How to Build a Healthy Savoury Snack
Mixed Berry Smoothie
June 6, 2020
You need to find a way to snack on foods that help you meet your daily nutrition needs but also help to keep you fuller for longer.
- pick a healthy carbohydrate base e.g. low fat whole-wheat cracker (provita), crackerbread, brown rice cake, small slice of low GI bread
- Pick a protein topping e.g tuna, salmon, reduced fat cottage cheese/cream cheese, boiled egg, baked beans
- Add something with colour e.g. tomato, lettuce, cucumber, baby spinach, rocket
So you could do
- Tuna & cucumber on rice cakes
- Cottage cheese, tomato & cucumber on whole grain crackers
- Baked beans on low GI toast
- Salmon & low fat cream cheese with rocket on cracker bread
- Plain yoghurt with some fruit
The key behind all of this though is to control your portion sizes! Even if they are a healthy choice.
- the amount of carbohydrates you can add will be dependent on what you’re fueling yourself for and the whole grain option will always be beneficial
- Choose high quality protein that will help promote satiety and also help you to reach your protein goals for the day. The amount varies between individuals but 10-20g would be a good place to start
- Foods that can help suppress your appetite have a high fiber content and come with a lot of volume e.g. fruit, veg sticks, salads – lower calories but more to eat!
- Always choose a variety of options where possible to minimize taste fatigue and keep you interested in being healthy
TV snacks tend to be something like chips, pretzels, nuts (and those chocolate covered ones are dangerous!), ice cream and chocolate. Eating straight out of the packaging is a recipe for portion disaster because before you know it, you’ll be at the end of the packet.
So if you’re looking for something crunchy and salty make some homemade popcorn. No, not the microwave one. Making it yourself will help you control the amount of fat and salt and make it a lower calorie option in comparison. Stick to about 3 cups popped as a serving size. Eat it slowly and savour the flavor…
If you’re feeling for ice cream or even something chocolatey, make some chocolate “nice cream!”
Here’s a quick recipe – blend together 4 ripened bananas (sliced and frozen), 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp vanilla essence and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. If you like it soft, then enjoy immediately. Otherwise freeze for about 4-6 hours before scooping.
The trick here is to hope that since you have to actually get up and make the snack, you may not feel for it as much as you did before!
Sumaiya Essa
Sumaiya completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics at the University of KwaZulu Natal in Pietermaritzburg. Having always believed that “you are what you eat” and chose this career in nutrition and dietetics to educate, inspire and encourage people to make the right food choices. As the great Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food”. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this blog are entirely my own. This website is for informational purposes and please be aware that any information contained within this website should not be considered as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not replace physical treatment with a medical professional.
