Top tips for healthy snacks

One of the toughest ways to stay on track with a healthy lifestyle is when those between meal snack attacks suddenly appear. So here are our top tips for healthy snacks to stay on top of your cravings.

You know the feeling…the rumbling tummy…and then the desire to reach for the first bar of chocolate you see on the shelf! This can be especially difficult when you’re running around all day, but trust me, there are some easy ways to hack the snack!

Understand your hunger
Hunger’s a funny thing. Did you know that the growling feeling we get after about four hours of eating is actually our body going into detox mode? I know, right?! I was really surprised when I first heard that. It’s actually a really important process, because detoxification helps our body to clear out any gunk that might be slowing us down. But this whole detox thing means that most of us probably need to relearn the way we think about hunger and snacking.

I used to snack all day long (usually on very sugary things!) and it just made me feel so lethargic. True hunger is a sensation quite similar to thirst, and the ‘hunger’we’re so used to satiating is often related to boredom, stress or emotion of some kind. If you get hungry a couple of hours after a meal, try waiting 20 minutes, having a glass of water, or going for a walk to see if the hunger subsides.

Preparation is everything
Eating healthily can be difficult enough when you have a kitchen full of goodies, but when you’re running around all day and suddenly get starving, it’s so easy to grab the first thing that you see. I like to make sure I always have some snacks on hand wherever I am. I make a batch of my mulberry and apricot bars every week and keep them in a glass jar whenever I need a pick me up. I usually make double batches and freeze them so I never get caught short for a sweet, delicious and nutritious snack. And don’t forget fruit! Not only is it nature’s candy, it’s pretty much the easiest, most readily available grab-and-go food there is, just be sure to nosh on low-fructose fruits.

Find your snack saviours
We’re really lucky in London with all the amazing companies coming onto the market that are offering super healthy, on the go options for snacking. I love finding new products that I can just throw in my bag. Right now I’m loving the mylks from Rebel Kitchen and Punch Foods’ Superseeds to help me get through those super busy days.

Yes, you can indulge!
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with an indulgence every now and then. I’m a total chocolate fiend, and when I first changed my diet, I got really upset at the idea of having to cut out my favourite treats. But then I learnt that pure, unrefined chocolate is actually a superfood and can be used to make delicious snacks that taste decadent and love my body! Try making a thick and creamy caramel protein smoothie or even the world’s healthiest raw chocolate fudge, and snack without the guilt!