The munchies, we all get them! You know that feeling, sometimes it’s just boredom and sometimes it’s impatience but when those munchies hit, you will literally eat whatever you can get your hands on.
Your late home from work, starving and your meal takes 40 mins to cook. Perhaps you have a TV night in and your meal didn’t quite have the satisfaction you hoped for or your just plain bored and your on auto pilot scanning the fridge and the cupboards for something to entertain your fingers.
It’s often in that ‘munchie moment’ of weakness that people fall out of their healthy eating mindset and fall into a downward spiral of emotional eating, scuppering their goals of the slimline physique they desire. The solution is prevention. Buy an array of healthy snacks that are edible instantly, occupying your fingers and your mouth until that ‘munchie moment’ has passed.
For me the munchies hit at weekends so I find that the best solution is to go shopping on Friday night to stock up on my snack options for the weekend. For the rest of the weekend I enjoy tucking into my healthy treats and the best bit is they are all guilt free!
Healthy snack stock list
Here is a list of fridge stock that will get you through the weekend without reaching for the crisps and chocolate, all available in your local supermarket. It’s all about keeping those fingers entertained…
Dips
If you have friends over or just settling down for a quiet night in to a movie dips are great to keep your fingers entertained. The key thing here is go for the fresh options without all the cream. Some great choices include…
Fresh salsa
Fresh hummus
Fresh Guacamole
Nut butters (Almond butter is delicious)
Dippers
So what to dip? The healthiest option by far is vegetables some of the best raw options include…
Cucumber batons
Celery sticks
Carrot batons
Occasionally veggies just don’t cut it and you crave that ‘crunch’. That’s the time to reach for the healthy cracker options…
Crackers
Oat Cakes
Ryvita
Rice cakes
Popcorn
Fresh popcorn feels like a treat and it’s fun to make. A popcorn machine is a good investment and its fun to use. I like to use a light spray oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Nuts and Seeds
If your not into nuts and seeds give them a go because they are full of goodness. Eating them raw gives you the maximal nutritional benefit but if your craving tasty treats lightly roasted nuts taste great.
Brazils, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin
You can nibble on all seeds but the larger seeds make for better finger food. As with nuts roasting them enhances taste but reduces nutritional benefits. My favourite is sunflower seeds sprinkles with soy sauce and lightly roasted.
Antipasti
This Italian answer to the starter is great snack food. Try to buy it fresh and lay out a little platter with cocktail sticks to prevent getting oily fingers.
Fresh Olives
Sun dried tomatoes
Pepper
Mushrooms
Artichokes
Small fish
Cold meats
Sweet Stuff
So you have a sweet tooth? Sugar cravings can be overwhelming, if you need to satisfy them try to pick natural sugars that will also carry a nutritional benefit rather than the empty calories you get from commercial sugar snacks. Of course sugar content is high on all of the below so be sensible.
Fruit salad
Some of the more sugary fruits include bananas and grapes. I haven’t found a fruit yet that I’ve not enjoyed in a fruit salad. So tasty and full of goodness, what a great combination.
Yoghurt
Try to buy a plain natural or Greek yoghurt and then flavour it yourself, this alone often exposes you to less sugar. Flavour your yoghurt with berries, honey, grated dark chocolate, nuts & seeds or muesli.
Dark Chocolate (70+% cocoa solids)
Do not eat the whole bar! Break off 4-6 squares and put the remainder out of reach. Eat slowly and enjoy.
Milled cocoa, flax and berries
These come in a bag which you keep in the fridge available to buy online or from health food stores. They add great taste to a sweet treat, they’re low in sugar and high in antioxidants.
Honey
Honey is natures sugar, is should be used sparingly but does really help satisfy a sweet tooth. I even quite like it just spread on a Ryvita.
Good food on the go
Finally, if you do snack a lot during the day you need to carry healthy snack options with you! Prepare them the night before and take them to work.
Boiled eggs
Chicken drumsticks: use different flavourings for interest
Cold cooked meat and fish: the less processed the better
Beef jerky
Biltongue
Protein shakes / bars: look for low sugar options
So remember the best solution to un healthy snacking is prevention. Simply don’t buy the bad stuff in the first place and stock up on the good stuff. Enjoy!
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