup will give you your daily requirements of vitamins A, C and K.
To make kale chips: Mix together one cup of bite-size kale leaves with one tablespoon of olive oil and a half teaspoon of salt. Then place the pieces of kale on a parchment-lined baking sheet, to bake for ten to fifteen minutes at 350 degrees. Satisfy your need for crunchy food without the guilt.
- Sliced Cucumbers and Hummus
Hummus seems fancy, but it’s very easy to make and very good for you. A basic and super easy hummus recipe calls for one can of chickpeas, sesame oil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin and salt. Mix it together until you have a consistency you prefer.
Chickpeas are an excellent protein source, too, and are a lighter way to get your protein count in. To make a quick recipe, use canned chickpeas, or you can soak dry chickpeas overnight in water. On a hot day, dip cucumbers and other veggies into your tasty, healthy homemade hummus.
- Nuts
“That’s nuts, man! You mean eating salty nuts is healthy for you?” – You’re probably wondering that right now, but you can have nuts, too.
Nuts are healthy, but you don’t want to go too crazy on the salt. Try unsalted roasted almonds, instead. The roasting adds a rich, hearty flavor to the nuts. About one ounce is a perfect serving of almonds, giving you plenty of nutritional benefits, including six grams of protein, with nine percent of your daily calcium and six percent of your daily iron.
Consider making your own trail mix! Mix your nuts with dark chocolate for a heart healthy boost with antioxidants and flavonoids, while keeping your sweet tooth in check. It may be more expensive at first glance, but the rich taste will last longer on your palette and save you more dollars in the long run.
These healthy snack hacks will see you through salty, sweet and crunchy cravings while keeping off the excess fat and helping your bodily systems function at their best. Healthy food doesn’t have to take forever to make or eat a hole in your wallet.
Have “just one more” without guilt tripping yourself over a weight loss slip up. Instead, slip cucumber slices into hummus dip, and crunch on kale chips and nuts with dark chocolate. It’s yummy in a guilt-free tummy!
