Welcome, Pragmaster! Knight of Cups here!
Today, I present to you my top 5 “healthy” snacks (in no specific order) that I like to munch on instead of reaching for the tempting salty and/or sugary snacks we usually eat. Enjoy, and please share some of your favorite “healthy” snacks in the comments and with our social media pages.
1. Apples and Peanut Butter/Hazelnut Spread
This delicious combination can be healthy and satisfying. Sweet crisp apples are an easy replacement for chips (in my opinion), and a lot of people believe nuts are a good fat with a decent amount of protein (unless you are allergic to nuts of course). It is even better if you get low sodium and low fat spread, or make it from scratch.
Any fruit is a good snack really, unless you eat too much of it (but that goes for anything really) or have problems with blood sugar. Fruit is generally considered to be a healthy alternative to cookies, chips, and other popular snack choices.
2. Popcorn
Not only is popcorn addicting and delicious, but it is also better for you than chips or cookies (in my opinion), if you get the popcorn without butter and if you air pop it. I personally like to add some cayenne and salt to my popcorn (but I personally need more sodium in my diet). I even add garlic powder sometimes for a savory popcorn!
There is an endless amount of customizing you can do for your popcorn habits that aren’t sugary or fatty. Get creative and share some of your personalized popcorn favorites with our social media pages or in the comments.
The science-based nonprofit, NutrtionFacts.org , even recommends having a serving of whole grains each day, AND lists three cups of air-popped popcorn as a healthy option for that daily serving. Source Link.
3. Nuts, Legumes, and Seeds
One of the easiest and most convenient snacks, in my opinion, is nuts, beans and seeds. I love having a snack bag of dried peas & soybeans, nuts, and seeds in my purse/backpack at all times. As a busy college student, having a filling, healthy, and not so messy snack always nearby can be a real lifesaver. This snack also helped me to keep my weight up when I was trying to break past the underweight mark a few years back.
Nuts and seeds are not just a good snack that tastes good, but they are also very filling. A small bag can hold me over during a class when I missed a meal or my metabolism is just too fast to keep up with that day.
If you are trying to lose weight, these are also good snacks if you get the low sodium ones. Nuts and seeds are better than a bag of chips or fries from McDonalds is how I think of it.
Evidence shows that nuts are great for cognitive function and do not lead to weight gain. That is pretty great for such a tasty snack! Source: NutritionFacts.org
4. Whole Wheat Crackers with Salsa
Low sodium and whole wheat crackers are a hearty and yummy snack for most. I have been enjoying the Kroger Baked Wheat Crisp Crackers – Original with some homemade salsa. Nothing beats chips and salsa, but crackers and salsa come pretty close for me.
If you don’t want to make salsa, here are a few of my favorites from the store:
Private Selection™ Medium Tomatillo & Chipotle Pepper Salsa , Herdez Medium Roasted Salsa Verde , and Pace Thick & Chunky Medium Salsa .
If you want more variety, hummus is also great since there are dozens of flavor combinations to try.
5. Smoothies
There is such a wide range of smoothies flavors and combinations that the options are endless. Smoothies can have fruits, veggies, Cocoa, oats, chia seeds, nuts, and plenty more. Some people don’t like to drink their calories, and that is fine, but if you are looking for a light and refreshing snack, a smoothie might be for you. Each ingredient can be adjusted to make a smoothie really fit your needs (you can even make it a small meal with some protein powder).
My go-to fast Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie:
-two frozen bananas
-almond milk
–Orgain Organic Plant Based Protein Powder, Vanilla Almond
-two spoons of PBfit All-Natural Peanut Butter Powder
If you want some more smoothie ideas, you can check out Food Networks “50 Smoothies” to find something you like.
Get creative and mix some ingredients you love to create your own flavor combinations. As always, share your favorite recipes in the comments or tag us on social media. We love all of your amazing (and unique) ideas!
Thanks for checking out my top 5 favorite “healthy” snacks! Stay mystical, Pragmasters!
-K.o.C.
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