Easy, Nourishing Snack Ideas to Help You Get Through Your Day

Who wants a snack? 

I don’t know about you, but just hearing the word snack makes me want to eat!  Perhaps it’s that from a young age, “snack time” was generally when you’d get to relax, and enjoy some tasty foods. I have fond memories of walking in the door from a day at elementary school and having an after-school snack waiting for me at the kitchen table. My mom and I would chat about our day while I enjoyed my food. A personal favourite being graham crackers topped with cream cheese and raspberry jam.

Clients will often ask me what they should choose for snacks, or what are the best healthy snacks. I also get asked if snacks should even be included as oftentimes, clients are worried that they shouldn’t be eating them.  Read on to learn all you need to know about what to choose to get the most out of your snacking experience as well as easy and nourishing snack ideas! 

What Do You Feel Like? 

If you were to think of some of your favourite snacks, what would they be? Do you prefer sweet, salty or spicy foods? Or perhaps you prefer specific textures or temperatures.  It can be helpful to consider what flavours or textures you really love before considering what to have, as this will help to ensure that you truly enjoy the food, and will be satisfied once you have finished eating it.

I sometimes have clients who worry about the options they’re choosing, and unsure if they are eating truly healthy snacks. Ellyn Satter- a registered dietitian, family therapist and internationally recognized authority on eating and feeding defines ‘Normal Eating’ as “…flexible…it varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your food, and your feelings”.  It’s important to be aware of all the reasons for why we might crave or choose certain foods more than others, and how these choices can impact your thoughts, feelings and overall health and wellness. 

Get The Most Out of Your Munchies

If you’re looking for a healthy snack that will also help you to feel energized and fuller for longer periods, consider selecting one that contains some Protein and Carbohydrate sources.  

Let’s look more into the benefits of incorporating protein and carbohydrates into your snacks: 

Protein 

Protein foods also support: 

• Growth and maintenance of cells and tissue; such as muscles, bone skin and hair  
• Supports digestion 
• Helps with transportation of substances throughout the body 
• Protect from foreign pathogens 
• Support regulation and expression of DNA and RNA 

Carbohydrates 

Carbohydrates fuel our brains and bodies with the energy source it needs to stay energized and focused and help us from becoming moody and irritable.  There are two types of carbohydrates- 

 Simple carbohydrates (such as table sugar, fruit juice, candy and foods with added sugars, such as baked goods) 

Complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains, including barley, wild rice, oats and spelt).  These higher fibre carbohydrate options also provide our bodies with beneficial nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and healthful fats. 

Bonus!– If you select whole grain or higher fibre carbohydrates for your snacks, such as beans, whole grain crackers, breads and cereals, the fibre content will help provide you with even longer-lasting fullness and prevent you from experiencing irritability from blood sugar crashes. 

Looking For Inspiration? Here are Some Easy Healthy Snack Ideas to Try! 

Feel free to search for these terms or simple “snacks” on our main blog page search tool!

• Greek yogurt topped with berries and shredded wheat cereal 
• Homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds and whole grain cereal or popcorn. 
• Sliced banana or apple dipped in peanut or almond butter 
• Ricotta cheese with peaches and whole grain cereal  
• Smoothie – Plain Greek yogurt, strawberry, banana, oats and peanut butter

Monster Smoothie Recipe | Green Smoothie Recipe | Pumpkin Pie Smoothie | + Search “smoothie” for more on our blog!

• Energy balls– use any nut or seed butter and mix in oats, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut and/or dried fruit to taste 
• Small whole grain tortilla roll-up with banana and almond butter 
• Microwave frozen berries until warm, top with granola or whole grain cereal and a dollop of yogurt 
• Cottage cheese with pineapple or mandarin oranges 
• Frozen grapes and mixed nuts or seeds 
• Air-popped popcorn sprinkled with cinnamon 
• Whole wheat pita topped with salsa and cheese- heat until melted 
• Bocconcini cheese with cherry tomatoes drizzled with balsamic glaze 
• Edamame beans drizzled with reduced sodium soy sauce and sesame seeds 
• Roasted chickpeas and apple slices 
• Raw veggies and hummus 
• Whole grain tortilla chips with guacamole 
• Grain crispbread crackers (ex. Ryvita crispbreads) with goat cheese and sliced pear

Got some time to batch cook for easy grab-and-go snacks? Try these tasty recipes!