Given our busy lives and the abundance of fast food and other unhealthy meal options, losing weight and getting in better shape can be difficult. Luckily, several easy, healthy snacks exist that not only enable you to maintain your fitness, but also satisfy your cravings for flavour and texture.
Enjoy the following great tasting snacks without feeling guilty or worrying about gaining weight or incurring other health problems.
1. Yogurt
If you want a quick snack after getting home from a long day at work, you can try yogurt, which is much healthier than ice cream. Yogurt comes in a variety of flavours and portion sizes. Make sure to keep an eye on your serving sizes and ingredients so you don’t overeat or consume too much of the wrong things.
You can add a touch of dark chocolate or homemade strawberry jam (either unsweetened or sweetened with coconut or brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup), and you can also add some sliced fruit, berries, and nuts into the mix.
2. Banana and Blueberry Pancakes
If you’re looking for healthy snack options, you don’t want to miss these delicious banana and blueberry pancakes made of gluten-free, buckwheat flour. Simply add sliced banana and whole blueberries on top of freshly made, healthier-flour pancakes, waffles, or crepes.
If you this seems too heavy or filling for you, feel free to switch the pancakes for some saltine crackers, or some toast made out of gluten-free bread.
Try drizzling some homemade strawberry jam, or slathering some chocolate spread on the pancakes for added flavour and sweetness. You can also prepare your banana and blueberry pancakes, crackers, or toast slices, and place them in your lunch box so you can enjoy them at work or school.
3. Yogurt Parfait
While yogurt is both delicious and nutritious, some people get fatigued from eating it on a regular basis. The good news is that you can easily add a touch of flair to enhance the look and taste of this food by adding fruit strategically.
To build your parfait, get a handful each of mixed fruit, then spoon them into your dessert glass in between layers of yogurt and, say, lightly sweetened dark chocolate sauce. You can mix different yogurt flavours with a variety of fruit, grains, and nut mixes, so you never get tired of this healthy snack.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all yogurts are created equal. If you’re trying to lose weight, be sure to buy low-fat or Greek style yogurt.
4. Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes, either on their own or with some seasonings and garnishes, are not only great as healthy snacks; they also don’t require much preparation. Simply place them in a zip-lock bag and carry them with you anywhere you go. If you’re going to be gone for an extended period, put them in a cooler so that they don’t spoil.
For an added touch, you can dip your cherry tomatoes in a homemade pineapple jam. If you prefer them savoury, douse them in some olive oil and have them with herbed cream cheese spread or feta cheese cubes.
When adding flavour to your cherry tomatoes, remember that a little bit can go a long way, so don’t overdo it.
5. Bagel
When looking for additional healthy meal or snack options, you might want to consider gluten-free bagels, or bagels made with minimally refined flour. You can choose to eat your bagel right out of the fridge, or you can place it in the toaster for a crisp, warm treat.
You can also choose from several healthy cream cheese spreads to further enhance your bagel eating experience, but many people enjoy putting fruit slices or homemade jams and jellies on their bagel as well. You can even choose from a variety of bagel flavours, such as blueberry and strawberry.
6. Spicy Snack Mix
Spicy snack mix is a real treat for anyone looking to stay healthy and fit. This healthy snack option tastes great, it also comes in a convenient travel sized bag so you can take it anywhere you go. Either bring the whole bag, or put a cupful into a sealable plastic bag.
Final thoughts
No matter how busy you are, hopefully these simple ideas will enable you to eat healthy snacks that also taste great, anytime. What’s more, these dishes and snacks can be tweaked every so often to prevent you from getting bored with the flavour, which makes healthy eating easy to accomplish.
The frozen yogurt is perfect for when you’re at home, and the other options are fantastic for when you’re on the go.
Remember, however, to read the labels on the prepared foods you’ll be consuming to avoid harmful ingredients like white sugar, refined sugar, cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or salty additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG). When you have healthy snack choices on hand, losing weight and staying fit and healthy becomes easy.
Article by Eco Warrior Princess