I have a confession to make. I am a habitual snacker. I could go the entire day without eating a proper meal and be fully satisfied, because I love snacking, or rather, “grazing” all day. Some health professionals argue that this can actually be healthier for you – I suppose it depends on what you eat.
Today I am devoting this blog to healthy snacking options. All options I am listing do not have refined sugar, which is so very bad for us. A sugar snack, even when disguised as some sort of “fruit” snack is not necessarily healthy. Now, I agree I would rather be joining you for chocolate bars and ice cream, but it is important to find a way to exercise that self-control in order to be healthier. In time you may even come to enjoy your veggies as much as chocolate (the scandalous thought!!!)
Here are some healthy ideas:
Vegetables: carrot sticks, cucumbers, peppers, or fennel (celery sticks with peanut butter is a favorite in my house!) Spice it up with a tangy humus dip!
Fruit: In-season fruit is particularly good for you, but you can always grab an apple, orange, or banana
Granola (sugar-free and not too much – the calories add up quickly!)
Yogurt
Apple sauce
Fruit juice or applesauce sweetened, wheat flour based cookies
Cheese
Whole grain pretzels
Dried peas or garbanzo beans
Popsicles made from 100% fruit juice
Frozen grapes (try them, they are surprisingly good!)
Rice cakes with cream cheese or peanut butter
Popcorn (yum!)
Dried fruit
Nuts
I find that when I eat healthy snacks I do eat less snack food, as the healthy foods fill me up faster than the unhealthy foods. I also find that I feel better when I snack on healthy foods….. when I eat unhealthy snacks I feel great momentarily, but then I get that blood sugar crash that is miserable. Once again, life is about moderation. Sometimes it is great to grab that ice cream, as long as it is balanced with many incidents of eating fruits, veggies, and other healthy things.
Today, 266 days ’til 40, I will strive to be more mindful of what I am putting in my body when I snack. When I eat healthier I feel healthier.
~400daystil40
Fortuitous Forty!!! 
Mr. Miller
May 31, 2012 at 00:11
Of course these are all decent options, but man – I just never got the obsession with carrot sticks. They always seem to be at, or near, the top of any healthy snacking list. They’re just so bland – even with dip.
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:19
Lol!!! I like carrot sticks!!! If you give up all sugar, suddenly carrot sticks taste sweet 🙂
narf77
May 31, 2012 at 00:45
I have always been overweight for as long as I can remember. I was drummed out of my ballet classes when I was 6 because I “wasn’t ballet material!”…hmmmm! Anyway, after a lifetime of dieting, fasting, trying every single new fad and phase…I gave up dieting. I did it mid February this year after my mother died because life is too short to be doing things that simply don’t work. I started walking the dog…I stopped eating anything “white, processed or sugary”. I am a vegetarian so dropping meat wasn’t hard but I just ate what I wanted and since February when I gave up dieting FOREVER I have lost 13kg. I haven’t even tried! I actually felt guilty the other day when my husband asked me where my behind went because normally my pride would have come from a healthy dose of food denial, starvation and compromise. I eat when I want to…I have stopped fantasising about food and I am effortlessly losing weight! Stop dieting people it simply doesn’t work. I agree with you about grazing so long as you are not eating rubbish your body can more easily assimilate it. If more people ate simple healthy food instead of trying every single fad diet that comes onto the market and more importantly …learn to be patient… none of us would have a weight problem.
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:19
Wow, congratulations! Yes, without a doubt, I think if we do what you do and give up anything white, processed or sugary we will drop the weight without issue…. find it very hard to watch those who can’t commit to doing just that, but then complain about how miserable they are…..
narf77
May 31, 2012 at 23:40
Its only difficult for about a month until the habit of bad eating wears off and then its a whole lot easier. I am just constantly amazed that no-one is pushing this! Its free…it works…and you have NONE of that guilt, food fantasy, binge eating, low self worth that comes with constantly being on the diet treadmill. Its only worth it for the companies that sell the diets…
400daystil40
June 1, 2012 at 11:42
Very good point! You are right, I have been eating healthy since December and it is rare that I crave unhealthy foods – I am much more likely to crave a steak or popcorn!!! 🙂
narf77
June 2, 2012 at 00:53
You can have the steak (I am vegetarian) but I will eat the popcorn 🙂
400daystil40
June 2, 2012 at 10:30
🙂
charlesmashburn
May 31, 2012 at 01:16
All things in moderation! Buh-bye!! 🙂
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:16
Yep!
buckwheatsrisk
May 31, 2012 at 01:42
i’m so bad at eating healthy but i exercise regularly does that count?
