EditorialTeam-IndianDaily
What makes a snack healthy.
Snacks are an important part of your daily nutrition — they help provide you with enough fuel to perform at your best.
However, a lot of snacks can be high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, and offer little nutritional value. Don’t let your snacks derail your progress towards your health and fitness goals!
It might be helpful to think of your morning snacks as a way to meet your daily nutritional needs — adding an extra serving of fruit, vegetables or grains.
It’s also a good idea to try and choose snacks that won’t leave you hungry. To feel satiated (or satisfied), you should aim to eat afternoon or mid-morning snacks that have a good mix of macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and good fats.
If you’ve read my guides, or you follow the weekly meal plans in the Sweat app, it is recommended that you eat six serves of grains per day. A snack of rice cakes with canned tuna, or some toast with blueberries and ricotta will help you reach your daily goal of grain serves!
The best sweet (and healthy) snacks
Bliss Balls
There are some days when only a sweet treat will hit the spot!
The great thing about these Bliss Balls is they’re so versatile. You can take your pick from choc-raspberry, spiced apricot, salted caramel and macadamia or peanut butter flavours.
They’re delicious, but even better is the fact that they’re packed with protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and fibre. ENJOY!
Homemade Granola Bars
This is also a really simple and quick recipe, but don’t let that fool you — these Homemade Granola Bars are SERIOUSLY delicious!
You’ll get 9 bars out of each batch, or you can cut them into smaller squares for sharing. They’re also a great source of protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates.
Don’t forget to leave them in the oven for a few minutes longer if you want some extra CRUNCH!
Healthy Banana Muffins
You should never deny yourself the foods you love, and that includes baked treats!
The great thing about baking your own Healthy Banana Muffins is they actually taste SO much better than the ones you can buy at a store.
They’re a great snack at any time of day, but you might find you enjoy them so much you end up eating them at breakfast time too!
Healthy Blueberry Scones
These are an amazing healthy snack to make ahead of time.
My Healthy Blueberry Scones recipe can be made by those new to baking — after you’ve made them once, trust me, they’ll quickly become a snack staple.
They taste great with fresh ricotta and fruit compote, and you’ll get 10 serves from the recipe so that means lots of snacks to share too.
PB Jelly Cookies
I first came across this kind of cookie when travelling to America, where I’ve met SO many amazing women.
I’ve added my own twist to create a healthy PB Jelly Cookie recipe, so these are packed with protein for an extra energy boost!
They’re also suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Mint Choc-Chip Nice Cream
Nice cream is perfect for when you feel like reaching for the ice cream but want a healthier snack option. This nutritious ice cream alternative is made by blending frozen bananas.
Mint Choc Chip is a classic refreshing ice cream flavour pairing, but I know that not everybody loves mint, so I’ve got plenty more Nice Cream Recipes with flavours like coconut or mango and macadamia.
Chocolate Orange Overnight Oats
Overnight oats aren’t just an easy, healthy breakfast, they’re a great snack too!
Oats are a really versatile grain — they keep you full, boost your energy and can help keep your cholesterol in check.
There are so many things you can do with oats, but I love this recipe for Chocolate-Orange Overnight Oats.
You can prepare a batch the day before and refrigerate, so they’re ready when you’re feeling peckish!