How I Snack

Snacking.  This is one of the most common topics in healthy eating and diet articles nowadays.  I can understand why.  I love snacking.  It's one of my favorite things to do.  :)

I call myself a grazer.  Grazing is also a common word these days.  Most people are advised not to "graze all day" or eat straight from the container.  That, I understand.  But when I talk about grazing, I mean it in a different sense.

Let me explain.

I like to eat my breakfast about an hour after waking up and about 3 hours later, I'm hungry again.  That is the key - I'm hungry.  Not "it's time to eat" or "I'm bored, what can I shove into my mouth?" but true, stomach-rumbling hunger.  Respect that feeling, ladies and gentlemen.  Hunger is the best spice.  The rest of my day usually goes the same way.  Eat a small meal or snack, wait for hunger signals and then repeat.

It's taken a lot of fine-tuning but I've finally pinned it down.  I like to incorporate either a protein or a fat (or both) into my snacks.  This helps keep me full.  A snack of fruit is just fine but I realize that it will not keep me full for a very long time - I respect that and will make sure to eat a couple walnuts or a spoonful of almond butter to keep me satisfied.  Now I know that a spoonful of almond butter is not a snack, but that is my definition of grazing.  A couple bites here and there to keep my hunger at bay.  I find that I do this more often in the afternoons when I'm trying to keep an appetite for dinner with my husband.

Most of my snacks are anywhere from 100 - 300 calories.  I ask myself how long it needs to hold me over and whatever the number of hours = the # of calories.  (3 hours until lunch - eat a 300 calorie snack).

Here are some examples of my favorite snacks:

Cheese stick (protein) & nuts (fat+protein)

Greek yogurt (protein), puffed kamut, blueberries & honey cinnamon AB (fat+protein)

Nuts (fat+protein) & dried apples

Date with honey cinnamon AB (fat+protein)

Spirutein Cookies & Cream (protein) blended with almond milk (fat) & ice

Millet bread with avocado (fat)

Banana bites with PB (fat+protein) and carob chips (fun)

Turkey slices (protein) with mustard and avocado (fat)

Flat Out wrap with banana and AB (fat+protein)

Mini oatmeal bowls with jam and Sunbutter (fat+protein)

Banana soft serve with cherries

(This is one example of a fruit-only snack that might not keep my satiated for too long.)

(Uncommon for me but still good) - soy latte with spices.

English muffin with AB (protein+fat)

Tofu pudding (protein)

April's protein cakes with peanut butter (fat+protein)

Carrot sticks & Mighty Maple PB (fat+protein)

So tell me - how do YOU snack??