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:16
It’s a good start! 🙂
sahbinahvioletflynn
May 31, 2012 at 02:18
Mmmmm…frozen grapes are the best, especially after a long, hard run!
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:16
Yes!
Real Food, Real Deals
May 31, 2012 at 03:01
Thanks for the great list! It’s good to be reminded of how many healthy snack options there are.
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:15
You are welcome! 🙂
writerwannabe763
May 31, 2012 at 04:58
Celery with peanut butter….I love both but have never tried together…must do it…Diane
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:15
It is a favorite for us!
olbigjim
May 31, 2012 at 08:47
“In time you may even come to enjoy your veggies as much as chocolate (the scandalous thought!!!)” It’s mad that ye are! Mad, I tell you!
Your madness aside, you’ve listed some great snacks that I really enjoy. I’d like to add to that list. Frozen dates! Yes, there’s a variety of date that’s golden in color and amazing when frozen!
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 09:14
Yes, I am a bit mad! Thanks for the frozen date advice – I look forward to trying it – my girls LOVE dates! (Hopefully that will be the only type of date they love until they are 40 years old!!!) 🙂
speltforchoiceblog
May 31, 2012 at 11:27
I have days when I only graze. Must try your range of vegetables, up to now I’ve tended to stick to carrot and celery sticks. A good choice with these too are tahini. Now and then I do the frozen grapes and like them too
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 12:42
Yes, I love that! I do find that eating a variety of vegetables helps to break the monotony that can cause you to go back to unhealthy options.
speltforchoiceblog
May 31, 2012 at 16:14
Very true and when that happens in my case it usually means chips, aaagh….
viveka
May 31, 2012 at 12:34
Nuts, chocolate and red wine … is very good for us!!!
400daystil40
May 31, 2012 at 12:43
🙂 If you add cake or ice cream doesn’t that cover the four basic food groups??? 🙂
viveka
May 31, 2012 at 12:48
*laughing – I don’t know about that .. but I will add both – my food groups contains everything *smile
Betsy Andrews Etchart
June 1, 2012 at 01:50
I’m a snacker-too–could live on them! And I love a healthy snack. Thanks for this list. As a mom of a 2 and a 2 year-old, my inclination is to try for the “three round meals a day”–but kids are habitual snackers, too! So we’re all kind of happily breaking the rules.
400daystil40
June 1, 2012 at 11:29
My house too! We are all snackers.
Spider42
June 1, 2012 at 12:06
I don’t live by it but I definitely agree with your view here and intelligent moderation and balance is the key. It’s not complicated or difficult, just a problematic change in lifestyle and such which we all need to make – hectic work hours and trying to do too much and such, none of it helps.
Will try to follow more of the stuff you’ve suggested here, hopefully I’ll get the hang of it! 😀 I know how to make a hummus but what do you use to spice it up if I may ask?
400daystil40
June 1, 2012 at 23:08
Haha – in many places they get creative and will add chili peppers, avocado, vegetables, and all sorts of other things to hummus….. some are wonderful, others are a bit scary!!!
Spider42
June 2, 2012 at 09:54
Thanks, will be delving and experimenting now. (and if anyones taste-buds are irreperably harmed I’m passing the blame to my anonymous online acquaintance… I mean you of course… 😀
400daystil40
June 2, 2012 at 21:22
I am always innocent (in my own mind, anyhow!) 🙂
The Quiet Borderline
June 1, 2012 at 16:46
Great snack advice! I’m also a bit of a ‘grazer’, having a couple of rice cakes with halva spread on, then whizzing up a fruit smoothie with a bio yoghurt in etc.
400daystil40
June 1, 2012 at 23:06
I LOVE making smoothies!!! Though, my favorite is a coffee smoothie!!! Does that count??? 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean
June 3, 2012 at 21:38
Good advice. I’m not sure about the frozen grapes though – I think it would make my teeth hurt 🙂
400daystil40
June 4, 2012 at 07:34
I loved them as a child, but I find that now that I have old and sensitive teeth I do not enjoy them as much as I used to. 🙂
nate
January 30, 2013 at 21:27
What about popcorn like this?
http://www.garden4goodies.com/2012/12/09/popcorn-best-snack-ever/
400daystil40
January 30, 2013 at 23:48
Yum!