When most Americans think about grabbing a snack, they reach for the potato chips, soda, cookies and other poor choices. The average American eats 2.2 snacks per day. When our daily snacks include unhealthy foods and large portions, weight gain will occur over time.
The good news is that snacking really does have great health benefits, if done correctly! Healthy snacking controls cravings, fights weight gain, manages your mood, boosts brain power and gives you the energy you need to keep going all day long. Try to grab a snack between 100-300 calories halfway between meals. Make sure your snacks fit into your daily caloric needs and include a mix of good carbohydrates, proteins and fats at each snack time.
Like you, our team takes on the daily challenge of striving for balance in our lives with work, family, friends, staying active and eating well. Making healthy choices can be difficult some days, but committing to good health is worth it in the long run.
Here are a few of our favorite snack choices to help you on your health journey for our team:
- Greek 2% Yogurt with ¼ cup seasonal fruit and 1 T. roasted almonds, pecans or walnuts. It’s my favorite, because it fuels an evening workout, keeps me full until dinner, allows me to enjoy local, fresh produce at its best and tastes amazing! (Approximately 200 calories)
–Kari Bedgood, Vice President of Marketing & PR - Apple slices with a 1 T. of almond butter (Approximately 200 calories) or sliced bell peppers and ¼ cup hummus (Approximately 150 calories). It has healthy fats and protein to balance the carbs, and it’s gluten free.
–Michele Wong, Vice President of Client Services & Wellness - CLIF Kid Zbars™ because they have no trans fats, no high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors, and they’re organic. This is why I feed them to my picky eating kids (they love them) but I eat them because I don’t have to make them, and they are delicious and filling. My favorite is Iced Oatmeal. I used to eat Little Debbie® Oatmeal Cream Pies as a kid, and these are the next best (healthy) choice. (Approximately 130 calories)
–Meredith DePersia, Vice President of Human Resources & Operations - I either reach for a small bowl of fruit (Approximately 75-100 calories) or nuts with dried fruit. I buy the pre-packaged Trader Joe’s Oh My! Omega Trek Mix snack bags to help with portion control (Approximately 170 calories). I find that if I have the full bag at my desk, I can almost eat the full bag in one sitting!
–Jennie Martin, Senior Accountant - I love two hard-boiled eggs with salt, pepper, and 2 t. of mustard (Approximately 150 calories). I like this snack because it feels like a mini meal that leaves me satisfied. I also always try to chase my snacks with a big glass of water because I always need to be conscious of drinking more water!
–Karah Weldy, Director of Wellness - My two go-to snacks are Activa® yogurts because they’re a good way to maintain probiotic intake without pill popping (Approximately 110 calories); and ¼ cup unsweetened cranberries as a healthy snack to help me maintain my anti-inflammatory diet.Cranberries are rich in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients (Approximately 25 calories). It’s a bonus that these two taste great together!
–Mike Rucker, Vice President of Technology